out of the
institution, why in the name of reason and of common sense do not these
gentlemen proceed in the regular way, to secure exemption from the fear
of danger? Could they not have legally coerced me to keep the peace? or
could they not (a still more rational course) have requested a committee
of the council to meet for the purpose of examining and adjusting a
matter of such grave importance? Could I not and can I not now expose
the hollow misery of the sham, the real nature of which is as plain as
the noon-day sun? The course they have adopted is surely derogatory to
the moral integrity of the parties concerned, and my stay among lunatics
and maniacs is an unpardonable abuse of an excellent institution. The
day before my arrest, eight young gentleman volunteered to commence the
study of the language which I more especially profess and I had engaged
to begin with a public lecture in the Monday following. These
proceedings rob me now, for this winter at least, of the only advantage,
which my connection with the institution affords me, and it is manifest
enough that the difficulty was "got up" for the express purpose of
anticipating and of frustrating my preparations for the present
semestre.

It still seems to me, that these gentlemen incriminate themselves in two
ways:--1st, By desiring me to remove out of the building, they incur the
suspicion of being themselves the authors or abettors of the nuisance I
complain of. I would propose to have some one stay with me and to retain
and pay for my study as usual. In that event I should have a witness and
the detection and punishment of the offenders would exonerate all those
who in case of my removal would have part of the criminal credit of
molesting the private residence of a professor and a scholar. 2d, The
fear of personal injury from the hands of one, who for many years past
has been known to be a man of peaceable and unexceptionable behavior and
who never attacked or struck any man in his life, appears to have its
origin in a consciousness of guilt and to be a virtual admission of it.
Do they perhaps think their conduct so outrageous, that the meekness of
Moses could no longer endure it without resentment? I grant that a
passionate man would be likely to take a more substantial revenge. I
myself however have no inclination to degrade myself in any such
way.--My confinement is on a false pretense, and if any made affidavit
to my insanity, they most assuredly must ha