" Berkeley Castle, 3d December 1836. "Sir—Though I might fairly
decline to answer a question asked on no better auiho- rity than hearsay information. I do not mean to avail myself of that plea on the pre- sent occasion. I therefore have no hesitation in stating my decided impression that you are aiding (from what motive is best known to yourself) the cause of the Conser- vatives, by the system so universally adopted in your paper of abusing and vilifying the Whigs, the present Liberal Government, and their supporters. From this course of proceeding no practical advantage nor benefit whatever can arise to any other party in the state than the Conservative,; and if you will take the trouble to inquire, I think you may satisfy yourself that in this opinion I am not singular, but that many others in the town of Cheltenham have come to the same conclusion.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"To S. C. Harper, Esq. &c. &c. Ike." "CitAvEN F. BERKELEY."
[Why did not Mr. Berkeley speak out like a man—deny the words imputed to him, or reaffirm the calumny, or retract it and apolo- gize' Mr. Berkeley's " impression " that a public writer aids the Tories by exposing Whig mistakes or delinquencies, does not justify him in imputing corruption to the person who annoys hist or his Whig- ennobled brother. If Mr. Berkeley and Lord Segrave thought that the letter of Mr. Smith, the steward, would terrify the conductors of the Cheltenham paper, they must have been undeceived by a letter of Mr. Symons, the editor ; who, while advocating earnestly a restoration of the Whig-Radical alliance, reminds Mr. Berkeley that his friends the Ministers depend for their places upon those persons whom he sneers at and misrepresents. A Whig, railing at a Radical, resembles a pauper who damns the man who finds him with meat, drink, and clothing, but refuses to supply him with " sausages to his turkey" and Lundy Foot" for his nostrils.]
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