Newark May 1^st 1866

 

Mr Ladd

                        Dear Sir I rec^d your letter to day & hasten to reply for the purpose of informing you of my intention of visiting Cromwell next week where I hope to see you for various reasons of which 1^st a better knowledge of what the church require 2^nd of being properly & understandingly informed of any individual charge against me or the person who makes such charge 3^rd to be informed if Christian candor & integrity does not demand a knowledge of individuals places & circumstances in order to enable a member to answer a charge made against him 4^th firmly believing that the laws & customs of civilized society on all counts presume a person innocent untill proved guilty and that certain knowledge must be procured of any charge made & presented to the person against whom made in season for his defence is one for which I may call for it is inconsistent to condemn a member untill he is allowed an opportunity of knowing & perfectly understanding the charges of guilt & of confronting persons &c and of answering for himself. 5^th I give this notice in order to get at a better understanding of this matter & to give time for for the committee to prepare for my meeting them next week & also that I may be better informed that I may be able to confute these groundless & malicious charges made & of which I declare myself not guilty knowingly 

 

6^th & also to get a further & better understanding & knowledge of church forms & rules for I must confess I have heretofore ever been ignorant of any rules which required a member to confess himself guilty of a crime of which he is [faded] innocent

 

Respectfully yours

 

Edmund Sage

 

SOURCES