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Dear Bradburn, Old Daniel gave me his answer yesterday
morning, in these words, as nearly as I can repeat them— “I could not give an opinion contrary to
the practice of the government for half a century. It may be all true, (meaning
that my ground might be true), but I cannot signify it.” He gave no intimation that he had read my
argument. Shame that the old fellow should be such a slave as not toe dare look
into the question fairly, and give his opinion. But so it is, and I have no
help for it. If you should come here to see If you write to Smith about my matters, I
wish, (if you please) you would mention that I said to you that he could not
escape his obligation to pay for the opinion by refusing to read it—that the
labor of preparing it has been performed, and it is for that, that
compensation is due—that having had all the labor of preparing it, at his
request, it is nothing to me whether he read it or not. Yours truly, L. Spooner |