[From Home Office File HO 98/74 ]

John Christian (First Deemster) to ?Hobhouse 30th June 1826

Isle of Man June 30 1826

Sir

After a two days Trial of the most unexampled nature, for a false & most malicious charge of Libel, instituted against me, & sworn to by W Roper, as the first Act after his re-admission to the Bar, I have been returned to my home, and re-instated in my character & credit by the Verdict of an honest Jury. - Were I placed in any other situation than that, which I have the Honor to hold, I should instantly appeal to the Laws of the Country for redress; but I think it right to lay my complaint before Mr Peel in the first instance; being well assured, that he will not suffer his Majesty's Deemster (however unworthy the holder of that Office may be) to be treated almost as a culprit, and attacked by means of perjury the most corrupt, on a charge which has been concocting for a year past, and which has been brought forward as the first act of Roper's concilatory return to our Bar. On the 21st Inst I was served with a Petition sworn to by him and with an Order from my Brother Deemster to enter into a Recognizance in £100, to stand Trial, when required - and on the day following I had notice of Trial for Wedny the 28th Inst. Conscious of my innocence, I waived all the faults of the petition, & the unheard of attempt of bringing forward such a date charge as one of the 20 Augt 1824, and I submitted to take my trial before a Jury. To my astonishment Mr Roper asserted that he had engaged himself, on being re-included, to behave henceforward, with courtesy to the Gentlemen of the Bar, but that he had expressly reserved himself the power of bringing me to a Trial for a supposed Libel against him and he aserted, that this was known & stated to you. Ever since his return, he has occupied himself with vilifying me in the grossest manner; and be boldly asserted that I should never sit again in Court aftr Monday the 26th Inst. - The most perjured villain almost in existance - J Sumner had been kept in their regular pay to swear against me, and Trevor Ashe, was to have been brought forward, but for certain compunctions of Conscience, and a quarrel between him and Roper & McCrone about the extent of the pay for his expected Services. For about five hours in the whole, I was on Wedny & yesterday, under the form of legal proceedings, exposed to the most unqualified abuse of Roper. The Bishop gave up private Letters to be produced in evidence against me - The Receiver Genl Mr Stuart was to have been called to betray any unguarded expressions of familiar confidence: and ther sole aim was, that of crushing me, before I could be prepared to meet & expose their deep laid plan.

My Brother Deemster meant well, but was timid and irressolute, & made scarce any charge to the Jury, when he ought to have laid open their deep laid villiany & put the Jury on their guard against the many perjuries which were made against me.

I am quite ready to appeal to the Law for satisfaction agt Roper, should it be thought improper at this early time to lay a formal complaint against him - he attempted to charge me before the Jury, as the Author of his dismissal; but the evidence was properly rejected - and the sole disclosure has been that of the most unbounded malice.

I have scarce closed my Eyes all the week, and am fitter for my bed than for writing: but I think it my Duty to lay what has taken place before you, that Roper's character may be properly viewed, and that we may understand, whether we should resort to our own means of protection, or respectfully submit aur renewed complaint to Mr Peel. I have been put to considerable expence by this maliciou prosecution, for which I have no redress. I have been obliged to appear at the Bar of my own Court, in the light of an Offender - My family have been subjected to the most poignant distress and my own feelings have been harrowed with the most bitter mortification I have ever yet experienced - and this all owing to the return of Roper to our Bar.

Before I write a formal Letter thro' the Governor, you will perhaps oblige me with a few lines in reply. The greatest blessing to this Island, would be an union with England, as the means of destroying underhand influence, & raising the tone of moral principle amongst us.

Pardo, I entreat you, the effusions of a much insulted & injured Person - perhaps I ought to have waited for another post, but indeed I cannot resist laying my grievances before you, and I have the honor to be

your very faithfull & obliged friend
J Christian

Notes