That the said Richard Henderson, Esq., his unworthy landlord, having been offered a still higher rent, from a miserable disciple, named Darby Skinadre, among others, unfeelingly availed himself of Dalton's _res augusta_--and under play of his privileges as a landlord, levied an execution upon his property, auctioned him out, and expelled him from the farm; thus turning a respectable man and his family, hopeless and houseless, beggars upon the world, to endure misery and destitution.

That the said Mr.Cornelius Dalton, now plain Corny Dalton--for vile poverty humilifies even the name--or rather his respectable family, among whom, _facile princeps_, for piety and unshaken trust in her Redeemer, stands his truly unparalleled wife, are lying in a damp wet cabin within about two hundred perches of his former residence, groaning with the agonies of hunger, destitution, dereliction, and disease, in such a state of complicated and multiform misery as rarely falls to the lot of human eyes to witness.

That the burthen and onus of this petition is, to humbly supplicate that Mr.
Cornelius Dalton, or rather his afflicted and respectable family, may be reinstated in their farm as aforesaid, or if not, that Richard Henderson, J.P., may be compelled to swallow such a titillating emetic from the head landlord as shall compel him to eructate to this oppressed and plundered man all the money he expended in making improvements, which remain to augment the value of the farm, but which, at the same time, were the means of ruining himself and his most respectable family: for, as the bard says, '_sio vos non vobis_,' &c, &c.

Of the remainder of this appropriate quotation, your honor cannot be incognizant, or any man who has had the advantage of being college-bred, as every true gentleman or '_homo factus ad unguem_' must have, otherwise he fails to come under this category .-- And your petitioner will ever pray." "Are you the Mr.Eugenius McGrane," asked the agent, "who drew up this extraordinary document ?" "No, your honor; I'm only merely a friend of the Daltons, although a stranger in the neighborhood." "But what means have Dalton or his family, granting that he escapes from this charge of murder that's against him, of stocking or working so large a farm?
I am aware myself that the contents of this petition, with all its pedantry, are too true." "But consider, sir, that he sunk seven hundred pounds in it, an' that, according to everything like fair play, he ought either to get his farm again, at a raisonable rate, or his money that raised its value for the landlord, back again; sure, that's but fair, your honor." "I'm not here to discuss the morality of the subject, my good friend, neither do I question the truth of your argument, simply as you put it.
I only say, that what you ask, is impracticable.

You probably know not Dick o' the Grange, for you say you are a stranger--if you did, you would not put yourself to the trouble of getting even a petition for such a purpose written." "It's a hard case, your honor." "It is a hard case; but the truth is, I see nothing that can be done for the Daltons.