The President [
James Paine] had twice failed to have a letter from Paton resigning his Fellowship read at general meetings. Paine had therefore by his irregular and arbitrary behaviour trampled on the established law of the Society of Artists, as well as offending Paton himself. It was Paine's very ill behaviour toward Paton that had determined him to resign in the first place. As the Society's procedures have not been followed, Paton therefore desires his previous letter to be made null and void, and lays full claim to membership. If, in future, he again has occasion to resign, he wishes the proper notice to be taken. He repeats in a postscript that his original decision had arisen from the ill behaviour of Mr Paine toward himself and his own desire to avoid an open rupture between the two of them.