The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-11 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR or.lllg NORTHERN
Sir,—Fally impressed with the belief, that to
answer tho ebtianamaieations of some men, is to
give importance to what they say, and give them
a notoriety which they seek, I cannot, however,
refrain from saying a few words in reference to 'he
letter of Mr. James *Donald; which appeared in
your paper of • Tuesday last. Invective and seur-
!lity are at all titles bad instruments to use in
defence Of misconduct, or by way of setoff for
a series of misfortunes brought on by ind.fference
and.negleet of those duties *bleb each man is called
upon to perfprm as his daily walk. The antecedents
of .tatiles M'Donald, show that no man in Liver
pool has had such remarkable opportuniticla ail he
has had. First, we find him adVanCing from the
post of common peli.cerilin to that of superinten-
dent of pollee. Then we find him in connection
with the Liverpool Rivingten (Water Works,_ next
to the highest official, with every prospect of pro-
motion. On the transfer of the Wells he is
appointed to the position of assessor and surveyor
to the Corporation Water. Works. The writer will
not say why he lost this situation, he would fain
allow the public: to thiek better of _the Dian.
*e find him superintendent of the police,
which situation he lost no doubt; fPoin anything
hut good conduct. At last, as if really he had
charmed our councillors to the belief that there
was something beyond humanity in the man, but
which certainly was never discovered, nor never
will be, beyond common mediocrity of talent, he is
placed in the position ofinspectortifsinoke nuisances
Even this ilittiation he cofild not retain. And now
let us see how his friends have fared with him., At
one tithe we find him friendly with one paper, and
then another, until at length he is deserted by all.
except one. The editor of this latter paper,believ-
ing him to be a much abused plait, ernploys him to
write against the Pike scheme. What is the issue ?
He is discarded by this last friend, and for a time
seeks shelter for his compositions in your journal.
Finding every effort on his Dart unavailing to induce
the public or the Council to heed his efforts, 111 r
*Donald now starta to villify private individuals--
to attack private character, Oh, base ingratitude !
The very man that has been a friend to him he now
attacks, because by industry, perseverancei and
talent, he has risen in hiS position; because he has
been honoured by his eMployers for his rectiude,
business worth, and application. And what
arft the accusations Mr. M'Donald lays against the
object of his Spleen ? Simply that from an humble•
position he has risen to an exalted one ; while he
has returned to the position which is
.the lot of
many who do not know when they are well off,
and do not retain their sittiationb. - Is the present
position of Mr M‘Donald chargeable to any one
but himself ? Did he endeavour to keep the
various public situations which he has held in
Liverpool, and, if so, how comes it that he has lost
every one. and is " now selling,' as he says,
" blacking?" The public must know there is
something radically wrong in a man who loses
some half doten first rate situations, and is now
without one. You, as guardians of the puhlie
Welfare, are not the last to allow, without notice,
a public servant to retain a Rittlation he does
not properly fill, or *ill not attend - to. It
assuredly is sUrptising to me how the public have.
tolerated this man. How he in particular has been
permitted to go on his career of attacking the
council and its members, and been placed in one
situation after another. lam almost inclined to
think that to scribble a few ill cenatruettid son-
iences, and write a few letters in the ne*spapers.
is to obtain public favottr,,and acts as a preferment
to corporate situations. As to our water engineer,
I say—all honour to the man who, by persevering
industry, advances himself in life, and to a position
which proves a source of envy and hatred to one
far less worthy, but who has had more opportuni
ties. What can Mr. M'Donald really desire by
attacking a public servant ? Does he suppose the
public will sympathise with his position
after • all that he has received at their
hands, and create a new place for him Or,
tides he believe he is exalting himself in the public
mind by evident acts of envy and scurrility ? He
is not less deluded in this instance than he has
been for years if he thinks so, for every right
thinking person sees through his. conduct, and
while he may temporarily annoy and -hurt the
feelings of the person he assails, he is more and
more bringing contumely on his own head, and
decreasing the number of his friends. What do the
public or the council care what their servants have
been as regards their early career, so long as they
are "good and faithful. servants. -?" The greatest
of living characters, and the rnightest ornaments
whose lives have adorned the historic page of
this great country. have risen from the lowest
situations of life. I need not more than refer to
such names as Stevenson, Aykwright, Hargraves,
Alexander, Wilson, Simson, Brindley, Ferguson,
and a host of other self made men. In
proof of this remark, then why does Mr.
M'Donald seek to drag an individual before the
public, and endeavour to hold him up to public
odium because he held this or that situation some
years ago. Pope's lines were never more effective
than in answer to Mr. M'Donald—

" Honour and shame from no condition rise,
Act well your part, there all the honour lies."
And, perhaps, the next best reply is the difference
in position of the two men. In conclusion, I will
ask in how much has Mr. M`Donald followed the
advice of the last line of the couplet ? I will leave
him to answer.
J. B.
Toxteth Park.