Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-01

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Your public servant,
NATHANIEL BUCKMASTER,
July l9, 1920,
To the Electors Of Madison County.
FELLOW CITIZENS,
AS it has been vel, understood for
months past throughout this county, that
| have consented, il elected, to serve in
the next legislature, it is not SO much
my object in this address to offer myself
to you as candidate, as to detect the
| false reports which have been put in Cir
latlon concerning me. 1t will no doubt
be recollected by many, that at and pre-
vious to the election in 1918, my enc
mics, in order to defeat my election, re-
ported, with other things equally false,
that | had proposed to the board of trus-
tees OF Ebenezer School Society, at
| time when the board were convened for
the purpose of framing constitution for
the government of that body, to ncorpo-
rate into that instrument an article pro-
hibiting the children of religious parents
from associating with the childlen of the
irreligious. Although do believe that
no one who knew me ever thought me
capable of SO Liberal or contracted a
sentiment, yet with many worthy citizens
who NEVER knew me, it had its weight
and influence, greatly to my prejudice.
The only means in my power at that
time to retnte it, was to refer as many
as spoke to me on the subject, to the
board OF trustees, the only persons with
whom transacted any business relative
to the school. After the election was
over, | treated the report, its authors
and retailers, alikewith silent contempt,
as beneath my notice or consideration,
little expecting that at the very eve of
the approaching election should be
called on to wrest from the hand of the
unprincip pied detamer my bleeding cha
racter, smitten and lacerated by the will
full and malicious liar. Quite over
reached in my expectation, my insidious
enemies, at this late stage of the bust
ness, have recommended their operations
upon an unsuspecting public, particular
ly in the back settlements of the county,
and with terminated zeal have republish-
ed, with some additions, the same nefa-
rlous reports; all of which l solemnly
declare to be false and without so much
as the shadow of foundation. / challenge
the world to produce proof against me.
lfany yet entertain doubts on the subject,
| refer them to the Rev. Josias Randle,
Capt. Abraham Prickett, and Mr.. Ben
jamin Stedman, who are nay witnesses,
and who, with myself, and Major John
M'Kec, (now at rest,) composed the
board of trustees. But my prosecutors,
like blood-hounds still intent upon their
prey, and doubtful of success in the eff
forts they had made in their first attempt
to destroy me, have set to work another
engine by which they hope to hurl me
into vortex Of disappointment by final
defeat, intending SO to ply the new ma
chine as to make it perform a double
operation. With a necromantic gravity
they now tell the people, especially
those on the frontiers, that Orwell was
popular few weeks ago, and would I'M
doubtedly be elected if and if he had not
united his interest with Churchill. Had
those political gamesters stopped here,
| should have passed them by unnoticed;
but they have added,- that Churchill and
myself have put our heads together, to
put down, Gas they phrase it, or, in other
words, united to defeat the election of
Capt. Nathaniel Buckmaster; all of
which are as false as if they had stated
that myself and all the other candidates
were men of the first talents. Although
l never thought it any disparagement to
me to be associated with gentleman of
Mr. George ChurchilFs talents and
standing in society, yet do solemnly
declare that there never was any kind of
league or bargain between myself and
Mr.. Churchill against Capt. Buckmas-
ter, or any other candidate whatever.
That man does not exist by whom such a
charge can be established.
However painful it may be to one
Injured to peace and quietude, to be
dragged out On the public stage, and that
by the most base among men, and refuse
Of mankind, yet feel it duty l owe to
myself, as we'll as my friends, thus to
acquit myself before an impartial public
of those malicious and base charges
brought against me by my enemies and
false friends,
Now, fellow citizens, it will, ! pre-
sumo, be sufficient for me to observe,
that If the man of your choice, pledge
myself that my best abilities shall be ex-
erted in behaKof the public veal.
On the subject of division of the