Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-05-24
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
May II, 1928.

by which to discover the correctness or
incorrectness OF controverted question,
by referring to the advocates of this or
that particular side. Lev US apply this
rule 10 the present question which now
divides this state.
The Illinois Republican lately estab-
lished in this county, from lbt 6rst num-
Der to the present moment did com
mence ard Is now carrying Oh warfare
| against the Ministers of the Gospel.
This body of men it is generally admit
ted with few exceptions, are governed IN
all their transactions, by a strict observ-
ance of the moral law, and the duty
which they owe to God and theft fellow
men. That they should unanimously
oppose the convention question, those
who well know lis objects and designs
did not for a moment hesitate 20 believe.
AS if urged on by fatality, they could
not delay their attack until opposition
became manifest; aud TO render he
eloven foot more apparent, they antici-
fate the exertions of that respectable
class of our citizens to defeat their de.
signs so pregnant with mischief and evil
to the community. Whether they can
be zvritten doz0n or their influence para
lizesl by the 7vorthy co-ediior of the Re-
publican, time must determine.
l have more par,cD larly been led to
these reflections by observing ;eries of
nun bers in the Int ligencer at Vandalia,
signed " Convention" In the first OF
these numbers, the writer made an as
serton respecting Methodist minister,
which must confess did not at he
time believe. As it respected the min
ister, however, it was serious charge,
and one tina, subjected him to depriva-
ton of his Office, a degradation in his
church, and The contempt and adherence
of his fellow citizens. That a minister
of the gospel should express a wish that
the members of the last legislature. who
voted in fayer of the convention, might
have been secured in the State House,
and while that building was in flames,
denied the possibility of escape, seemed
to me so improbable and so directly OPP
posite to those mild principles OF the
gospel, which the preacher incu!cated,
that il made. the man must either have
been a mad man or ideot. Notwith-
standing, the writer of the communica-
ton made the charge-and when called
upon by respectable citizen of this
county TO give the name of the person
who used the expression above referred
to, that he might be dealt with according
to the rules of The church. mark his re-
ply in the Intelligencer Of May II; here
it is:
"The Methodist preacher who made this
declaration, if he did, ought to come before
the church, acknowledge his fault, and get
remission for the offence. know but little
of the rules of your church, but have under
stood that the word of a member is sooner be-
lieved than the oath of a man who is not. You
therefore cannot get the name OF the preacher
from me. But go to st. Clair, stir the thing
ifvou see any person with stiff arm. ask him
where he heard it-and go to Lebanon, you
may, probably hear something of it-then the
whole is hearsay to me-"
Now let me ask every candid man in
community what this writer does not de-
serve? first he charges an innocent indi-
viduallwith an offence which if'rue, would
ruin his standing in community, and when
called upon to say who it is, in forced
and feeble attempt at wit, says "you
cannot get the name Of the preacher
from me-the whole is hearsQu to me"
and so is the most of the SANDER,
weekly propagated by the writer's in ia
vor of convention, and more especially
ofthis one.
Let me suppose case-should | as
sert that an individual had appropriated
the funds of the state to his own use. and
when called upon by the friends of that
individual to say if his friend was i'm
plicated should tell him, 60 to Wanda
dalia or ego to St. Clair and stir the
thine-lt you see any person with stiff
arm" or thick lips, +" ask him where he
heard i."-or GO some where else and
you will hear something of i'-would
this, l ask, be rendering to the individual
or society Justice! or would it not be
adding insult to injury! 1.-THE characters
and regulations of men are to be played
upon in this way, it is high time an in
dignant community should devise some
plan to bring before them these bare
faced Iibellers, if in so doing the liberty
ofthe press might sustain no injury.
A. B.
Madison county, May %.
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
TLo Y oo+,cLy 6 V1pLoer who livec