Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-03-15

a 4
find lhst the natural desire of mankind to
propagate reports Of defamatory char
acter (more particularly during periods
Of eIectioneering)is strongly manifested
in my case. Eleven times have been
before the people for their sulfrages, and
never, until now, did deem il necessa-
ry to resort to certificates and handbiIls
to protect my character. Justice to my
self, as well as proper feeling of res
psct TO the Freeholders of this Con-
gressional district, demand that should
thus publicly notice the calumnies and
6etractions spreading industriously a.
gainst me, by Mr.. Nobody. have the
consolation 20 believe, that, though the
people may be misled for time, re-
fiectisa generally enables them to see
Alright, and ultimately to award fair and
equal, if not retributive, justice. hope
never to controvert the important right
of every citizen to arraign the political
conduct of all public bodies, as we'll as
the political and moral standing of eve-
~ public individual; but charges should
be made in truth, tangible and response
bic. A calunniator Of character, by
inuendos and whispeFings, is worse than
a midnight assassin. Where is the
honorable man who would not prefer
death to permanent disgraceS
This Mr.. Rumor, who is Nobody, yet
every where the hand-maid of False
hood, the defamer's strong hold, and
ofttimes perverted 10 the most wicked
purposes, says, that when in business,
in Georgetown, I received on storage
the flour of several farmers, which flour
iappled to my individual use, and re-
fused to pay for the same, alleging that
ii was burnt up in my ware. house, when
in fact had no flour there. If such
had been the case, my fellow citizens,
never should you hare been troubled
with this communication. Retirement
and obscurity (ifJ know myself would
have been my choice. To shew, then,
beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the
-four was in the house, Tor the quantity, }
and that refused to part with it, and
held it subject to the orders of the ow-
ners, l solici. an attentive perusal Of
the dispositions taken and read in evil
dence, and herewith published. wish
to be understood, as disclaiming any in
tention to cast reflection generally; up.
on those who brought suit against me
for the -four; with them, | suppose, a
little more of this worlds gear is enough,
and they were advised that recovery for
the loss could be had under the doctrine
of bailment, viz: as | understand it,
"Where a specific thing is not to be re-
turned, but something of the same kind
or value, the property is transferred to
the bailee, and he liable, though the
property be destroys by inevitable, ac-
cident" To be compelled to pay, ua-
der all the circumstances, | did think,
and still believe, would be hard case.
to suffer suit, therefore, does not atfix
dishone.ty.-The acting parties will do
me the Justice to say, that instead of
setarding, Iconceded points to expedite
the case. The quantity of -four sued
for, is, believe, fine and superhne,
but one thousand and forty-six barrels,
very nearly the whole quantity that |
held on storage, and on every barrel of
which l had paid from 80 cents to ST.
10 freight. AT that time the price was
little, if any thing, above four dollars,
and be it kaosun, that, should the law
determine me bound to pay for the
-four stored, the only complaint which
ould fairly be made, is the delay; as,
besides my responsibility, they have one
of the most wealthy men in Jefferson
county, security. The parties, with
one or two exceptions, are wealthy
some of them, take pride in proclaim.
ing, have magnanimausly determined to
vote for and support me in the coming
election. My object, at this time, is
not to attack any one, but to shield my
reputation from the charge OF dishonor
and dishonesty.
This Bssy-bsdy, Mr.. Rumor, says, Sc
condly, that my ware house and prop
erty were insured, therefore, as an ho-
nest man, | should have paid for the
-four on storage. Could he prove that,
il would put 10 or 80 thousand dollars
into my pocket. In fact my engage
ments were very extensive, both as an
importing and exporting merchant;
sometimes had one hundred thousand
dollars worth of goods in store, then
again not exceeding five thousand, ma
king It difficult TO have agreed on any
satisfactory scale of insurance. My
actual individual loss was not lass than
seventy thousand dollars, besides all
IL ~ xroco