Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-08
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To the Editors ofthe Phenir Gazett

To the Editors tie Phenir Gazette.
ENTLEMEN: Judging from the high cha.
III racter you sustain, that your columns are
always open for the dissemination Of truth and
the correction Of error, submit 10 your consi.
Iteration the following statement, with request
that you will give il place in your JournaI:,
Were it required Of me to designate from a.
mong the human family that character which
had wandered fartherest from the state Of prime.
val innocence in which man was created, and
perverted, in the greatest degree, the divine
image impressed on him by the Creator, would,
without hesitation, name him who would wan.
tonly detract from his neighbor that which is
above all price, and which, once stolen, can ne
yer be returned.
The man who flches my purse, or robs me Of
nv coat, dcprives me of that which Dame For
tune, gentle soul, may, in a propitious hour, re.
store; but he who steals my good name, takes
from me what he never can return These re.
Elections suggested Themselves to my mind. on
hearing of the industrious efforts which certain
JOSEPH N. BURCH, Of Prince George Coun.
ty, MARYLAND, had made, calculated to create in
the public mind, the belief that had seized up
on and sold, without authority, to Mr. Benia.
min Lewis Of Alexandria, a negro slave, said
to have been the property of Mrs. Mary Parker,
of Prince George County. Maryland. Thar
did sell the negro alluded to, do not now, nor
have ever, denied; bur that sold her without
authority, declare to be a base and malicious
falsehood. To prove the correct ness of this as
sertion, it will only be necessary for me 10 Law
before the public plain, unvarnished statement
of facts; for facts are stubborn things. yielding 10
no authority however great-the forked tongue
Of Islander not excepted.
In the early part Of the year 1922, Mrs Park.
err, the lady mentioned above, (who is the mo.
Their of my wife, put into my possession ne.
gro eirl, about ten or twelve years Of age. This
girl was trained up from that time, until The date
OF the circumstance which led to my sell.
ing cher, as house servant. During this
period she manifested symptoms Of very
unamiable disposition.-These, however, were
overlooked, or attributed to the ignorance of her
age. During the summer Of 1926, the imm..
diate care of our child Can infant) wa, con6ded
TO her; Of which task she manifested grea, un-
willingness to accept. From the sudden and
protracted attack which preceded the death Of
this infant, strong suspicious were excited in the
mind Of her mistress, that she the nurse) had
been an accessary,-inasmucha as she had, more
than oEce, been detected in exhibiting Iaudanum
to lull its restlessness. These circumstances
were, however. passed over, without their me-
rited consideration; and il was reserved for her
to make other and more daring attempts.
About the 9th of Oct. in the absence of my.
self and wife, she conceived Gas she afterwards
confessed the horrid idea Of impregnating
bottle Of spirit which had been accidently left
in her way, with some poisonous substance, and
which l afterwards, by chemical tests, discov.
cred to be bluestone, in the hope, as she also
confessed, of terminating my existence.
As soon as this murderous scheme was &c.
tected, addressed letter to Mrs. Parker in.
forming her Of it, and requested to be advised
as TO the best method 10 be pursued-to which
1received the following replv:-
MoUSr PLEASANT, Oct. II, 1926.
Dear Sir After painful and sleepless night. have
risen to acknowledge the receipt Of your distressing
letter. tremble at the thought of such horrible act
and thank my God that you have made fortunate an
escape. Oh the vile ungrateful wretch, from every
circumstance she must be guilty Of the charges brought
against her. You have an unquestionabIe right de.
termine on her punishment the crime has been CON-
mitted against youAct agreeable 10 the dictates of
your conscience, and am sure you will be right
1remain yours aAectonately,
ne Ietter then concludes by giving an ac-
count Of the health of her family, which having
no connection with this affair, i, is needless to
repeat.
Although, as is by this time clearly seen, /.
was optional with me to prosecute this negro,
or dispose of her as might think proper,
forbore to do either, until from the earnest 50.
Iieitations Of my friends was made sensible Of
the danger to which myself and family were e1-
posed by retaining her.
On several different occasions between tn.
date Of the receipt Of my authority and the
time of my selling her, (and Of these fact,
challenge the contradiction, as an pre-.
pared, with respectable living witnesses, to
prove them), l informed Mrs. Parker that
intended TO use the power she had delegalrd 10
me, and on neither Of these occasions did re-
ceive any other sentiments than those of concur.
renee. trust that have been able TO prove
conelusively, what asserted in the outset: viz
that the charge Of my having sold thisnegro
without authority, was base and malicious
falsehocd.
After this statement, is it not strange, pass.
ing strange" that an action should have been
instituted against Mr.. Lewis for the recovery Of
fhis neOrottt To rooC.c. H. k,.,o., have