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

4 oEat1ot . htSuty EcePCCFa1Ie anu meflkO-
rious competitor, by at least four-6fths
Of the people. The salary and perau
sites being insufficient to provide for a
family and cover expenses incident to
the situation, resolved me to come into
Jefferson and turn my attention exclu-
sively to farming operations. The cor
poration of Georgetown, when informed
of my intention, coDvened and offered
an addition of $3.50 per annum, if
would remain. The inducement was
not enough to justify an abandonment
OF my previous arrangements.
| The valorous General Ruaor, not
satisfied with the three shots at my rep
utation, assails my nodesty in presum-
ing to offer myself candidate for Con-
gress, as be says, being scarcely two
years in the county. A small charge, to
be sure, and only made at distance;
yet having taken up the pen to reply to
these of more serious Import, think it
right to state, that on the 9Th day of
next July, shall have resided, where
now live, FIVE years--nesrly long e.
nough (ita foreigner) under the laws of
the U. States, to be entuIed to all the
rights, privileges, and immunities Of a
| citizen.
The most prejudiced must, I think,
after an attentive perusal of the sffida-
wits, made by gentlemen of the first
standing and character, together with
the certificate of Col. Cox, Mayor of
Georgetown, agree, that all the emu
\ merated charges are malicious and
groundless.
individuals. of any sensbility, who
may have been under the necessity of
coming before the public, in defence of
reputation, can only conceive the full
extent Of modification consequent there.
to. This -four business has, for some
time been more or less banded about,
to my disadvantage, without beag able TO
trace it into any responsible point ,there-
fore, possibly, | should be pleased that
an opportunity is now Afforded to dem
onstrate to my neighbors, scqualntan-
ces, and every person directly or indi-
rectly concerned, tn at the fair character
which, | am proud to say, have main
tanned for AZ years, is still, | trust, un--
sullied; and that il yet may be trans
mitted to my children, as received it
from my forefathers, unspotied.
| Constrained, my fellow citizens,
much against my wishes and feelings, 10
appear before you in defence OF my
character, and having previously been.
an applicant for your suflrsges aud con-
fidence, viii, l trust, justify brief his
tory of myself, and which do not wish
to obtrude on your notice for any thing
more than il is fairly worth.
My progenitors, who resided during
the revolution in Surry county, Virginia,
suffered, peeuniarily, nearly as much
as any family in the state; two of my
uncles were gathered to their final home
in the glorious struggle. My father,
a native Of this state, was quarter-mas-
ter to the army, and lost, by the aepre-
citation OF Congress money, very large
sum. was born in Georgetown, with
in less than half mile of the Virginia
shore, was elected mayor ofthat city in
the year 1918, aud elected for the years
1914, IS, l6, II, is, 1891 and 1872, at
which time | resigned s. moved into JEFF
ferson. During the last war was on two
occasions, as the organ of the people of
the District, dapuied to represent to the
department of the War the necessity of
preparation for defence of Washing
ton City; but Mr.. Armstrong considered
such apprehensions as idle. Being COR
rectly informed of the actual force of
the enemy, he deemed such an attempt
too Quixotic tor the British. A few
days after my last interview, Received,
an order from the government to get
together my command and proc eed
| with all speed to Benedict, on the Pa
iuxent river, which country the enemy
was pillaging and laying waste. re-
ceived the notice on Tuesday morning,
and on Wednesday night we were with
in one mile OF Benedict. On Thursday
we taught the British to know, that mi
litia (under proper discipline) might
I Justly be denominated the best defence
and bulwark of free people. We saw
perilous service, had repeated severe
skirmishing--the first engagement, for
the number, was bloody one; the enc
my were kept by US to their shipping,
| two frigates); we followed them down
the river, saving to the citizens a vast
amount of property, which other wise, |
have no hesitation in saying, would
have been lost. After joining the fleet,
the enemy came up with fair wind,
IIaodad ar A fhnusand man and maAch-