Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-12

merits or dement's of which you are ignorant:
exert Them in the cause Of your country and Of
mankind, as I am exerting the humble talents,
with which my Creator has been pleased 10
endow me:-ADd although by YOU, and by such
editors as you who, while they profess 10 know
nothing Of the Noodle association the Lamb
skin Order, (of which | know I good deal, as
my book will show still undertake to defend
it-and 10 call me an " insane man." a sill
ly old dotard".-
We must, in Justice to our feelings, return
our sincere thanks 10 the venerable editor Of
the Observer, for tho complimentary manner
in which he has been pleased to speak of us,
and at the same time refuse to accept the chal-
lenge he has 'heen pleased to offer. We as
sure him, that we know nothing ofthe' Noodle
association tho Lnmbskin ORDER" and there
fore shall not attempt TO refute him;-we shall
suffer him to go on. to any length he pleascs,
provided he does the whole society Of masons,
no injustice, but the moment he undertakes TO
assume, that the whole Of that respectable So
ciety Of men, are guilty Of participating in tie
murder of Morgan, wo shall oppose hun to the
best of our ability.
We are not aware, that we have ever pro-
nounced Mr.. S%outhwick an 90 insane man, or a
silly old dotard;''-we do not think that we
age, and standing in society," but if we have
done so, it was done in a moment Of irritation.
when the pen misled the fin. ers, and the fin
gers disobeyed the injunctions of the head and
heart.
We shall make, but two moro extracts from
Nr. South wick $ production, the first of which
reads thus:
"Onco more, let me ask you, how could you
come to the conclusion that my book is intend
ed to bring into " unmerited disrepute, the So
ciety of Free Masons," when you know moth
ing Of the facts, or premises, l have laid down,
or the conclusions | have drawn from them
You say something Of what you haze heard
from The mouth of Solomon himsclf.'' but when
and where did you hear any thing from my
mouth of the specific contents Of uly book Il
have not told you wha, they are, either IN my
paper, or otherwise: and although l have writ
len, at least, 200 editorial columns on the sub
ject of Free Masonry, alias Foul Monkery, as
connected with Morgan's abduction and muir
der; yet Of all that ] have written, there will
not be found forty lines in the tex, of my book,
OF which there will be about 100 duudecipio
RACES. In the appendix there are some repeii-
tions of my newspaper matter, particularly the
correspondence roiahse 10 tine anfOrTnlte
martyr, Murdoch The book is original. tru-
y so whether It he found worthy of your ap.
probation or not
In reply to Mr. Southwick's interrogatory,
chow came we TO the conclusion, that his
book is intended 10 bring into unmerited dis
repute, the society o ffrce Misons!' we reply,
we came 10 Through tie medium Of in!oima-
ton furnished by himself from his own pros
pectus. Those proposals, give US 10 UNDER
stand, that the book, has been written, aud
will be published to CRAFTY sinister motives,
and a thirst for gain. If the auIlor Of il. Mr.
Southwick. is aciuated solely by pure and dis
Interested motives by a love ofiruth and us
ticc, as he processes, why rot circulate his
work gratuitously, why make it a money-mak-
ing affair? If we are told, that he could not
DO this in Justice 10 himself and his family, We
will say to hun, well sir. we admit the position,
but why not afford it at a price, simply sufiic-
lent to pay the incidental expenses of printing
and pubIishing-why ask for an advance Of
more than one hundred per cent. On actual
cost. That zeal, and that attachment for the
interests of mankind which demand extrava-
CANT rewards, are, TO say the least Of them. Of
a very questionable character.
The venerable gentleman, concludes his cs-
say Of five columns, with the annexed remarks.
"Is it not time, then, sir, for our country
men TO pause, ard reflect seriously, whether
they will, any of them, any longer encourage
a society from whose dark and secret retreats,
and councils, such mischief may flow such
mischief has flown! Adieu! my good friend
but pause, 1 bcseech you, and reflect, before
YOU again prost ,tpte your able pen, oven in an
indirect apology for an Order, "a petty term
in a Republlc) OF which you %conless you know
nothing. Instead Of calling me " silly old
dotard," which proves that you are a young
man who does not reverence grey hairs; nor do
ask you 10 reverence minc, If you find thcm
accompanied by folly, fraud, or fdlsehood, in-
stead, | say. OF heapng abuse upon me, gratu-
iiously, uncdiled for. unprovoSed; rather recip-
rocate my poli'encss, and publish the whole of
this article. as | have published the whole Of
yours; either do this, aud rcfute nc fairly, il
you can, or acknowledge yourself put fairly
hors do combat"
To close this article, it remains for US TO
say TO Mr.. Southwick, that not being awaro
that the Society of Masons. taken as a body,
have ever been guilty Of atrocities, or plotted
rs destruction Of the Liberties oftte people. I'VE
cannot prevail upon ourselves TO asslii IL, wiih
a spirit Of vindiotivencss and unfosirainod hos
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