Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-06-19
cor. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

IL was suggested, in noticing the vol
untarJ return OF Col King, immediate
" after the arrival of the gentlemen
who made an inefe ctual effort to arrest
him, that the singularity of the case
required an explanatory detail for the
satisfaction Of the public.-Branded as
be has been with charges of the greatest
magnitude-charges seemingly strength
ened by bis alledged evasions ofthe Off
GERS in pursuit of him it is manifestlY
proper, that, having given currency to
the official report of Sheriff CARING
house, Sc. the explanation OF Col King
should have an equal chance of perussl;
and with this view we insert the article
be has furnished for that purpose.
The suspension OF public opinion, for
which be asks, till the result OF the trial
is known, will strike all acquainted with
the state OF feeling in this section as be-
ing highly proper Having voluntarily
placed himself in the power and appeal
ed to the justice of his countrymen, we
have wrongly estimated their magnani-
nifty if countenance is any longer extern
ded to the denunciations and inilamma-
tory appeals, too frequently made on
this subject to the prejudices and pas
sions. The effects of such state of
things was exempli6ed in the case of
Sheldon, who was convicted and impri-
soned last year in Ontario county tor a
participation in the Morgan outrage
in which we presume not one man in
one thousand now believes him to have
bad the slightest part or lot In making
this observation, we disclaim all inten
ton OF extenuating the conduct Of Col
King or any other of the individuals in-
dicted-desiring merely to incalculate
moderation and candour, as the most
proper and efficacious means of attain.
ing the ends of Justice 49, Bait. Gaz.
TO THE PUBLIC.
Fellow CiTIzENs-Believing in the
disposition oftbe generality of my coun-
trymen to do justice to their fellow men,
and owing to the unwarrantablp liberty
taken with my name by individuals OF
whom shall not now speak-inf1uenced,
likewise, by sense Of duty to my fsmi-
~, my friends,a my self, have thought
proper to offer for your consideration a
detail of circumstances connected with
my departure and consequent return to
this state, leaving for your candour to
determineswith what degree Of justice |
have been branded as a jug at,os from
justice.
A few years since, / was doing the
business for three United States posts,
viz: Niagara, Pittsburgh, and Macki
nae. Within that time these posts have
all been abandoned, and my business
was entirely broken up. A family Of
twelve children had drawn SO largely on
my resources as to prevent any accu-
mutation of property, and the business
of this part of the country did not offer
me, as was then without capital, suffi-
cient inducement to remain conse-
quently left for the city of Albany,where
| received an appointme Mt FROM the late
Governor Clinton to transact some bust
ness for the state at Washington. to
which place repaired, and remained
till the 7th February, 1927. During my
stay there, l received from the Hon.
James Barbour, Secretary of War, an
appointment to do the business at Can
tonment Towson, in the Arkansas Ter
ritory, on the Red River, about 1900
miles above its junction with the Missis-
sippi.
| left Baltimore on the 9th Februa-
ary--and travelled by the way of New.
Orleans and Natchtoches to Canton
ment Towson, where arrived ON the
lst of April, and established myself in
business, which pursued till informed
by gentleman who arrived from below,
that my name was in the papers connec-
ted with the Morgan Affair, which was
the first information had ever received
to that effect l replied to bin, that !
would go home as soon as could get
my business arranged, and was actual.
ly getting on with the arrangement,
when, about the middle of February
last, gentleman informed me that he
had overheard a conversation between
three men and Captain Hyde, by which
he understood that they had come from
NewYork after me. instantly replied
that was perfectly willing to deliver
myself into their custody, if was sus-
pected of having violated the laws of my
country; but on being assured that Mr..