Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-31
10 OtheCS~-
as onnCeI
Yours,
JNO. S. e. KNOWLTON.
WASHINGTON, July llih, 1929.

WAsHrseroN, July ll,h, 1929.
70 John s. Knoplnon. Esq
SIR:-Yuur favor If the 6,h inst. came TO
hand this mornlng. accord with you most
heartily in the sentiment, that "the people
cannot, and ought not, to place confidence in
Nh, public i',egrity of those who are not homes,
and honorable in private life" and all ask al,
your hands, or those of my f,liow citizens, is
6 that justice which" | am eudcavoring TO
mete out 10 hers"
In your paper Of 24'h June, you expressed a
hope hat when hsd dis, hsr ged my public OBJ.
legations at W ashingto"," should attend with
eqasl zeal TO my pri'at obi cations, not only
10 my "benefac,oi in he West, the abused
CIay,-bu, IN your u,einay.' Once before,
you had sent me number Of your paper, con-
tsiuing unjust Legations AGAINST me, which
threw away unhceded. In returning yours Of
The gath, | intended TO indicate to you, in :.
manner as little offensive as possible thar If you
chose to SANDER me by da'k insinua,ions.
which neither ! nor the public understand,
did not wish TO read them. Your letter induces
me 10 think I may have been mis-, aiken in your
m olives and character. II would seem tina,
you are not one of those who expect TO recon-
mend themselves TO the leaders of q party, by
groundless anuse OF men in power. II would
seem that with disposition to do justice, you
hav, only been miSied by the fic.ions which
have reached yon relative to my I" bcnefac tor in
the West" aud some darkly viii prred ru-
mors nearer home. II is the inference that
you are man Of honor, honestly seeking for he
truth, which induces me TO notice your letter,
or the subject TO which ii alludes.
Lest, however, ] should be understood as &C
knowledging an obligation TO reply to every
man VII may pick up a Islander, and inform me
that he will consider il true and speak Of it as
fact, unless deny it, pro,es, against one
position assumed in your letter. In allnsion %
your article OF the Gath, insinuating-.I kao,v
no. ,chat Id relation 10 some alleged obligation
OF mine, 10 your vicinity, you ssy il lis a SUBJ
ject OF commoa conversation in this section Of
the country" that /, "is generally bell, we'd"
end that il "suffe, il 10 remain uouo,iced'"
you SD II no, fail 10 make use of the fact when.
ever" my "pame comes before the ,ommun, v"
Is this the way you DIAL wi'h reputa,ionsl Do
you pick Up rsmours Injurious 20 your fellow.
citizens engaged in arduous public duties 400
miles Oh, and pronounce Them guilty wlttout
evidence, merely because they have not lime or
inoliDation 10 deny the malicious charge? What
would the world ,6ink Of Court which should
say TO The man srrsigned at lis bar, Sir, YOU are
char ged with murdef,--prove your innocence
or We will sentence you TO be hangrd! Thi. is
the "jss'ice" which yoa propose extending 10
me. Nay, you do not even :eIl me with what
! am charged! You say 20 the, = Fou need not
be told, presume, sohat II ~" You arr a,gu me;
you say there is a charge agains, me; and, with
OUT informing me what il is. You call on me 10
pi al guilty o. not guilty; and you avow that
yos will condemn me If do not. You wall