Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-10-05

7 which Barry conferred upon ficklin -" III,
S blank was filed with my name, aud no engage
ment 10 pay 10 the department the debt Of mY
I predecessor" that is. the blank toas filled with
5 no engagement, NC.
ltis not. however. very important 10 Us
which construction il receives. II il is merely
an evasion of the question, ii eau avail moth.
ing. II. on the other hund, II is intended Us a
denial, II is destined 10 undergo an early refu
ialion.
10 this form of controversy, il would be I'm.
reasonable "a expec, Of us 10 produce yer, mi
mute, or yerv direct proof ol the facts of the
case. Gentlemen having n personal knowledge
ofthe matter, would be reluctant 90 give Ger.
~tifcaies for publication. Weare reluctant TO
ask for them As we said before, We shy agaui
gProof IS required. let.ns be placed in an All.
Jude IN which we can compel Witnesses TO ap.
pear and testify, aud there shall he no defeel of
evidence. TIE aIegdtd and probaia, 10 use n
lawyers phrase, } We know will agree. He ialk.
ed oiM ihs witnesses before we drew the ducla-
ration.
For the present, would il moi be sufficient for
our Justification, to show that the statement
made by us OF facts Viii h occurred IN Lea
ihgton-stnai or eight gears ago-were a part
OF 'iie hzsto,y VI the time aud place ? We shall
not, however, stop, there. That iiese facts
WV htiu uif ~ paw VI tit utbitf W ~ ''s'S
aud place. is established by the following eA-
tracts of n letter from 1h0mns Smith, Esq, ot
Lexington, dated az tina, place, September
18th
" have heretofore resisted the sole tations
OF my p litical friends 10 publish any thing on
Tins subject, for reasons which ! trust were sat
l%slariory TO them"
=" CANNOT, be mistaken as to the lao,. that IL
was generally believed that the new Postmas
Ter had agreed 10 indemnify Capt. Fowler
securities, and thai his securities had made thu
appointment them elves expressly with n VIE"
10 their indemnity Ia blank commission hns-
ing been entrusted 10 them Tor that purpose
by the Postmaster General.--rhe particulars
ot the bargain were not made known pnDiiciy
nor anquired into bur the removal oil AN e.
ieemed fellow citizen, by his own personal
friends, and the appointment of gentleman
almost stranger here, were justified on thai
ground alone"
81 presume il will not be seriously deniet
by the contracting parties, thai such lndenini-
6ca,ion aud ultimate discharge Of the debi
were in contemplation AT the time
Another friend-one of the constituents Of
the late Samuel H. WOodsOg, Esq. who repr
scented in Congress the Drsirici in which Lex.
iPgton is situated, has obliged us with the fol
lowing letter written III answer TO onqhirits
addressed TO him upon the subject TO which 1
relates. Written at The time of, OF mmedi ely
after the occurrence oi which il speal WI.
out any anticipation OF the present crisis. or ,ne
purpose Which IL now so cfieciunliy serves, its
statements are CONCLUSIVE, and every sentence is
entitled TO have the mos complete effect
I" WdeLiHgion City, FEB. Bird, 1922.
with respect to the Post Office in LexIng-
ton Captain Fowlers removal aud the ap
p%ointnent Of his successor, Took place without
any knowledge or agency on my part.
Knowing that | had been constantly al my
post, never absent a day from The city or the
house always disposed 10 consult the wishes,
and promote the interests Of the District |
have The honor 10 represent, | must confess. |
TEL, indignant al the departure Of the Postmas.
irr p~nurnl fam hss aaa"o,onaed made Of COO
snltipg the WISHES OF the people tuongn urn
immediate representative, AMI, without hesiia.
ton addressed him n letter requesting infor.
nation asio the causes leading 10 the dismissal
OF Capt. Fowler, and the mode IN which the
appointment OF his successor wa conferred. 10
my letter he responded, enclosing a corTespOn-
dence between himself, Major Barry and Capt
Fowler, on that subject.
BY them it appears that the deialcation Of
Capt. Fowler had accumulated until II amonh'
ted to $4,000, the securities became uneasy.
The Postmaster General, with a view 10 save
~ government o'tu'h'SAI "hu ~ NJ ~
p~nssiblc, the feelings of Capt. Fowler after
consulting Col. John,on as 10 the mode hes
calculated 10 effect those objects. determined
10 supersede Capt. Fowler, and transmitted 10
Major Barry a blank commission, with author
ity 10 solicit and FIJI up the blank with The name
Of some person III capacity meritiug confidence
MIR. Ficklln WAS the otJecI OF that selection aud
highly recommended by Maj. Barry. ] am
myself n stranger to that gentleman.
Capt. Fowler in his letter expresses his sat
faction al the arrangement.
The peculiarly of the case was the apology
fife red for falling to consult me.
s. II. WOODS0N.
Let US compare this letter with Mr.. ticklin's
explanation.
Mr.. Ficklin calls the paper sent TO Mr.. Bar.
ry n @ a blank appointment as something DIS.
tinguished from a commission, a thing 10 be
returned, and followed by a permanent appoint
meut, or not, al the discretion Of The Posmas.
ter General. Mr.. U00ds0n CATS il blank com
mission" filled up and delivered the highest
evidence of an actual appointment. That the
appointee could have been afterwards nOrfen
istG every body knows-a good guarantee for
the fuliIment Uf The conditions OF the appoint.
ment
Mr.. Ficklin assumes that the " blank APP
7 poiniment" was sent outin conformity 10 q
custom, n necessary CUSTOM, hdop'eh ny tue ] ns'
Master General, To ascertain the most sui able
person 10 he appointed. Mr.. W0odson " felt
indignant at The departure of the Postmaste
General from las accustomed mode Of consulting
he wishes Of the people through their immedi'
ate representative"
Mr.. Fickiin speaks OF the resignation ofCap,
ain Fowler-Mr. Woodson oil his " removal,
his " dismissal"
MIR. Fickln says he had no concern, 1--WE
presume he had none, I" nor does he believe
MIR. Bury, or any other person, had any, IN
producing the removal ofhis predecessor. y
The enormous deialcation was reason enough.
But " The securities, Says Mr.. Woodson) be
zane uneasy Bury c~0rresponded UiM The
department. Colonel Johnson (Ficklin's)
particular friend assisted The dismissal fol-
lowed.
Mr.. Ficklin labors throughout to produce the
! ipuurpggtnn that the rpsiopattan If Cunt Enty