Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-10-19
For THE WHIG.
IT, - Ltxl.I IL


Clifton. October 49, 1880
unforeseen my exclusion from the columns of the
Enquirer, and said my expose cont aimed i'm The
n Intelligencer of the 25th ultmo; but, could not
have foreseen, nor could have supposed that added
to this exclusion, would be found in the columns nj
your paper, mutilated statement of what wished
to publish, by which mutation am made to saw bv
fdtr Inference, what never did say, nor intended to
say, and feel well justified now, IN saylnr hat
your mutilaton designed, as believe to do me
further injury shall be amongst the last to
complain, of the latitude of the press though IL NAV
be my misfortune to be the victim, let it be Free in
the fullest sense of the word; what think have
right to complain of suppression Of defensive mat
ter after base and groundless ssau upon churac-
ter, wantonly and wlckedy made by Others and sec
onded by yourselves In the Enquirer of the LIST
INST. VIII be found he following article quoted from
the United States Telegraph. mo. 90 abuse. de
fault and deception. The Collector of Petersburg
wa, Robertson, was represented to be very Oh
NnoXlous to the people He mad for some time re-
ported large sum to be IN suit, and considerable
balance retained in his hands, After his removal
1T was ascertained that most the bonds reported by
MN to be IN suit had actually been paid, and that
ne was IN default S24,857 81 This article in the
columns OF the Enquirer, was but continuance of
the same course towards me, manifested bv nume
rous, previously published, false, and scandalous
squibbs thought that had submltle ed to all with
something Ike Christian for bearance and that it was
time 70 check, II l could, the currency which Won
were giving to fatsehood, and defamation-accordnu
forwarded to you, short piece, IN refutation of
the strongest features contained in the disgrace(ul
artcie' winch you republlshed from the Telegraph
LII your paper had been Free the piece would readily
have found place in your columns; vet as YOU did not
choose TO publish 1T, your duty to reject it. But
you have chosen different course alike new often
slVe, ana culpable In your paper of the 9th inst
you say, we must decline publishing the communi-
cation at the Elk Collector of PETERSBURG as we have
no wish to embark this paper in what would turn out
to be an unpleasant and very useless controversial
between whom was this controversy be- if il arose
,nrta in ly hath H.
of the black list, and myself And WHY did Won NOT
think OF this controversy at the time YOU inserted the
offensive article in the Enquirer! Although YOU have
long acted on the principle that "0H is fair an poll
tcs, yet was not aware that you were willinp 10
apply the same principle in practice. to morals -
There was however, no danger of controversy for
after answering the article, 1 was done But after
saying that you declined publishing my communica-
ton, you 60 on to publish much of it as it ueased
you to do, and in form too calculated to make #
appear, quite different thing from what it is The
refutaten of that part Of the quotation from the black
list which charges me with reporting bonds in suit
which, after removal were ascertaued to have been
mostly paid, the communication which you refused
to publish asserts, That circular had been receped
from me Treasury Department, cnnmondiay he Col
iectors IN then, subsequent aceesty returns report all
oonds aot PAID on the day falling due to be in saif
though, an truth, they might not Be- and that had
never, during my continuance en- ofce reported but q
single bond an sut, Which afterwards paid and en-
tered to the Credit Of The United States, in my &c
]
stead OF giving this plain and unequivoca language
as it was written; you have chosen TO give it, partly
IN your own way. and partly in mine, emitting the
most material Words by which omission and peryer
sion yon nave made me admit, that one bond was
falsely reported to be in suit by ME Again in refi,
tatIon OF that part of the black artcle which saws
that was represented TO be obnoxiousto the peupe
the communication which you have excluded in ad
dltlon to what you have quoted from it saws .5rd
do not beiteUe that any respectable man e8er q,3s
such representation, and therefore the article has left
no impression esther upon my feelings my mind a.
ga'nst me generous people of Petersburg." These
taf'ctsed words, you have desgnedy left out and mo
other motive can be assigned for such an act than
DESIRE on your part, enlist the good peope of Pc
tersburg against me You entirely omit all NV 70
marks upon the cnsount charged to be due to the D.
states wiling suppose that that should appear as
large as either truth or alsetood may make IT, pbe
excluded communication stated that this part of the
black list is alsfed by Treasury statement of mv
accounts, under date twenty fourth February 1886
now IN my possession You say that criticized the
ttoentyTinm number Of the black list There state to
ibid not touch at number IN any part of the exclu
ded communication.
One word at parting Your press has long since
ceased to De free; it is held and conducted upon fe
ancient principle OF pure UJiiu0re and fenE,E-v,ho,
it has lost in freedom however il seems to have
up in defamation and, with the present tenper Of tbs
times perhaps you may discover that this would be-
the most popular dress you could give it.
In conclusion: here take leave to tell Won tba, !
compositions, however bad, than for yours however
good they may be-and heuceforward, when Won
speak either for me, or from me, speak truth, and
speak oil | am glad 10 see that YOU have boItod n
your publications of the black list was that
you might rashly 60 and get into the Post Office
department. before you knew there trembled. as
well for the living as the dead. 1t is field which
presents rich harvest, and your,deanatorv scyfhe
might NOW down character by whole regiments per-
rntng none TO escape. But you have stopped short.
and sincerely hope that, all will escape who have
offended IN that department. J. ROBERTSON.
Your late avowa that you wanted Office under the Cen
eral Government and that you would accept which could
De gwen you by Gen Jackson Mr. Van Buren, furnish m
Ioof oil the freedom OF press You know very we'll that
tePp whlcn you cling TO- at the breast Of the Commonwealth
gives you more milk than any tent which can REASONABLE
expect TO get hold Of at the breast Of tie General
ms Key unocks the sentiment which have lately uttered
with so much apparent independence.
49, FROM the Ny Commercial Advertiser Oct. 13.
The Richmond Enquirer, accidentally per-
ceved the other day, for VIC rarely carry our ntos