Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-07-09
From the Louisville (Ky.) Journal.
THE GEORGETOWN sENTINEL,--CoL
RICHARD M. JOHNSON.


We know not how to account for the
maniac fury, with which the Georgetown
Sentinel assails US for our comments upon
the sins Of Col. II. Nj. Johnson. Perhaps
the Editor receives pay from his patron
for such abuse perhaps, as we suggested
on Saturday, he Is one Of the Co.'s. mn-
latto sons; and perhaps he merely wishes
10 become one of his sons--having an ere
10 the fairest of old Tecumseh's fair dsugh
ters. If the latter is his object. let him
abuse us to his hearts content. II be as
pires 10 obtain wife, who, like the offence
Of the king in Hamlet, "is rank and smells
10 heayeo"--if he aims TO initiate the ex
ample OF his patron, the Col, in bleaching
the skin and taking kinks from the hair OF
the African race--he 10 a thousand times
welcome to say what he pleases Of us in
the way Of accomplishing matter SO dear
to bis heart.
The Sentinel is strangely vague and In
definite in its remarks, but possibly the
Editor means to be understood as deny
ing. that Col. johnson is married TO the
wench, who presides over his household.
We know not how that may be; nor Is il
material to inquire. Ia our former remarks
we trusted to common report. We have
heard. al least a thousand times, that Col.
johnson and bis negress were married -
We have heard it in New England, and
we have heard it at Lexington within ten
or twelve miles OF the Colonel's own resi-
-dence. We have heard repeatedly mar
ration Of the circumstances, under which
the nuptials are said TO have taken place
We have never heard or seen the state
ment contradicted. We have now hale
dozen papers upon our table, the N. York
Courier and Enquirer among the rest, all
concurring in the designation Of Colonel
johnson and his thick Tipped companion as
husband and wife. The Editor of the
Lexington (Ky) Observer and Reporter,
who 10 native OF Georgetown, and who
has spent nearly his whole life within three
miles of the Colonel's residence, speaking
OF our allnsion to bis nuptials, says: 1--WE
have heard these things stated as facts,
and they have never been contradic,ed BY
even the Colonels organ We were not
the inventors, nor have we been the chief
propagation, of the tale II has gone abroad
upon the four winds and, if il is not 10
all respects correct, Col Johnson's per.
sonal friends have suffered il TO pass I'm.
that an investigation would prove the ru.
mours to be less monstrous and disgusting
than the reality. They have been silent,
because they knew, that report. instead Of
exaggerating, bad soltened down the dis
graceful deeds of their idol.
Perhaps Col. Johnson's own neighbors
cannot say, as matter or absolute Ger.
tainty, whether he was ever married TO
his wooIy. headed companion or not, but
they are no strangers TO the manner, in
which he has lived. They know, that he
has recognized her as his wife, the mis-
tress OF his parlour, and the mother of his
household. He has boldly and unblush
ingly done this in the face of society, de
Tying the indignation and scorn of his fel.
low citizens. He has raised family of
mulattoes at his Preside, treated them as
his sons and daughters, placed them at the
same table with the most honorable of his
white guests, and endeavored by the com.
bined influence Of bis name and wealth, to
force them into the highest and most fash.
ionable circles Of the community. He has
labored TO obtain admission for them into
ball rooms. On one occasion, within the
last three or four years, when he was
about to deliver an Grafton. upon the an
nIversary Of American independence, he
avalled himself Of his temporary authority
and Importance as orator of the day in en-
deavoring 10 force his yellow daughters
into the pavilion where ladies' were assem-
bled TO celebrate the jubilee. With ex.
ireme reluctance hut with unfiinching firm.
ness, his fellow citizens with one accord
compelled hun, IN spite Of his angry re-
monstrances,to remove them from the pa
vllion. He then placed them in his own
carriage, and, after hurrying through his
discourse retired moodily from the ground. !
refusing 10 join in the festivities because
bis colored daughters were not reco gnized |
among the ladies' Of the land. Is il, then. |
any injustice to Col. johnson to speak of
his female companion as his wife If il |
IS not his wife, but black harlot, that he
has openly lived with for twenty years.
passing her unblushingly off upon the
world as the mistress OF bis affections and
of his house, is his conduct less shameful
on that account? Does it palliaie his guilt,
that he has set at naught the laws of God
as well as the institutions Of society Il
1t less disgraceful to have thrust forward
a negro concubine as the honored recipi
ent oil the extorted courtesies of his guests
than negro bride ? Is it less Infamous
to have attempted to push bevy Of mu-
iatto bastards upon fashionable society
than household of coIored but legitimate
sons and daughters (?
We are but speaking OF facts, that are
notorious. We are invading no sanctuary
of domestic repose We are drawing aside
no veil, that conceals family secrets. ri
Col. johnson had the decency or the de.
corum to seek TO hide his ignominy from
the world. we should disdain TO in the
curtain but he sseks nothing of the kind
His chief sin against society consists in the |
publicity and barefacedness of his conduct.
lie scorns all secrecy, all concealment. all
disguise. He affects no squeamishnes,,