Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-05-04
FoR THE SpEerAroR.

before tho public in defence oil my character,
not only as an Attorney, but as a citizen of
this Commonwealth
Ii has been my desire TO pass through lie
without giving offence To any. But il is other
wise. Aud when charges SO foul, unjust
and unwarrantabie, are made upon me, as
appeared an your paper of last week, by a
gentleman, Mr.. Joseph Points, over The sip-
nature OF "Opposers 10 Oppression, - silence
would be crime. Why /, is that .hs z en-
tleman has srraigned me before The public,
without the least shadow Of cause, I canno,
conceive. That he will succeed in putting
ma down as citizen, or diminishing my
business as a Lawyer, l trust my dcporl-
meDt will forbid. Mr.. Points charges me
with bringing fictitious suits, giving advice
10 plaintiff and defendant, and as belonging
10 a secret party, who are combined together
for the purpose Of gain, Ivy "means foul or
fair" He says he has been a close observer
OF passing events, and that he is prepared 20
say, and that too IN The face ofthe ,Uorid, that
Siaunton and lis vicinity are infested with
combination Of medern Shy locks, who are
as fully bent on having their pound OF flesh
as was their prototype" He says "the re-
pose Of society seems Ia be disturbed IL. IN
some cause other, which portends conse-
quences oil fearful and alarming import"
'-Buzzing about continuation "-"C Glamour
about oppression =" hlechanicks talk OF
omigrating" large and respectable
meeting OF the bone aud sinew Of the Corpo-
ration" dissatisfaction in the community"
-'this being not place for man with
rising family TO iarry'-"too little DISPOSE
,ion here TO put down combinations oi un-
principled men"-"how many respectable
men have been made the victims of this
Internal combination"' -''how many fingers
are pointed 10 a certain quarter where il is
SAID the whole machinery is put in opera.
ton? :" q William ID kayser is said to no The
attorney or tool of this combination of Shy
locks"
Ali This disturbance, dissatisfaction and
ciamor In the community, is by Mr.. Points
and others, attributed to the "infernal CONS
bination," my Office suppose this place al.
iuaed to where the wires are worked, and !
one OF its principal agents.
These are serious, as we'll as most extra
ordinary charges, and il they could he sub
stantiated, should put me down i'm the eyes
oi just community. The charges are evil
IDENTITY made To injure my character, as they
should do, if true; but until that be made to
appear, the contrary must be presumed. II
is not my wish TO handy epthets with the
gentleman, nor do intend to enquire whe>
sher these Disturbances exist, and il they do
as TO their causes | will content myself al
present by saying, tina, l do not heliave such
combination exists al all, and if there is
such an one, know that do not belong to
IT. III. however, such combination does
exist, MIR. Points deserves the thanks ni his
fellow citizens for having warned them OF
their danger, and they will owe him lasting
gratitude ifhe will but unmask this foul and
dangerous monster, and present its IT embers
before the public in their true light will
not doubt of MIR. Points as he did of GA
Virginian" that he la5ours under an halluci.
nation. vii! not say ia his highly wrought
Ian h L.. II -
which never existei-I " i'll not pretend 10
hint how often he may have dreamed Of
raw heads and bloody bones"-I do not
stoub. but that Mr.. Points believes hat he
has said-l do not question his motives
doubtless he supposed he was discharging
his duty 10 society, for il is certainly the du-
~ OF every man in the community to warn
the public against danger, and it is to he re-
GREETED that there ore Rot more among US,
who like aIr. Points, have boldness e.
nough TO do so
But then what man dreams, imagines,
believes and charges, is one thing, facts an
other. The gentleman and my self are here
al issue. He charges me with belonging to
dangerous combnaion-l deny il. An
other charge which Mr.. Points makes "a.
gainst me, is bringing fictitious suits, and
aD TO be put down for this. II so, other
members of the bar will fall with me and
clients many. Ii is common practice, and
done at the request Of clients, and men Of as
high standing as any in the community
1t does not increase suits---deiendanI
have no more 10 pay than just debt: where
then is the objection To it'll have been
practising law in Staunton something more
than two years | have succeeded beyond
my expectations. ] have ever used the ut.
most diligence to collect all debts. which
have been placed in my hands, which I will
continue 10 do and am neither directly nor
indirectly interested farther than my regu-
lar fees in any suit which have brought
Mr.. Points not being satisfied 18th his
charges against me, has deemed il his duty
to bring forward a certain case in which
was Attorney for the plaintiff, in order that
he may press his effort 10 destroy my cbaFac-
ter still farther and if the community will
estimate his other charges by the facls in this
case, am willing to stand or fall by their
judgment. What are the facts? Some time
IN the month OF September, 1886, bond
executed by Jacob N Rhodes 10 BENJAMIN
Crawford and George NJ Cochran, mer-
chants and partners, for the sum of $40 %,
and by them regularly assigned and trans
ferred to u. Davis, was placed IN my hands
with directions to institute n suit, and en-
doTse, for the benefit of VIM. McClung.
SUIT was brought and Judgment obtained al
The March Court, 1887. Upon said judg-
ment HI. Fa. issued, and a return by the
Sheriff of no property found. Thus the mat
fer remained until within a few DAYS OF the
time said Rhodes intended leaving for the
State of Alabama when Benz Crawford,