Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-01-30
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--eSTAUNTON :--
THURSDAY, JANUARY 80, lS4O.
TO THE PUBLIC.

1t becomes necessary for me TO say Il few
words in relation to the personal controver-
sy which has been going on, fer some time
past, in the columns of the Spectator, so
much to my annoyance and that Of my read
ers, between G.. G.. Baldwin and his late
associate in the Lexington Gazette, ID. A.
Stoler. This regret exceedingly, as have
had no wish or disposition to intermeddle
with it-and certainly would not have done
so voluntarily. Justice to myself, however,
under the circumstances in which have
been placed by the act Of one of the parties,
renders different course incumbent upon
me.
/ 1t will be recollected that G.. G.. Baldwin,
in his publication of the 18th December,
pronounced the letter which Stofer alleged he
had received from him, giving authority for
the suspension of the Gazette, ''a wilful and
deliberate forgery and challenged him to
exhibit the letter to memo doubt under the
belief that was sufficiently acquainted with
his handwriting to detect the imposture, if
there was one. The challenge given by G..
[Stoierl will exhibit the letter to Capt.
! ''Harper, there will socn be an end of the
controversy"
About two weeks after this publication,
| received another communication from Stoier,
through the medium Of the post-cffce. This
l felt fully justified in declining to publish,
inasmuch as he had been publicly charged
with forgery, and had not shown me the let
ter, sight of which had requested early in
the controversy, and was promised-altho'
he still sought to use it, and professed to give
literal transcript of it in his communion
! ton. l accordingly sent him word to the eff
feet that unless the original letter was exhi-
bited to me, would not publish his article.
felt that both my readers and myself had
been bored enough, in all conscience, with
this mighty contest as to '',chO'' had skilled
Cock Robin" and was anxious to see it ter
minated as soon as it could be, in strict JUS
tice to the parties. | thought that the issue
presented by G. G.. Baldwin was fair one,
for the settlement of the controversy, and be-
lieved that could act impartially between
them ;-presuming, Of course, at the same
time, had the confidence of both.
| When it was that ID. A. Stofer received
my message l cannot say precisely ; but it
was about two weeks after the receipt of his
communication that he called at my house,
where was confined by indisposition, with
the letter. examined it carefully, was sa-
tisfed in my own mind that it was ge-
nuine, and then compared it with the trans
crlpt, and found it copied correctly, except
In slight particular, which was amended.
| then enquired of Stofer the reason of his
singular course, and his reply was such as
Induced me to ascribe it to youthful inconsi-
deracy and inexperience. then suggested to
him the propriety of publishing the letter a
lone, with a few Introductory remarks-but
ne replied that he could not, or ought not,
20 do so, in justice to himsef-and declined
urging the matter any farther. Being sa-
tlsfied, as l have stated, of the genuneness
OF the letter, felt it to be due to both par
ties, in the relation in which / was placed
by the call of Baldwin on Stofer, and my
own subsequent conduct, to state publicly
that conviction, which | did in these words,
and which were appended to the published
letter:
''[Mr. Stofer has shown me the original let
ter. 1t is copied coIrectly.-ED. SPECTATOR"
This, most strange to say, is the nature,
and these the circumstances, of the '.endorse-
ment Of Suffers forgery,'' made by me, ac-
cording to the courteous expression of G.. G..
Baldwin, and most of which circumstances
L made known to him in a letter, writ
ten the Monday after the publication, and in
which | repeated to him my firm conviction
that the letter was his How he could
thus feel warranted in associating my name
In such vile connexion, ] doubt not that,
after this statement, it will be of more conse-
quence to himselfwith the public, than to me,
that he Should explain. / confess [ am at
loss to comprehend what he could have
meant by challenging an exhibition of the
letter to me, if, after seeing it, was to ex-
press no opinion land so it must be with
every being who has the smallest modicum
of sense OF intelligence. So much, then.
for my endorsement of Stofer's forgery,
AS to the form al call which G.. G. Bald
win has seen fit to make upon me, ssto re-
tract if satisfied of the forgery, my SEN
dorsoment as publicly as it was made,'' / re-
greet that consideration of what is due to
Il L.. =