The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-02-15
TO THE EDITORS.
WAsHINGroN, February !, 1871.


WAsHIvGToN, February I, 1871.
| have two objects in addressing you this
letter the first is to request you to republish
the letter of the Hon. A. P. UPsHEE, which
appeared in the Madisonian Of his morning;
and the second is, to bespeak the public pa
tience for few days, until can collect to-
gether the testimony on which rely to es:ab-
fish the ''charge" (since he chooses so to con-
slider it) which brought against him few
days since in the House Representatives.
Wish You 10 publish his letter because want
all possible publicity given 10 his fat. positive,
and unqualified denial that abe had been the
advocate of an immediate dissolution of the
Union, without qualifications CT conditions"
1t is precisely on this point that take issue
with the Hon. Secretary, and will undertake
to prove from his own pen, as well as his pub
lie conversations, that there is not only STU
died and designed conccalment of truth, but
wllln and deliberate preyarcation in his deDi-
al. take nothing back that have said on
the contrary. repeat that he tccs an opcn,an-
qualified, undiSguised, and boosted advocate
for an immediate dissolution ofthe Union and
will now add, without qualification or limita-
ton, since he seeks to crcumscribc and mystify
his position. He denies it and says Icanr0t
prove it by any man who is hmselfa man of
truth. This limitation would probably deprive
me of the benefit Of the testimony of the Hon.
Secretary himself. Nevertheless, shall use
IT; shall make him prominent witness in
his own case hut shall not be content &c rely
upon his testimony alone. 4 question Of YER
acity is thus raised between Us. Either he
or have told f;llsehood. ali ask is, that
the consequences may be visited with tho Ut
most severity upon my head if do rot p:ove
that the Hon. Secretary is tho
guilty man.
1t will be perceived that have made broad,
fair. and well.icfned issue with the. Secretary
Of the Nayy-one from which there is no cs-
cape and, i'll should fail, that have invited
terrible consequences to myself. Now it seems
to me thai there should be some reciprocity il
In s and should, in the interim,bc glad to BIS
what consequences are 10 be visited
upon him, if should establish, first that he has
been, as he will be again, disunionist when
ever his interest may prompt it for even do
uot suspect him Of entertaining such views
whilst he is in the service of the Union at a
salary of six thousand dollars year. J. and
that he has been afterwards guilty of an Of
fence that should hereafter drive him from the
high associations of which he vauntinely
boasts. | want no special pleading and 10 at.
tempt TO divert the question from one of fact
TO one of association.
The only regret or modification that | feel
in this matter is, that he should have decerded
TO give echo to the foul and slanderous inPC-
tation of that dirty, bought-up hack Of the
that | was retailer OF private
for, if this can be established
by even plausible evidence, am ready tc ad-
nit that it is just cause for my ex-communica-
ton from the society Of gentlemen but it will
be found to rest only upon the fact thar have
proved troublesome and inconvenient witness
against the high functionary sohose du!y ii is,
in the language of the Constitution, 10 crercjse
,he oRce IF President Of he United States, by
giving TO the public his oft-repeated opinions.
EXPRESSED las was this conversation Of the Sec
reiarv of The Navy in the most public places,
and in the most public manner.
This is the head and front of my offending
in this particular; and If the opinions of pub
lie men are not to be gathered or quoted from
their conversations in public companies, and
before a crowded audience in the name of
common sense what TiH justify i'll However
let this pass for the present.
As 10 the silly, conccited, and arrogant pre-.
tension set up by the Secretary, ofwhat he
to be superiority, and more elevated
will dismiss ii in few words
NV associations have been with gentlemen, or
should never have found my way 10 scat in
Congress from such district as | represent.
That the Secretary has habituaily associated;
with any other class, will not pretend to as.
;ert because his present position and that he
at home forbid it; but il does not
become me, at the same time, TO deny what
might fairly infer from his own letter, where
in he asserts that he associated with different
class. can only assure him that, before this
matter is done with, we may be brought nearer
ogether, and he will. perhaps to his regret, be
made better acquainted with me. He shall,
1t all events, have no ground hereafter for in.
imating that ne does not know who am,
Respectfully,
JOHN NJ. Bolts.
By communication 10 the public, publish