Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-03-15
For the Herald.

Mk. Observation-Disclosures as am to being
drawn into newspaper controversy, cannot
permit an article which appeared in the Bur
ling,on Gazette of the 18th ul.imo, over the
signature of s'Isaac Letter, U. S. Marshal
for Iowa." to pass unanswered. You are a.
ware that in an article which l have hereto
fore published. referred to fact. notorious
in Bloomington, touching the conduct of that
officer in the payment Of Jurors fees in our
county. This was not gratuiIous thrust at
Mr.. LETTER, but stated simply to show that
conduct reprehended by the author Of the at
tack on me, was prac,ised BY the present Mar
shall. between whom and myself an lnvidious
comparison was sought 70 be instituted
Hence, Mr.. Letter has thought it meet to ap-
pear in an article over his own proper sigma
iure, in which, without denying that statement,
he attempts to explain the fact, and INDUCES
himself in many false charges against me, to
which shall now proceed to lepy.
As 10 Mr.. LETTERS story of the proceedings
of his deputy, have only to say that he, Mr..
Isaac LETTER, "has drawn on his Imagination
for his facts;'' or, he has been imposed upon
by his deputy. ! shall not again repeat the
statements formerly made, on, content myself
by simply asserting that that statement was
strictly and literally true, and again referring
those who derre further evidence, 10 the Ju-
rors themselves. nearly all Of whom are cit.
zens of Bloomington. ! am free, however,
TO state that the money has since been paid.
Enough upon this point.
The ~. S. Marshall is exceedingly at
fault in his statement concerning the papers Of
Mr.. Slower! They were NEVER sent 10 WASH
| ington, and never refused to give them up.
| The facts are these-In January, 1913, during
| the session of the Supreme Court, those pa
pers were sent or handed to me at Iowa City
by Mr.. Slower. Expecting at tina. time to re.
ceive money by every mail. Il had in Novem-
Der preceding made requisition Of $4,000
| took the papers and brought them to Blconi-
ington. There they remained until given up
to Mr.. Slower. Mr.. Letters deputy once stop
| ped me in the street, away from my house,
telling me he had an order from Slower for the
papers told him he could have them at any
time by calling al my house. where the papers
were. He never rallied, and did not choose
to wait on him with the papers. When Mr.
Slower called for them he obtained them.
| The prophecy MIR. LETTER has chosen TO
! give utterance to, 'tl,at the Government will
be cheated by me before j. is done with mes"
is just as veritable as HIS facts, and no more
so. False PROPHECY. however, is in my iudg-
ment, far more venial than FALSE HISTORY
The first MAY BE honest error. the last must be
wiiful perversion, o. cnpable ignorance.
In Mr.. Letters statement that the people
of the Territory have been most shamefuIly
treated, concur most sincerely, but when he
states that the fault lays at my door, am a.
gain compelled to meet that respectble func-
tionary with fiat denial. 1t is NOT my fault,
that there is now due so large sum TO the
people of the Territory. Early in the Novem-
Der preceding my removal, apprized the Gov
eminent of its liabilities here then. and the
| anticipated expenses of the Spring Courts,
aud made repisitions accordingly. Owing to
| the generous interposition of some Of my par
ticular friends, did not receive a dollar until
April. the time was removed. Now 1t is
very true, that at that time might have taken
the amount then received, and paid it out so
| far to the extinguishment Of the Government
debt. But had have done that, there would
| still be. according to Mr.. Letter, a belance Of
some four thousand dollars. Was it my duty
| TO pay this balance too! Because had been
In advance large sum 10 the Government,
was | at the moment when l was apprized
that my relation with it had ceased, to contin.
ne its creditor! Where would have been my
| remedy? Mr.. LETTER, perhaps, may not be a.
ware that the Government cannot be sued. l
| might have peti,ioned Congress-but who
that has ever heard of the history of claim
| in Congress, would, while there was any 9TH
| CT possible remedy, resort to that? For my.
self, preferred vastly that our accounts should
| first be adjusted by twelve honest men Of my
country-although by SO doing, / should for a
time expose myself to the suspicion OF being
a defaulter.
Mr.. Letter and his coadjutors, not satisfied
with the industrious circulation of this SLAM
der, are now equally Industrious in getting a.
broad the impression that my default is only
covered by a resort 10 frauds upon individu.
ais; that is by sending forward vouchers for
payments which in fact have never been made.
One cf these honest coadjutors, (who, by the
way is one Of my surties,) under the guidance
of conscience too Sholy to permit wrong.
has, / am told, proposed to confess a judgment
| for the whole sum claimed by the Govern
ment!! The disin,erested. amiahle, self-sac.
rificing spirit of this gentleman can only be
| fully appreciated by those whose fortune it
has been TO be his creditors. shall have
said enough, when say that he is one Of those
gentlemen. who, in all countries where i'm
prisonmsn: for debt does not exist, are as inde-
pendent as the As,ors and Girards. But to
| return, so far from being in default, assert
that upon full settlement, the Government is
still indebted tome in large sum ; and now
warn Mr.. Letter and his friends, tina. however
much they may depricate it, the event will
prove the truth of my assertion.
will trespass upon your perhaps already
exhausted patience, Mr.. Editor only to say .
u Rn1d IN reference 10 the difference betw cen the