Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-07-06
An Ex.EdllOr Exhibiting Himself.


drawal Of g. w. Keen from the Homestead
Journal, we said "Ninc-tenths of its subscri-
bcrs will no doubt rejoice in the change, not
withstanding the paper is to bereduced in sizc."
We grant that this opinion was not very fiattor-
ing to Mr.. Keen, but it was nevertheless hon
estly entertained, and its expression in tho cir
cumstances was quite natural. This brief sem
tence, however, has called forth the following
Characteristic ebullition, which, though we
might justly exclude it from our columns, we
yet choose to publish, with few brief notes,
not so much by way Of reply as to guard against
misrepresentation.
SALEM, June Doth, 1850.
Mn. JonNsoN; My attention has been call
ed to your ill-natured notice of my withdraw
al from the Homestead Journal, which ap-
pears in to-day's Bugle. l would moi notice
your mean and contemplate fling at myself
were il not that the character you sometimes
assume as a spiritual guide gives degree of
Importance TO your accusations and state
nents among feto persons, at least, which
they would not otherwise possess. Your po-
sition, however, as would-be preacher and
6mon-pure reformer, will not deter me from
charging you with uttering wilful and de-
liberate folsehood in the paragraph above al
luded to-a falsehood conceived in malice
and brought forth to crafty bitter personal
hatred you have long entertained against
me. (D
Sir, you know nothing about the wishes of
the nine-tenths of the Homestead subscri-
bers, for whom you volunteer TO speak and
no person, having the least regard for truth
and common honesty, would venture such a
malicious nsinuation about matter upon
which he wns entirely ignorant, and which it
was not his business to pry into. (2)
| For your qualification, however, las you
seem to he much interested in the subscri-
bers of the Homestead,) | would inform you
| that the subscription ls' of that paper, on the
day of my retirement, contained between
$50 and 200 names more than it did one year
ago, when entered the establishment as CO.
editor. The paper, so far as can learn, has
given general satisfaction. Very few dis
continuanccs have taken place; and of those
who have discontinued, some three or four
only have done so because they were dssat-
isfied with the paper, and these were speedi-
| ly replaced by others.
Can the publishers of The Bitgle say as
much for the condition and prospects of that
paper, since its present Editor was imported
all the way from the "Old Bay State" at
$500 or 5000 salary, to conduct it? On the
contrary, has not its circulation materially
diminished from what it was formerly? /
happen TO know, from personal knowledge
Of tho matter, that the edition printed now is
not so large, by some hundreds, as it was at
one time while under the charge of its for
mer Editors. What is the cause of this cur
tailment? l will not venture an opinion my
self, but i have heard it intimated, not unfre-
quently, that perhaps Z" nine-tenths" of the
subscribers of n certain other paper would
"rejoice in the change" of editors, were they
mo fortunate as to secure one. ~
I As you seem TO be favorably impressed
with the maniness and honesty of my late
partner, Mr. Hinchman, in whose integrity
and devotion TO truth also have the most
implicit confidence, would call your atten-
ton to the following voluntary statement
made by that gentleman in the last Home
stead in reference to myself:
81 exceedingly regret that necessity
should exist for Mr.. Keen to seek new field
of labor in which to occupy his time but
such is the fact. Ii is with unfeigned reluc-
tance that part with so efficient n co-labor-
or in the arduous and laborious duties at
tendant upon the conducting of reform pa
per. / cherish none other than the strongest
and purest feelings of friendship towards Mr..
Keen; and in all my intercourse and bust
ness transactions with him during the pc
riod of our partnership, nothing has occurred
to impair my confidence in bis honesty or
integrity. (4) In seeking new employment
to occupy his time, hope he may meet with
better success, in pecuniary point of view,
than he did whilst acting as co-editor of the
Homestead Journal"
In conclusion, have only to express the
wish, sir, that next time You refer TO me in
your columns, you will divest yourself of
your present ill-hunIor, and act more in nc
cordance with that spirit of Christian love
and brotherhood by which you profess to be
governed. GEO. w. KEEN.
Remarks.
l. Mr.. Keen mistakes manly and honorable
disgust for personal hatred "a mistake quite
natural, we fear, to persons of his stamp. 1t is
not possible for us to hate any human being un-
der whatever provocation. Tho evidence that
we hate him must be found, il at all, in the fact
that we have given him tremendous letting
alone that wo have steadfastly persisted in
declining all controversy with one whose con-
duct precluded the possibility of our regarding
him as an honorable antagonist. If the success
attending his efforts to get us into newspaper
quarrel has not equalled his ambition, and his
vanity has been wounded in consequence let
him be assured that there was nothing malig-
nant in our silence, whatever there may have
been in his frequent attacks upon tho Abolition
lists and his low abuse of us.
2. We do not pretend to have canvassed the
opinions of the subscribers of the Homestead,
nor do we volunteer to speak in their behalf
We have an opinion of our own, however, which
Mr.. Keen's petulance has not shaken, viz that
his connection with the paper has not in any
degree elevated but rather lowered its character,
and that such is the feeling of many, if not of
'nine-tenths of its subscribers. If it is not,
then have we overrated their intelligence and
good sense, and current rumors have done them
undeserved credit.