American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-06

TO the Editors Of As American TlsgrspA
GEsrLxnxs The communications Of Com
mentator" have Of late become 30 indifferent
that have mot read them for some days past;
but this morning my attention was called 10 his
article In your paper Of yesterday headed "No
Clerk" &c., In which appears the following
"A clerk In Office informs me that he and an
other clerk, who has been Methodist preacher,
have list Of twenty-four Methodist preachers
in Office at this time In the Executive Depart
ments" II was suggested TO me by the indi-
vidual, who called my attention TO the article,
that Twas the person alluded to as "another
clerk who had been Methodist preacher, who
| also remarked that he was not alone In his
opinion. " am, land you can ascertain from
Commentator" you viii oblige me by giving
place to this communication In your columns,
as the inference might very easily be drawn,
that the "clerk who has been Methodist
preacher" was deposed from his office, and In
revenge has united with Commentator" In as
sailing the Methodist preachers in Office"
/ do not care about knowing who "Commen-
tator' is, or who his informing " clerk" is. Itis
sufficient to show that he is sadly at loss for
something to write about when he makes asser-
tons without possessing proper knowledge Of
his subject, and that, too, when he might 30
easily have called on me for the truth Of what
he was about to publish. | have not, never
had, and from my knowledge OF the Metho-
dist preachers in Office" am not able TO make
" list" such as he speaks Of; and If he calcu-
lates on adding from that " list stem or more
to the list" Of twelve or fourteen which he
challenges "No Clerk" to produce, he will find
himself much mistaken.
IT ia we'll known nv NJ least nna NJ you Upn-
tlemen, that am in the habit Of speaking my
mind freely upon any and every topic which
may be introduced where am, when can en-
gage in the conversation without violating the
rules of propriety; and it may be, that in the
discussion of the propriety or improperly Of
Methodist preachers taking office, have ex-
pressed myself upon the subject and been mis-
understood by "a clerk in Office" as subscrib-
ing to such sentiments as those entertained by
Commentator" and it may be that "a clerk
in Office" has heard me name such ministers as
knew, and he may have taken them to add to
his list; but certain am /, that never made
such wholesale denunciations of Methodist
ministers as might be inferred from "Commen-
tators'' Juggling me into his communications;
nor, as said before, have ever made that list.
The opinions | entertain are, and always
were, that no Methodist minister of suitable
talents for his calling, and constitution suff-
cient for the work in which he is engaged,
ought to abandon his circuit or station for the
purpose of taking office. But / am far from
excluding such as find themselves unable, either
physically or mentally, to perform the labori-
GUS duties of Methodist preacher, from hold
ing g office in the Executive Departments" or
from engaging in any other honest and honor
able calling. The latter class are, l think, the
more numerous.
But there is another item in the account
which Commentator" in his anxiety to find
fault with the Administration, entirely over
looks-if he ever knew it; unless he may have
adverted to it in one of his last communications
which, as / have already said have not read
viz: The Methodist church considers it proper
to make what are called "local preachers" of
some Of its members, whose circumstances will
not justify their entering conference, and
| taking charge of a circuit or station. OF this
class several hold Z" Office in the Executive De-
partments," and some of them as messengers;
so that when Commentator" comes to make
proper deductions from his "ist" he will find
he has few left
In conclusion, with regard to my being a
"clerk, who has been Methodist preacher"
allow me to say, what is known to many in this
city, that | never held other than q local
preachers license; that / never Joined the
Conference, Though it was my wish and inten-
ton to have done so,) and that was not de-
prived of my license, but by voluntary resig-
nation. was employed, as travelling preach
er, by the Presiding Elder, seven months on
one and four months on another circuit of diff
ferent character but finding my constitution
untitled for the work, and after consulting with
older ministers, Ireturned to my home, made
the statement to my quarterly Conference,
which gave me my license, resigned the same
and returned to the ranks of private member
ship.
Regretting the necessity of thus trespassing
upon your columns, allow me to express the
wish that when Commentator again refers
to me, or any one else unknown to him, he will
do so in o less ambiguous manner.
Very respectfully yours, &C.,
J. w. DEEBLE
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 1851.