Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-07-22
Mr.. Steele Reply toRey. Kirkland
70 the Pu5Ec::-

unpleasant task of appearing before
the public even in selfdefence, much
less to come in collision with one
habited in all the haBiliments OF the
sacred office Of the ministry. a
disputation with any one is unpleas'
ant, BIT 1t much more SO with a char
acter which the public has become
accustomed to look upon as sacred
and upright. However unpleasant
the task, it would seem that abso'
Lutte sdlfidefence now makes it nee
essary for me to trouble the readers
of the Observer with a few remarks
touching the published statements
of the Rev. jas. Kirkland through
the columns of that paper, relative
to and connected with locating the
contemplated Collegeat Fayetteville.
Prompted by love of peace, and a
desire to halmonize the discordant ell
ments which seemed to be ferment-
ing on that subject, ! have permitted
Mr.. Ktrklald to make his statements
with IMMUNITY; to give his version Of
the matter in his own way, without
allowing my feelingslto influence a
different course. And had that Rev.
gentleman contented himself with an
onslaught on Mr.. WdOqs, and an in
cidental attack upon me only, | would
not even at this ii ne attempt to
right myself before the public, by a
simple statement Of d portion of this
unfortunate affair. But it appears
that Mr.. Kirkland desired to be I'M
derstood as making W al in a different
quarter, if not to employ a different
mode Of warfare. Notwithstanding
the tenor and tone of his last COM
munication, which appeared in the
Observer. of the 9Th inst, was in per-
feet keeping with his former efforts
on that subject-an effort to relieve
himself by duplicating Mr. Hoods
he has been careful toIassqre Mr.. W.
it was not intended for him, and in
this way, as I take it, notifies Rev
4. G. Gibson and myself that we are
the offending parties whom he wishes
to reprimand, and have the public to
suitably chastise for OUT kind forbear-
ance towards him in patiently submit
ting to whatever he might have here
tofore said upon the Subject of his
conduct in connection with the Col
lege the Tennessee Presbytery de-
sired to establish-thi$, IN my esti-
nation, being our only offending.
Before taking up the points wor-
thy of notice in the before mentioned
communication, / viii briefly call the
readers attention TO tie position as
signed the Rev. Mr.. kirkland in the
communication of Mr.. Woods, With
a hope that the Rev gentleman will
desist from making false issues by EN-
ploying improper means to relieve
himself. And in doing this, l shall
enable him to see that the major por-
ton of his last production was en-,
tirely foreign to the Subject u der
consideration-which otherwise |,
should not have noticed.
You affect not know that Mr..
Woods and the balance of the Fay
etteville delegation only charged you
with employing Indirect means to
give the necessary information to the
Elkton delegation; to ehable and in
duce tn EN- to raise the amount of
their subscription beypnd that of
Fayetteville, by abiding to the Ger
tificates of Messrs. Bull ant Honey
emt. Mr.. Woods never charged you
With divulging the a1nou pit. of the
Fayetteville subscription; be only
said you spoke Of the Iowyille, sub
scription to the Elktoh delegation,
which he contends was Iicient to
prompt the Elkton delegates to do
what every one in this Vicinity, con-
versant with the facts, believes they
did, viz to raise the Elkton subscrip-
ton, an object they believe you de
sired I'd accomplish. /. In view of this
fact, of what avail is til E certificate
of these ready WITNESSES to prove
that you did not divulge the Fayette-
vile subscription n? Nov, sir, permit
me to ask, can you deny informing
the Elkt0D delegation Of the Low
vile subscription: by saying what re, :.
port represented it e be? and if
You did give that informant 81 andefI
the circumstances surrounding you
at the time, was it not fair for the
Fayetteville delegates 10 believe and
say what they did Of yop; that you
we're striving to defeat Fayetteville?
This is clear, since you admit in your