Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-06-17
Register Of the River Land Of
flee, once more.

| Glllaspy, Register oil the Des MoineS
River Land Office, called upon me to
take charge of the business of said Land
Office during his absence at the city oil
Baltimore. Conserving SO to do, i'm.
! mediateiy wen, in company with Col
G'llaspy TO said Land Office, vhere ana
,chen he explained 10 me the nature OF
the business would probably be called
upon to transact in connection with the
duties of said Land Office, and deliver.
ed the same into my charge. This took
place about one hour before Col. Gillas.
py started for the city of Baltimore
Col. Gillaspy also stated to me, a, ,ha,
time, that VIM. NJ. Koontz, This step-son,)
,oould attend 10 handing out Deeds, as
he-Gillaspy-did not wish TO trouble
me with the part of the duties of said
Land Office. THOS. G. GIVEN.
June 9th, 1852. ...s &c.,. t........ .
The above made its appearance as
large as life in the last Republic. The
italics are ours. We give the documen,
place in our columns, in order that Col.
Gillaspy, and all others concerned may
derive all the benefit they can from it,
We publish it because il is a matter OF
principle with us to give the public all
the facts bearing upon every subject dis
cusscd in our columns and because we
are above coneealmen,, and subterfuge.
Why did no, the Republic extend The
same courtesy to us, by publishing the
certificate of Mr.. Caldwell Not the
remo,est allusion is made to il in the col
umns of that paper!
Putting all the evidence of the case
together, how does the matter now stand!
In respectful and courteous language,
we stated that on a certain day Col. Gil
laspy left for Baltimore; that during his
absence the Land Office was in charge
young Mr.. koontz, a sieP-soE Of Col.
G., with some reflections in relation TO
the improvement which seemed to be
suggested by the subject and the occa-
sion. Well, the next Republic, in CAPT
tails, pronounced the whole statement,
without qualification, LIE, including of
course the departure of Col. G., the a.
gency Of young Koontz, and the unfor-
tunate condition of the River Improve
ment, which could thus spare its princi-
pal officers from the State, and justify
me committal of its affairs TO young and
inexperienced hands.
TO show that we did mol LIE, we pub
lished conversation of Mr.. Caldwell
with Col. G., on the morning of his de-
parture, in which he said explicitly tina.
the office would be left in the charge of
the young man, who was competent to
deliver deeds, this comprising the princi-
pal business to be done, and also the au-
thorized statements of DR.. Warden and
Mr.. Leighton to the same purport. The
Republic rejoins by the above certificate
Of MIR. Given, followed by some COM
ments in his usual abusive style. making
no allusion to the conversation with Mr..
Caldwell or the other gentlemen, evil
IDENTITY designing to conceal from those
who do not read both papers that mate
rial portion of the evidence.
But this certificate, carefully and cum
ningly as il is worded will not save them,
or justify them in the opinion of an i'm
partial public, in their hastv and reck-
less application to us Of such offensive
and insulting language. Are they justi-
fed in it. Did we LIE! We have the
declaration Of Col. G. himself, publicly
made in the streets of Ouumwa, in our
presence and in the presence Of others,
and not contradicted but materially con-
firmed by Mr.. Given, to sustain us.
Gould We have known any thing of this
transaction with Mr.. Given, taking il to be
true, as We must, not deeming it possible
that that gentleman, the Republic or any,
body else, could be capable Of manytac-
turing such Statement. for any purpose!
II is curious document, lis true; but we
take it as it reads, leaving its construc-
ton to others. Taking it then as it
reads it shows q transaction between
Col. g. and Mr.. Given; j. does not
bring home a knowledge of i, to ourself
or any third party ;there is in fac. no pre-
ience that anybody else did know it,
Why then should the Republic say that
we could have learned it by enquiring Of
anybody but school boys, and why
should we doubt the express statements
OF Col. g., and coulo we intend to de.
ceive,-could we LIE in basing our state
men,s on his own declarations.
The public now have the whole OF
this important matter before them. We