The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-01-25
avisitor'ss Conmunica alton.

We nave received tne tolioWing commemorative"
from citizens of Clarington relative to an article
that appeared in last weeks s.Spirit, - over the
sienatdrs of ssvisitor, p which we cheerfuy pub
lish.. When We received ..vis,tor's" article. we
had not hesrd that any such association as il re-
fess 20, had been organized in this county. We
hsa, heard Rhst sn organization existed in the
neixhboring counties in Virginia, and that its
members were called and known as " Proctor Ma
so6s s's The objects of that association we know
not; but Il common rumor is to be believed. their
designs are anything but Iaudable. But as ''com
mon runorr is not always to be believed, she may,
in this instance. have done injustice. We know
men in Virginia. who are said TO be Proctor Ma
snps.s Of whom we would be lothto believe that
they would belong to any association whose de-
sisns were not strictly honest.
We. know not the men, nor the objects, OF the
assoc,s,ion referred to by ..visi,or;" neither do
we know that tie ssgang," he calls it. has any
connectioti with ..Proctnr Masonry" For aught
We know these organizations may be entirely in.
dspeadsnt of each other. ss =,
sWc hope aud beiieve rshat the publication Of
.vistnr's article will not work any injury to the
business Of the town cf Clarington. That such
woed be its effect was the farthest possible from
our thoughis when We permitted it place in our
columns. Under the impression ( which we gath
cred from the article Of .vsitor." -" that gang
did Sxls. not In Claringtdn but some place in the
Esstefnpsrt Of The county. and that that "gang''
hsd passed co1nterfsk money in 'sSslem town
stip," mot Claringtons we published the article Of
s.vpisoss'' We did not draw the inference from
that article, that citizens of Ciaringon were at all
supposed 70 have any connection with passing
ceuntesfsit money. whatever. We only learned
frum h that itwas .in Sunfish" the writer obtain
ed shis -iniormstion. Aud we supposed by the
publiction Of the article instead Of dong an inju
n, - were coaterring benefit on aAthe citizen,
oeSenfsh. And supposing furthertha a. 'ga"g'
did exist Tin the ssEas,ern part Of the county. fol
the purpoee II passing counterfeit money. we ad
vised the people to ..keepa wstchful eyr-be sure
you're right. then make clean sweep Of them. .
We ssiltssy the same thing. Buff no .'gang to
pass counterfeit. money" exists there. then our ad
vice amounts TO- just nothing at ALL
From airy knowledge we had previous to the
publication Of the article of "Visitor.'' or from
any knowledge derived from il. we never ono.
thought hat any Of the citizens Of Clarington were
ID amy way eennected with either the ssProcto,
Masons." Or with any association referred to by
s.visitor.n And. indeed, We did not know, mol
had We heard OF single individual in the county
that was implicated in the matter. We hope
thssefose. thai, ihl explanation will satisfy the
citizens Of Claringfon that we had no design tt
injure either Them or the business of their town.
We have also been requested. by letter, to Civ.
Ire na@s Of the au,hor of the article signed "Vis
itos.,s This We lcannot do until we have op
pottunity of either seeing hearing from the wri
Ter. ,,As he lives At a-consideratle distance iron
fhis placesifaWill necessarily take some time. W.
ssill Ssy This much. however. he is not citize,
OF s6is place. OF vicinity. The writer Of the let
ses. seauastine 4his Information, threatens to dis
eoasinus his subscripiion unless we give up tn
name. Threats VIII not have the desired effect
Othes reasons must operate 10 induce us so to do
Whsnswe hear from Visitor our answer viii
be made knowu- 1ass xs,2ss sesl s.:e -ssot
we. hope the publication of the following com
munication viii have the effect to disabuse th
mipds ~ ihe people. il any wrong impression ha
gained credeuce from the statements in VISITORS
- ssssSs