Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-07-13

their own prurient rancor, but when brought
10 the ordeal Of just, magnanimous, and
enlightened public sentiment. 1.-The bsseness
of their shallow devices are almost always
sure to be exposed, and the poisoned shafts
which they would fain hurl at others, are
made 10 recoil upon themselves.
| have taken some pains 10 ascertain the
facts in referenc to the so called ''Indignation
Meeting al Buena Vista - and learn from
the most authentic information that but
three or perhaps four persons were present
at that meeting, who participated in its pro-
ceedIngs, to wit: the Chairman, the Secre-
tary, and two others. What possible mo-
lives could have induced these gentlemen,
thus secretly to assemble, and put forth to
the world series Of resolutions. aimed at
the destruction of my private and profess
sional repu'alon, am equally at a loss
with yourself to conjecture. Their avow-
ed reason, is, The use Of certain language to
be found in the resolutions introduced by
in February last a. Mr.. Harris Hotel in this
place, in relation to the removal of The
Seat of Justice from Upper Marlboro to the
Long Old Fields. But i, will be recollect-
ed tina. these resolutions had been passed
and published for more than two months
before the convocaIion of the Buens Vista
council and if the avowed. had in fac,
been the real, motives which actuated these
four gentlemen who alone participated in
the grave deliberations Of that august body,
i. is more than probable that an earlier oc-
I,I e
he expression Of their fiery indignation or
The evaporation of their pen, up wrath, af-
ter so long an interval of time, might have
been fairly presumed. Be this however as
it may, nothing can justify so violent all
outrage upon the private and public rights
of any citizen, how ever exalted or howevtr
humble, as the calling together of secret
lnqusilion, of two or three persons and
without notice to him, without proof, or
even without the formali,es of trial, pro-
ceeding to pass sentence of condemnation,
by which he is TO be deprived of his means
of living, his character DETAINED, his profess
sional reputation assalled, and himself pro-
nounced unworthy of public or private
confidence, and then, ell this, proclaimed to
the WORLD, as the deliberate judgment of
The community in which he lives. Such
pr oceedings may justly be suspected of be-
| ing either the fruits of invelerale rejudce,
| or what is more probable, OF malignant de-
menla,ons; and if the gentlemen who ac-
ted as The President and Secretary of that
extraordinary convection, were not known
TO be men of ordinary prudence and dis
cre,inn, j! nigh, be said, tina. even they,
| had become the unfortunate victims of
Sspecies of ma!ady sometimes contagious,
with which, one of their coadjutors, has, il
Dis believed, been so long afflicted. But sir,
he resolutions which you have enclosed
ke, expressing as !hey do TIE eenti y Il. Is
> opinions of so large and respectable
body of my fellow citizens, have more than
compensated me for the injuries inflicted.
| rejoice 10 know that live in commu-
nifty in which the reputation of public
servant is not regarded as mere private pro-
perry; such feelings are honorable to
the human heart; and when exhibited on
occasions that properly call for their exer-
else, cannot fail to exer. that wholesome
and conservative influence which always
makes true and enlightened state Of pub
lie opinion the ONLY reliable criterion by
which we can judge Of human character or
conduct. To such condition of public
opinion, for whatever of private character
or professional reputation possess, am
willing to submit, for an impartial judy
ment, But that sort of public opinion
which is sought 10 be manufactured by ar
lfcial and fraudulent conlrvances, whether
in the form 'oG Indignation meetings." gotten
up by the malevolence of few wicked
men, prompted by the cratic and unsound
decisions of another, or bred in the sloughs
of private resentment for supposed wrongs
having no existence in fact, is an ordeal
which lnvokes the indignation Of every
honorable mind, and will be sure TO find lis
Just punishment in the universal contempt
Of mankind To this well deserved and
meriled fate, has the Buena Vista conspira-
cy been brought, by the prompt, noble, and
generous action Of the meeting whose pro-
ceedngs you have this day transmitted to
me.
Before concluding this letter feel it due
10 the occasion TO make few remarks in
relation to the resolutions which were IN.
anmously passed by the people Of this
District, at their meeting in February. last,
in relation to the question Of the removal Of
the Seat of Justice of the county, al tina, time
in the progress of agia'ion, and which, i. is
now pretended, were the moving cause of
the Buena Vista conspiracy. TO any
disin,eresed and unbiased mind, it would
more than probably appear, even at the
first glance, that the agi,s,ion Of such
a question, would be likely to engender a
feverish and excited condition of the public
mind The arraying Of one portion of the
people of the county, against ano.her-,he
marshaling of the friends against the enc
mics of The measure-lhe claims of par
ticnlar Loo aliiies-the extent Of iniury In.