The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-07-17
For the Pioneer .
A Card.


place between himself and the War Department and pub
tished in the Pioneer of this morning, says:
sit is, however, nothing more than just for me to
mark, that all the gentleman knows about engineering
he has learnt principally appontee of mine the
General Government works OF which have had charge
Having held for two years appointment as agent in
charge OF the public works at Monroe Michigan under
appointment from the Typographical Bureau the
construction of the the Michigan Southern
Railroad from Monroe Lake Erie all OF which must
have been known to the writer of the above who first
derhandedy and now publicly seeks to injure me in my
profession and who also takes advantage OF his position
to write with hypocrca tears in his letters to the
department in dIsparagement of me- knowing that can
have opportunity OF reply. therefore brand him
a wful and malicious sanderer who attempts to cover
up his deficiencies and dishonesty by vndicve
sonal attack upon l.. EMERSON.
The above is from the Democrat of Satur-
day, and l still insist that the extract given
from my report to the War Department pre-
sents the bare TRUTH Mr.. Emerson, in the
summer of lS47, being out of employ, at his
earnest request was appointed by me Clerk of
the General Government Works at Monroe,
the charge of which had been entrusted to me
by the War Department. At that time he
knew nothing of Surveying or Engineering
either theoretically or practically, having been
previously engaged in the foundry business.
eWhile Clerk, however, under me, he was led
to look somewhat into the practical business Of
Engineering, rendered necessary by the APP
pointment | had given him. He remained
Clerk under me for about a year and half,
when being ordered to reconnoitre and survey
New Mexico, left him in charge, and so re-
ported to the Department, at the same tins
strongly recommending the Department to
confirm him as my successor. The Depart
ment did confirm him in my place, aud this is
the source of his appointment to the charge Of
the Public Works at Monroe. About this
time he was also employed doubtless on ac-
count of his being in charge of the Gen'l Gov.
Works at Monroe) to extend the Southern
Michigan Railroad from Monroe to Lake Erie,
few miles below. Two years subsequently, on
nv returnto Buffalo from Mexico was entrust-
ed by the War Department with the charge of
the Gen'l Government roads in Minnesota. Mr..
Emerson being again out of business, earnestly
requested that he might be again employed by
me. 1 did employ him as an assistant, and
retained him as such for two years and half,
when the appropriation for the Point Douglas
and Fort Ripley road, upon which he was
serving, becoming exhausted l discharged him.
The public will see from this whether l have
been at fault in saying that all the gentleman
knows about Engineering, he has learned pri,.-
cipaNy as an appointee of mine
MIR. Emerson, in his card, brands me as
wilful and malicious slanderer, who attempts
to cover up my own deficiencies and dishonesty
by viudictive personal attack upon him.
Mr.. Emerson or any body else, may call me
what they please but the mere branding
man slanderer and dishonest man, does not
make him such, Thank Heaven there is pow
er in Truth which will not allow mans char
acter to be taken from him, just as the malice
or envy of his prosecutors may prompt, and to
that power do leave the issue whether am a
slanderer and q dishonest man. Character is
not to be built up by the mere stroke of any
mans pen. neither is it to be lost by any such
abnormal agency. The God of Truth and In
nocence is alone the arbltef OF the character
of individuals, as of nations, and to Him only
do submit my cause and my character.
In regard to the attack which Mr.. Emerson
says have made On him, and which he attrib-
utes entirely to personal and vindictive mo-
tives, the public has seen, that in this whole
matter have been acting entirely on the de
fensive. In the winter, when he was doing all
he could, by the newspaper which he edits, to
bring me into discredit with the people and
the General Government, on account OF my
management of. the roads, and thus effect my
removal, and his own appointment, under the
auspices of Mr.. Rice, the public has seen that
l said nothing 10 my defence, though could
have said then all that have since published;
and that it has only been since he has COM
menced, for no cause whatever, to again bring
my official acts into disrepute, have felt con-
strained to take any notice of his attacks.
j. H. SIMPSON Capt COrps Tomb ENG