The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-06-22
HON. s. A. SMITH.

NJ. Anderson and Hon. s. A. Smith, having
been detained OF our office by pressing ''pri.
vate business" We regret our absence from.
the Courthouse on that occasion, inasmuch
rs we learn that Col. Smith lost bic equn.
nimity at the commencement Of his remarks,
and paid his respects to our humble self in
quite tart and pointed manner. II seems
we have given him serious offence in the mr..
ticle which appeared two weeks since under
the caption Of "The RANKING Privilege."-
fair reading and understanding Of that ar
ticle will relieve us from any imputation TO
be personally offensive to Mr.. Smith; and
the statement we now make will exhonerate
us from the charge that the article was writ.
ten with the intention of operating against
him in the present canvass for Congress-
At the time we wrote the article in question
he was not a candidate for Congress in the
knowledge of any one but himself and his
private secretary, and the article was written
under the impression and belief, MS we stated
last week, that the administration of Frank.
~" N'So ""o "tciieihIS III tIlc eIectioHS IN
this State, ms 1t had recently done in Vr-
ginin, and that it was using the franks of
members to Congress to circulate documents
gotten up without regard to truth and fair.
ness and to promote purposes of the most
selfish character, and at participation with
which every American ought to blush. In
our article last week we stated, if we were
wrong we stood corrected. That was suffi
cient, and would have been so regarded BY
any one less sore and sensitive than Col,
Smith. Thus much is due to ourself and re I'd.
ers; and now one word to Col. Smith on
the subject of the ranking privilege" n
pririlese the real intent and range of which
he seems to but lily comprehend.
He stated, as we understand, here on Tues.
day, in connection with his remarks about
the editor of the Athens Post, that he had
the right TO do just what he HAD done-that
he had the right to employ one. two or three
clerks to frank for him-hat he had done
so, and should continue to do so as long as
he enjoyed the franking privilege, and when.
ever he pleased. What he has done IL was
quite unnecessary for him to tell us Of
what he may intend to do God alone knows
we do not. But We deny that Mr. Smith
mas ,he right he assumes-we deny that the
"franking privilege" confers any such right
upon him-wc deny that the law contem.
plates any such use of that privilege as Col.
Smith and many other members of Congress
make of tive deny that VIM. II. Seward,
the wing abolition Senator from New York,
and John p. Hale, the democratic abolition
Senator from New Hampshire, have the right
to frank incendiary documents over the coun.
fry-they enjoy the, "franking privilege" and
may use it for such purposes, but they have
no right to so use it. Col. Smith enjoys the
franking privilege, and may use it to circulate
such documents as that which called out
our first article, but he has no rigM to so use
it, because that document is calculated 10
abuse the public mind and is intended 20
strengthen and perpetuate an alliance which
If not arrested, must result in great evil
Such are no more "pnblic documents" con.
templated by the provision comforting the
franking privilege, than the vilest and most
seditious papers sent out under the frank
of Joshua R. Giddings, are "pnbc doc.
uments;" and they cannot be so regarded
by any one capable of discriminating be.
tween right md wrong thing. We have
no disposition to dwell upon this point to
the prejudice of Col. Smith; but when he
uses privilege beyond its legitimate intent
and purpose, and charges us with msrepre.
senting him because we incidentally remind.
ed him of it, and justifes himself by claim.
ing It MS his right to so do, we must beg to
correct him both in his premises and conclu.
sions.
At the conclusion of his remarks about
"The Franking Privilege" and the Athens
Post, Col. Smith is reported to have said
was it not that the paper had liberal circu.
lation he should not have noticed the matter
at all, and that so far MS the editor was con,
cerned the game wastoo small and the source
too contemplate, or too insignificant, to at
tract his attention. Now we are willing tc
admit that this was pretty tight, coming from
such source, and is said to have ELECTED
more attention than any thing that fell from
the gentleman's lips on Tuesday. Had an,
one of moderate pretensions made such
remark about us we could have borne it, bu
falling from so great height the weight i
: overpowering, the punishment too severe
r and should the Post fail to appear any NOR
!. the sorrowing public will please charge tn
I blame to Sam. Smith and not to Sam Twin.
y Oh, cruel, inhuman Sammy, how could 70
Y say that, after the many complimentary nc
y tees we have given you, and all the prctt
), things we said Of you in by gone days whe
d you were just emerging from the chrysa
It state! That, Sam, was the unkindest cut ,
l. all. "Et tn Brute!" But seriously, we al
e afraid the COL has been little spoiled, nm
g he must excuse us for making one or tw
suggestions, and we make them with II
. hope he will profit by them. First, never
- display or lose his temper before a crow
y. never to feign an indignation he does n
\ really feel; never to arrogate an importan
. his merit does not enttle him to, nor to ,
- feet contempt for one whom he cannot he
= respecting. Such conduct is silly, If n
ridiculous. He ought to remember tn