Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-28
The Late Firm Of ssldsp, Withsrs 4 Co.

TO the Editor OF the Erentng Star.
CIR: Having read in the columns of the Evening
Of Selden, VI ithers b Co. 10 furious attack made
by the Editor of the Globe on that firm, may be
permitted an entirely disinterested party, to offer
few brief remarks relative thereto. Ny reason for
length of the article in question, many Of your rea
ders may not arrive at knowledge of the true state
of the case.
1t appears that the Editor Of the Globe felt Il to be
either his duty or privilege, or both, to come out
with an article, in which he compares the gentle
men Of the above firm to " those who make coun
terfeit money!" &C., thertby casting the deepest,
darkest shadow possible, upon their moral charac-
ter. On reading these grave charges, was instinc'
lively led to such an inquiry as the following: Can
these charges against SeldeD. Withers Co. be sus
tained, If 20, these gentlemen deserve all the re-
proach and contumely which the Editor of the Gose
has thought proper to heap upon them. Butin care
fully examining the defence find that these charges
are entirely without foundation that they have been
created for the occaa on by the ruler of the Globe,
(happily not the great globe we inhabit) and crcu
lated in every part Of its orbit to the dsparasement
In the next place, struck with the sngularity Of
the Globes structures and animadversions on the
conduct of Selden, Withers Co., l enquire, cili
BONO what is the object Of the ingenious and zeal
Gus Editor Of the Globe in these extraordinary ex-
posures and severe denunciatious? Of course, the
reply is that as Editor OF public journal land one
as wide as the Globe) he Is anxious TO guard the
puuiiC against HtidttOus Uustuess udus6Cuone,
and to defend it from old nfractons of the laws Of
rectitude, by men in whom public tIust is reposed
In looking, however, little farther, find that a
private and personal pique which occurred in 1851,
and which arose from the fact Of Selden, Withen b
Co. being dissatisfied with the business transac
tons OF the Editor, refused any further communica
ton with him. Here, then, is the grand secret of
the Globes onslaught at the present time.
In reviewing the matter in detail, 1 am led to put
the following queries, and feel satisfied that my
replies annex ed, form but an echo Of public senu
ment, with regard to the whole affair:
l. Are the charges preferred by the Globe against
the firm OF SeldeD, Withers b Go. truthful? can
they be sustained: To this would reply, they are
not truthful they caanot be sustained. They have
been proved rrefutaby to be false, and without the
least semblance of foundation.
2. Is il fair. is il generous? is it noble? is il man
ly To assai the moral character of gentlemen who
have always possessed the entire confidence of the
community because they have unfortunately become
involved i'm a financial disaster, which any and ev-
cry honorable man may, on any or every day, be the
subject Of
" Who steals my purse, steals trash tits some
thing-nothing;
Twas mine, tits his, and has been slave TO thou
sands
But he that flches from me my good name.
Rob, me Of that which not enriches him, and makes
me poor indeed"
Ii is bad enough for honorable men to be the vic
tlms Of a misfortune, by which they lose the pecu
mary accumulations Of a lifetime. But to be as
sailed, msTcpresented, and prosecuted, is wilful
and wicked aggravation Of their calamity, which no
night minded man can contemplate but with feelings
Of righteous indignation and eternal disgust.
JUsTITIA.
WASHINGTON, March %, 1855. mar as-lt.