Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-10-04
Drytown Correspondenoe.
DRYrowN, Sept. goth, 1856.

September 27th appeared an article in whicl
are some pretty severe reflections, not onl,
on my honor as a man, but also in regard t,
the truthfulness Of the statements made by
me in the different articles which have ap
peared in the Ledger. Now, it has not beer
my object, nor is it now my wish, to enter
into contest on political subjects with any
man, but when my private character is as
sailed; when any man accuses me of "mis
representation, deceit and falsehood," then
should consider myself degraded indeed
did not resent the base and contemplate
writer of that article is; whether it be the
insignificant editor of that delectable sheet, or
some of his whining puppies, ] care not; but
it might gain credence in the minds Of some
to whom | am unknown and to undeceive
them it will be answered.
In regard TO my being elected to the Office
of Justice of the Peace in Township No 5,
by the American party alone of Drytown
and vicinity is not true, for l received the
support of both the Democratic and Know
Nothing parties as my name was on both
tickets, and in Democratic precinct of about
fifty votes l received every vote save one
and nearly the same in other precincts so
that the cause of my election might be as
cribed to one party as well as the other, aud
on that account the Know Nothing party
has no more right to claim my sympathy or
support than the Democratic At no time
have | hestated to acknowledge, nor have l
tried to hide the fact, that | was once a
member Of that Order, and if heaven will
forgive me for that one act of my life, /
shall ever be humble and grateful-for it is
an act of which my conscience never will
acquit me.
Previous to that time l had always been
democratic in sentiment; acted with the dem
ocratic party and exerted all my limited abil-
tiles to sustain the democratic cause But
some wild infatuation; some unaccountable
influence took possession of my mind which
led E1e into the commission of an act which
/ shall regret all my life. While member
of that Order saw and experienced what
is stated in my articles in the Ledger--aye,
and far more, such as ought to make "the
tinge of shame mantle the cheeks" of all
who participated in its reasonable acts and
for that reason I most humbly ask for.
giveness for my errors, and promise on my
life ! will never do so more
Perhaps the writer of the article in the
Sentinel in ascribing dishonest motives to Inc
in espousing the democratic cause, thinks
that all men are actuated by the same mo-
tives that he is in supporting the Know
Nothing party He believes that because he
has bartered his conscience and soul for
thirty pieces of silver" other men can de-
base themselves as much
At no time have been aware of being
"treated with the supremest contempt" eth
er by my political enemies or frends-but SO
far from that is the truth, that / cannot but
feel grateful for the kind consideration always
that insignificant political thing who wrote
the al .ice in the Sentinel cause me to think
4 1iHarantlv IF than, nbara 10 fafa
ment in any of my communications to the
Ledger but what can be proved true by in
mony nor has one-twcntieth part of the evils
of that organization been told Whatever
obligations a man took while member o
that order, he must have been released from
them when he withdrew; if not, it certainly
must have been equally as inquitous as the
oaths of band of thieves or robbers fol
they can do nothing more than bind a man
during his lifetime; besides at the National
Council of the Order, it is said that all oaths
and obligations which had been previously
imposed, were abolished, and even the con
temptbe writer of the Sentinel SAYS that
eve know that all secrecy in the Order ha:
been abolished" Why then does he accuse
me of revealing the little secrets of the
Order" when he says there are now none tc
keep. Here he admits that such things have
existed, and what have stated is true-"oh
consistency, thou art jewell
1t appears very sensible for him to STATE