The Ottawa free trader., 1858-02-20
squire:

Nh. EDIroE:-In the Republican of the
6ih inst, there appeared communication
over the signature OF 4" Tax Payer" contain
ing . scurril.ous and unwarrautable attack
upon worthy citizen and gentleman, to
which expected the injured party, or some
lover of truth, would have responded at an
earlier date II tappesrs, however, that both
the public and the sufferer, consider 1t too
coutemptible for notice. In this opinion
do not acquiesce- ScribbIing assessing are
not to be tolerated by virtuous public, and
If Mr. Hodges broken ribs and dislocated
Joints do not !ncite him 10 disabuse the pub
lie mind in regard to the false statements of
this nominal Tax Payer" let my love of
public utility make amends. Those who ia
tend to impress upon the public mind a false
statement, generally resort to figures Of al
legory or rhetorical beauties, hoping that the
reader will lose sight of the fact while hu-
moring the fancy, but L. p seems to know
as little of the art of writing as Of justice,
and s!aughters indiscriminatcly both truth
and the English language. 1t was happily
remarked by Talleyrand that language
was invented to conceal the thoughts" L.
p has verified the statement. HIS evident
intention was to brand Mr. Hodges as tip
pier, but in such amo guous language as TO
escape the responsibility Of the charge. If
this be not so, why associate with his inju-
ries such Bilinsgate as "battered shins,"
"boody noses" and falling in the gutter"
as though he were an inmate OF an Irish
broihel. For the city government l have
nothing to affirm or deny-let them seek
for justification at the hands ofthc people
but in regard to Mr. H., | know whereof |
speak. In opposition to the fabulous state
-hr fb.f bo
CITY will "bleed" and smart" more in the
payment of So, 90 than Mr.. II. did from his
injuries, allow me to make brief statement
of the case as derived from the attending
physician and Mr.. II. The cause of the i,-
Jury i we'll known-its extent remains to be
told The physicians statement is as fol-
lows: "Two ribs Acknowledgement inha
nation of membranes lining the walls Of the
chest and extending to the pleura surround
ing the lungs-also permanent injury Of the
knee and ankle. The patient was under
medical treatment twenty five days and con-
fined to the house six weeks. Mr.. II. testi-
fies that he is unable to perform the manu-
al labor requisite in pursuing his business,
and that ordinary muscular exertion-after
the lapse of four months-subjects him to
great pain. Let me say to the actual tax
payers of the city, that this is plain and
impartial statement of the case. II nought
extenuate nor lay down ought in malice"
:" If there be one among YOU who would
evade the payment Of his proportion of this
$500. let him speak, for him have l offend
ed" To show the perspcuity and purity
of T. P writing, select one sentence among
many, as an example for the school chill
dren: "ARd here the enquiry occurs to me
that if there was no liability for damages in
the case at at all. was the city liable for it
rather than the party on whose premises the
$500 of injuries are said to have occurred"
Shade of Lirdley Murray. come forth. In
closing allow me to say to this 7. p. who
values money more than human happiness
and deems it legal tender for broken bones,
that If he will submit to the above anatomi-
cal disturbance for $500, society will readi-
ly grant it tor the purpose of having one
chance to rid itself of an unworthy member.
HUMANITY - TAX PAYER.