, 1860-05-18
PUGET SOUND HERALD.
SrEILlCNOM. w. r., FRIDAY, MAY is, 1860.


HERALD of 10th February last, has been lying
in our drawer nearly two months patiently wait
ing an insertion until such time as we could get
fairly under way again, after our temporary sus-
pension. In giving place to this, We deem that
we perform but an act Of tardy justice in thus
afiOrdng the writer an opportunity to defend
himself against the violent assault of the Pioneer
in reply, in its issue Immediately subsequent to
the above date, in which he was grossly stigma
tized.
To tAs Editor Of the Puget Sound Herald
MoNricELLo, March 18th, 1860.
Sin: As have, whether warrantably or not,
assumed the style OF verbal critic, will you be
lind enough to correct misprint or two in the
article headed "Seth Catlin the Sage" in your
issue Of Feb. lOthp In the second column Of
that article, eleventh line from the top, "ker6"
should read true. In the next line the word true
Il omitted after SIS" There are several other
errors, but these two arc the most important. 1t
Il quite possible that all tho mistakes but one
may have been nv own slips OF the pen, as
wrote in haste, touching my subject as lightly as
possible, and anxious to rise again to my natural
level, without unnecessary delay.
Please accept my thanks, and those Of every
lover Of truth and candor in the county, for the
handsome manner in which you performed your
duty as a public journalist, when you gave place
In YOUR columns TO my communication, winch so
unceremOniously knocked the stills oi lath irom
under that inflated bladder Of emptiness-the
renutation Of Seth Catlin, Senior. My letter fell
like thunderbolt upon him and his hirelings;
and from the stupor Of CONSERVATION and amaze
ment into which they were thrown It was week,
at least, before they could, by repeated caucus
ings, collect in the aggregate a single sense
among the whole fraternity though, in their
normal condition, they are by courtesy presnm-
ed 10 be possessed 0f Eve apiece. That one
sense which they were able to muster was self
ian sense Of relief on the part Of the parasites
that the overgrown political squash under whose
shade. in imitation Of Jonah and his g0urd, they
shelter themselves, was, owing to the undeserved
Torbearance with which treated it only mag
niHccntly trimmed, instead Of being utterly an.
initiated. They were comparatively safe in their
obscurity, and no doubt happy that the tornado
which made such awful havoc Of their "propre-
tor" las Mr.. Pancks would say) had passed above
their heads In fact, most Of them were stathe-
less; except scratch or so. casually, from
falling limb. But among those whose slumbeis
under the shadow Of the Usage, venerable, and
Rlaurht, was Mr.. Furste--THE ORIGINAL FURsTE
-F1rste in stupidity, Furste in mendacity, and
Furste in the Pioneer and Dsnocrdtj and to
him now turn my attention.
1 confess. however, at the outset that in 4
controversy Of this kind, the thing that does tile
Pioneer and Democrat has great advantage
over me, for I understand no language but the
English, and no jargon except the Chinook. For
the Dutch. indeed, and for most others including
several dead languages, il would be possible to
find an Interpreter. But for the gibCerish IL
which he expresses himself, there Is absolutely
no solution. The ingenuity that threaded the
celebrated labyrinth, and the genius that could
solve the Sphynx's riddle, would be utterly at
10 mean. or 10 trace his intricate hOunderings
through tho sloughs and stagnant mud-tiats oi
inexplorable absurdity. Hence, what assurance
have that some shrewd but impenetra0le sar-
casm against me Is not concealed under the IN
volyed and distorted vOubility Of his issue dated
Feb. l7thp ! pause for repyi
There are, Il Is true, some one or two PROPOSE
tons in the OIGINAL FURsTEs article OF the above
date, in reply TO mine, the meaning OF which eau,
five adopt the recognized rules Of Interpretation,
with some confidence be guessed at But what
security Is there that man who tribes so villain
ously with syutax viii have decent respect for
orthography and prosodyl Who knows but that
in his dictionary venerable may signify 1tserly
and mean, and "s-l-g {" be pronounced skunks
ea6bagsP Considerations like these prevent my
ilatly denying any longer that Old Catlin is "ven.
erable." He may be venerable as compared
with the 0MdfSAL FURsrE. Indeed, rather
think he 70. should say that almost anybody
who put in serious claims 10 common sense would
appear venerable when regarded from tho ORIG-
IxiLs point Of view. 1t Is Belial looking uptO
NOloch-it Is natural--let it pass. "a.
shall make bold further to understand the
OnaNAL as asserting that some one at least OF
my former charges against Catlln, h su6stan-
tiated, would ccnsgn the Judge 70 the Penl'
tentiary. Now, in the name Of all that is expe-
dent which Of my allegations is it, The
shoulders Of demonstration ache with the weight
Of the Evidence that am ready TO adduce upon
every essential point likely TO produce . con-
summation 90 devoutly 10 be wished" But
then, after al, the Judge" would probably
make interest To obtain what the Original 80
happily calls Syear's pardon" and thus |
should be- foiled Even the Original himself who
knows next to nothing, knows that not half the
proven scamps got to the Penitennary. BY
parity Of reasoning, he may conclude that, al:
though Il would be the easiest thing In the world
to prove him fool, Il does not necessarily follow
thGt he would be admitted into an asylum for
idiots think he would be rejected. Hopeless
cases are seldom admitted into that sort Of insti-
tuition.
quote from the Pioneer and Democrat from
memory - .t...g ss..r.a-..
"Thus he Cionticello) might screen himself
from (perhaps) personal harm against man rs
years Old, and the imputation Of a contemplate
liar from such as have the pleasure Of an ac-
auaintance,n &c.
The first query Is, who has boon threatening
personal harm against Old Catlinf And then,
how can any gentleman hope to screen himself
-
long as contemplate liars (and fools, too, for that
mattefl oil edit an such newspapers as the
Pioneer and DsmOcrat9 And who Is Il that the
coutemptibie liar Is threatening with his Sian
dcrous imputati6hs- the aman 70 years old,
or mar i'hk coflext would seem 10 indicate