Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-10-10
PERSONAL.

addressed tBelnoni Chronicle. ST Clairsville Ohio"
PERSONAL.
There has, perhaps, never been man in
Belmont county, occupying any public posi-
tion, who has been more pcrsisteutly abused
and mcauly misrcpresented than we have,
during the past fifteen months. The Plug
Uglies and thugs of this county, who are
more numerous than the respectable part Of
community are aware of-lcd on by such
men as j. II. Heaton aud the unscrupulous
politicians that follow in his lead, aided by
the stoolpigeons and whippor-ins who have
lately been controlling the columns of the
Republican" and BEL, " have pursued us
with bitter and determined hatreteseldom
if ever equalled.in the annals of Newspaper
controversy, or exceeded in the record Of
Pothouse politicians and bar-room scaven-
gers.
1t is not necessary to refer to the manner
in which they followed us and acted during
the campaign Of last year, when We were
candidate for reelection the files of their
papers will show that they then reduced
slander to science, and libel to profess
sion; but we triumphed over them in that
contest, thanks to the respectable part Of
this oommunity,--and we thought they had
learned by that experience that there was
nothing to be gained by SANDER and mis-
representation.
We were induced, through the solcita-
tions of leading Republicans to take charge
Of this paper in February last, and since
that time we have been pursued by these
adopts at personal slander with the venom
and fury Of fends incarnate. Week after
week they have filed their papers with slang
and falsehoods, in order to embitter the
feelings Of their partisans against us,-the
plug-ugly part Of whom they have been
educating for years to do that part of the
work they themselves have not the courage
to do. H., ....
We have exposed their lies and refuted
their ISLANDERS until they have become ex-
asperated. We have gone on increasing the
force and circulation of the CHRONICLE until
they have become desperate, and they arc
new attempting to accomplish through the
rp-raps and thugs they have been so long
training what they have failed to accomplish
by all other means combined; and on the
day of the election and the day following
these beauties have been attempting 10 get
this mob to make personal attack upon us.
On the day of the election we were frequent
ly insulted by them, and on yesterday whilst
engaged in conversation with Mr.. Clark,
Of Morristown, they congregated around us,
and ono Of their number-Jrought there for
the pu'pose-made an attack upon us, which
was followed up by several others of their
number, until Democrats that were present
interfered and said that five or six men
should not attack one man.
These men WIN have been controlling this
matter have partially succeeded in accom-
fishing what they have been so long and
Eealously laboring to accomplish: they have
set a mob upon us, but, if they think they
have succeeded in intimidating or frighten-
ing us, they are very much mistaken. We
have never been fighting bully and we
trust in God we never will bc, but we have
the eourage-and these men may find it out
Ito defend ourselves when attacked, no
matter from whom or how the attack may
come.
These men have tho impudcmce to talk
about mobs, when they have under their
control and in their employment the entire
element out of which mobs are composed.
They may think that there is something to
DO made by training and educating this ig-
norant and depraved element in our political
society, but the day has gone by--thanks to
tho influence of free schools and free insti-
tutions-wheh men can accomplish through
q mob what they have failed to accomplish
by reason and argument.