Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-28
scANpAL-u. $. meoomB.

The card of Henry S. McComb, ESQ.,,
which we published on Tuesday, came to us
at so late an hour that We had moi time to
allude to it in that issue We do 20 now,
however, not for the purpose of pronouncne
a panegyric upon the gentleman whose name
is attached to ii, but because we are desir-
GUS of placing upon record the unqualified
detestation in which the slandering falsiier
of the good name and position of Mr..
McComb is held in this community. As
soon AS the base fabrication, touching his
character and business integrity, reached
the light through the columns of city CO.
temporary, it was stamped as malicious
fasehood by every gentleman who had any
knowledge whatever of the business industry
and probity of the gentleman maligned
MIR. McComb is yet young man. He
was reared from infancy to manhood in this
community and under the eyes, almost, of
large number of the best men and citizens
of Wilmington. By perseverance and energy,
combined with an unsullied private charac-
ter, he rose from the humblest position in
life, to one OF enviable success, securing to
himself by his unaided industry and business
application a degree Of prosperity that
finally led him into the ranks Of our most
wealthy men. In all his relations with his
fellows he has ever enjoyed their confidence
and esteem, and has moved in public and
in private without suspicion or reproaeh.
| ,,l
since made him one of our most useful cti-
zens, always alive to and active in every
public measure calculated to promote the
general interests of the people. AS a son
and brother, the genius of tilial and rrater-
nal duty presides pre-eminently in his afIec-
tionsi and we doubt if there can anywhere
be found to-day, a more marked example or
one more worthy of imitation in this respect.
His business qualifications, moreover, are
well known. But for him hundreds of persons
and scores of families might have been SUI
fering from want, who are now enjoying
comparative comfort by reason of his efforts
in bringing work to this city which other
wise would have gone elsewhere. Mr..
McComb's friends know this. The commu.
nifty generally know it and in the face OF
these facts the vile slanderer shoots forth his
malice while his victim lies PROSTATE upon a
sick bed, meanly hoping thereby to injure
and disgrace the man whose personal good
qualities he can never expect to approach
or initiate.
What a miserable, wretched curse to The
world is a slanderer. Venal, sneaking, and
despised, he crawls along upon the earth
feeding upon private reputation and unsul
lied honor. More loathsome than the foul
est contagion, and more guilty and abandon
ed than the vilest culprit he is constantly
seeking whom he may devour or eumesh il
his poisonous slime If he were com
PEELED, during his worthless life, to stant
IN paris Ndt0rdliJus, with ten thousan,
scorpions around hlm emitting upon hi
disgusting carcass streams Of living fire
while an unceasng shower of liquid brim
stone should fall pitilessly upon his wicke,
head, the punishment would not be though
too severe. So profoundly and cordial
1 despised is slanderer
In justice to Mr. McComb, who is con
ceded on all hands to be one Of the mos
substantial and reliable business men in thi
city, we have said thus much and will ado
that what we have written has been withou
g his knowledge or suggestion, or that OF an
of his friends or relatives; our object bein
not to vindicate Mr.. McComb merely, bu
i also to put in plea on behalf of honorabl
private character generally, which is liabl
At any moment to be assailed and asperse
by the secret assaults of ioul-mouthed an
4 wicked bab6lers An open antagonist ma
be tolerated even when grossly in error
but the insidious pimp; the low-bre,
: despicable sneak whose chief delight it is I
collect private conversation, alike froi
"a gentlemen under the guise of friendship,
n from his more congenial associates in ii
!. low groggeries Of the town, and after pc
!. verting and falsifng every word and though
HES off to some point where his filthy tongt
d. can be made most available for mischit
and there dispenses his moral miasma wit
" out regard to honor, decency or truth, SUI
a character is totally unfit for recognize
IL by even honorable thieves, and should |
is hooted from society everywhere as cor
10 mon nuisance.
-$sess------
ct To Whom it May Concern.