Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-11-26
Mr.. Botts, Letter.
AUBURN, Cuipepper County,
0riohar 1852

To the Editor of tie Eramiaer:
SIR-Yours is the only paper published
in Richmond to which could make an ap-
plicatiou with any Likelihood OF success,
in order to set myself right before the pub
lie and you will pardon me for saying that
u am 6y-n0 means confident of obtaining
suehl 4 iViIsge at your haadsi but think
j have-h right to expect H. inRsmuch as
you hGVe chosen TO publish an extract from
a letter written by correspondent for, and
published in the New York Herald, accom-
panied with some uncalled for and i'll na'
tured comments of your own. But | do
not ask you to publish for me without
making suitable charge, which ! am
more than willing to pay. hope, there
fore, you will allow me to soy that, while
have long since foreborue to make cor
rections of noy misrepresentation Of me
by the public press, yet there are some of
such nature aud calculated to beget so
much prejudice in the pubic mind that
do not feel / would he acting wisely or
properly to let them pass unnoticed.
am willing at all times to be held to
proper responsibility for anything may
say or do; but am not willing to be so
held for what others, who may draw upon
their faucies for their facts, may choose to
say for me or of me. have seen several
bLhltlQHuIS III lI6 kStSuuI0uA pAfEhS
copied from Northern papers, calculated
70 excite popular feeling against me, which
bad no foundation in truth.
First, that had been accOsted by some
Indiana Major then engaged in skirmish
with some Of the Confederate cavalry and
on being asked which way they had gone
(which, by the way, il he was skirmishing
with them, he ought to have known for
himself without asking me), | replied, al
was not at liberty 10 tell him as was on
my parole" and then very gratnitously
udded that "I was Union man, without
any Ifs or butts" Now, whatever my oPin-
inns and position on this subject may be, it
is not true that have had any such inter-
view. have seen no such Major, and had
no such question put to me, and have given
no such answer.
Secondly, In the letter, a portion Of which
you have copied, ! am represented by the
writer as hnviug SAID, al wished the feder-
al generals knew half that knew of the
rebels and their resources aud Intentions"
| I have only TO say that said no such
thing, aud nothing that would bear q re-
sembiauce to it, and when read the Her
aid containing 1t, mentioned the error to
two other correspondents Of that paper,
and asked Ihem:to have 1t corrected, which
they promised should be done. see moth :
ing in it, if had said IT, to be complained
of by other parties, as it matters not what
! lIknow Of their intentions and resources,
provided did not disclose them TO others.
/ complained OF it because 1t made me ap-
pear 10 the ridiculous attitude of pretend
| iug to know what every man of intelligence
and reflection was obliged to know. It
was preposterous in the extreme. For all
know that am not in the confidence OF
the government or the commanders of its
forces. and therefore could know nothing
of their intentions. And as to their re-
sources ] profess 10 be profoundly iguo-
rants, either as to what they are or where
they are. What be says about my pur-
chases in Richmond is true. For what
would have cost before the war at regular
market prices $64,15, l did pay Sl,36s, ,03
for. But this was disclosing no important
State secret, iuasmuch as you furnish them
with the prices current once or twice a
week, aud these current prices are us we'll
known in New York as they are to me-
But did not tell ii with any expectation
that It was TO get into the newspapers; fol
when mentioned II | did not know tc
whom was addressing myself. The gen
tlemRu came, as many others did, TO pay
: Ihis respects, aud 1t was not until he wal
l.Roing away that he handed me his card
; | hy which [ ascertained that he was au armJ