, 1863-01-10
To the "Hon." j. w. Nesmith.

say you commenced in the very classical Ian
guage of the boy whose argument was "you lie,' y
&c. You also take exception to my name. I
am sorry you could not have been consulted be-
fore my advent upon earth, but you were not
known at that time yourself, and probably never
would have been up to the present time had it
not been for your sharp practice during the In
dian war in Oregon, at which time you were Su-
perntendent of Indian affairs, whereby it is sup
posed you made enough to bribe and buy your
way into the Senate of the United States.
have not doubt you think the name bear ga
singular one." The reason you think so is l sup
pose because you have never heard it in the low
doggeries you have been in the habit of visiting
hence the great stress you place upon it in your
argument.
You state that in my communication referred
to, charged you with writing to friend high in
office "let them dare remove Barnhart" These
made the above charge; either "Barnhart" or
"agent Barnhart"- not having the article before
me do not know which. You now go on and
say that tell an pnmitigated lie in charging
you with stating "let them dare remove agent
Barnhart." Why sir, you do not even deny the
charge made. Why quibble about it Now,
sir, come out like a man, and if you did not write,
in substance, the above, then say so at once and
l will give the author, who is a gentleman of We
racity and honor-well known in Oregon. A
xubosa bopor 10 bricyhf lur,,in
compared to your own. Your honor would not
be as feathers weight in the scale against his.
You now go on and say that it is hardly necessa-
ry for you to state that you could not have writ
ten a letter sustaining an officer in fraudulent
practices long before they alleged to have
been perpetrated" You well knew when Barn
hart received the appointment of Indian agent
that he was not man to be trusted with govern
ment funds or property, and most of the citizens
of Oregon believe that you as we'll knew these
facts as themselves, if not better. To whom else
could you have alluded than this same Barnhart
in your recent speech in Congress relative to the
numerous frauds perpetrated on Government and
the poor Indians by Indian agents and other Of
fcers.
Now, Mr.. Senator, in regard to the -four con.
tract. did not charge you with swindling Gov
ernment. merely asked the question in the fol-
lowing words, viz: "How is it about that -four
contract on the Sound.' But it appears the coat
fits. The unblushing impudence with which you
ask me to take the evidence of those connected
with yourself in crime if crime there was, exceeds
anything ever heard of; exceeds even your i'm
pudence in asking for a seat IN the Senate of the
United States. Where Is the lie in regard to
the above affair ?
Now, in regard to your salary in which you
think you find a lie. You say that stated it to
be "about $3OOQ.7 So did and say SO now
According &c your own statement, which l see no
reason to believe or disbelive, you say that your
salary was S25OO per year-just five sxths Of
what l stated it was "about." Now let US reason
this case and see if we discover the lie We are
charged with. Suppose, you sir, to be worth
100000, and suppose farther that you have
swindled Government out of FIVE sxths of that
amount. Wonld man tell lie in saying that
you had swndled Government out of about all
you are worth Now, let US sum up your whole
letter, and ask all who have seen it to read it
carefully and notice the following points you try
to establish:
AS you have not denied the first charge in full,
will say nothing about it at present. lst, 1 ask
question, show is it about that -four contract P"
You say it is lie. l do not see the point.
2nd, stated that your salary was about $4,000.
You say lie, acknowledging at the same time
that it was five sixths of that amount. Again, l
cannot see the point.
Mr.. Senator, when commenced the exposure
of Agent Barnhart did not do it to seek notor-
ETY. through the public press. only sought to
do my duty as an American citizen. All the char
ges made against Barnhart know to be true.
Nay more than then charged him with, he is
guilty. He is a murderer and deserves the hang
mans rope around his neck as much as ever a
man did. Now, Mr. Senator, you say that when
you are convinced that the charges l made
against Barnhart are true you will be the first to
urge the President to remove him; but Sir, know
ing me to be bpt humble citizen you seek to
drown ppy voice by crying loudly dog, liar
But Sir, that will not do. Send on, if you
have influence enough with the President so to
do, authority to take afidavits and I will shoR
you to your hearts content that they too true.
AS you profess not to believe the charges because
they come from me will here give you few af-
idavits and certificates corroberative of the same:
Here follows long list of affidavits, in sub
sanitation of the charges preferred by Mr..
Goodnough against Mr.. Barnhart, which would
not be of Interest to the general reader, and we
prefer not to occupy space in publishing them
The curious can call and see them-EDs.]
will close this letter by asking you to read
over your letter, and see if you are not ashamed
10 acknowledge that you was the author of it
1t brings to my recollection the assertion heard
soon after you was elected as Senator, that "your
ability would show more favoraby in low grog
shop than in the Senate of the United States"
Why Sir, that letter is a disgrace even
to an Oregon Senator, who, with one exception,
have the reputation of being as big a set of gno-
ramuses as ever lived or disgraced any State in
the Union / wish it here understood that |
have not started to reply to a letter written by ].
W. Nesmith, the low grog shop politician of Or
gon but Senator Nesmith.
CHARLES GooDNoUGH.
THERE is no reader way for man to bring
his own worth into question than by endeavoring |
to detract from the worth of other men.