The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-04-21
For tho Lancaster anrctto .

although humble and unpretending,
will leave q legacy to posterity that
shall live green and unsullied as long
as virtue and intelligence are themain
springs of society, That Ihave some
claims to ,their possession, Mr.. Editor,
| can but appeal to the community in
which have lived and spent all my
days Never before has the puny
arm Of the !slanderer been raised for
the purpose of robbing me of that
which value higher than gold, power
or place y
/ deprecate Mr.. Editor, as much as
any one who reads your paper, the
necessity which compels me in self
defense, to allude briefly to this man
Harris's private history, in order to
show who my traducer is. Accord
ing to tradition, he was born of hum
bic, but | believe honest parents, some
where down in the State of Berne, by
occupation a shingle shaver, Gan hon
est occupation when followed by an
honest MANI but it is said of him
that in early life he took to strong
drink as naturally as fish do to water,
and hence he was not blessed with
worldly goods; and to add to the sore
atfliction of this man, Providence laid
the hand Of affliction upon his family
--(whether for sins Of the flesh it is
not for man to say)-want for the
necessary food to sustain life stared
him in the face. Then it was that the
kindness and bcnevolence of the peo-
lple of the neighborhoad came to his
assistance, and by their kindness and
affectionate treatment alleviated in
some measure the sore Affections bro't
upon him, 1t would be natural to
suppose that friends in need would be
friends in deed, and that the hand of
time would never draw the veil Of for
getfulness across his memory. But
fortune in its fickleness smiled upon
him. lie was transferred from his hum
BILE abode to the County Infrmary as
Superintendent, oyer a class of per-
sons who had in like manner been
afflicted and come to want, What o
glorious field of beneyolence to work
in What achance to demonstrate to
his former friends that their acts of
kindness and charity were not lost
upon him, but were remembered green
and fresh as a spring day morning.
Bat 10 a change has passed upon him,
SO much so that his former friends
could hardly recognize him. Instead
of the meek, lowly, contrite, and peni-
tent sinner that he should be, going
about alleviating the wants Of the
poor, distressed and afflicted under his
care, he puts on airs of superiority
proud, naughty, dictatorial; dimes
sumptuously every day, while those
under his care are glad to get slice
Of fitch He has his pauper groom
who brings his horse curried and car
E riage washed to the door; takes his
seat and condescendingly receives the
reins, cracks his whip and drives to
the city, on the streets of which he
passes an old lady, (who had formerly
been conspicuous for her kindness and
charity extended to him while the
hand Of afhiotion was upon him with
, out so much as nodding his light, but
elevated head. Madame rumor had
told her that his sudden elevation had
, made him giddy, bat in her faith fo,
rood works she could not believe it
was determined the next time shc
would meet him to solve the mystery
TimidIy, and with awe she approached
him, cxclaiming "Mr. Harris, why
don't you know me don't you know
, your kind old friend that so often min
! istcred to the wants of your sore anC
afflicted family while you lived in oul
neighborhood Come, don't you
: But in the proud and erect form befor
her, she for the first time recognized
e the change. HumbIy and piously sh
+. dismissed him, wiser woman in tn
affairs of men. Such, Mr.. Editor, is
bird view of the private histor.
}, of this man Harris, who has attempte,
= withouta syllable of evidence, to evad
the issue, by charging that / had fur
). nishcd no proof and must stand as
+. delamer OF his character. Was eve
impotence moro consummate? Why
o what do you say about the tcstimon,
= of William Fetters sworn and subscri
bed to-? Why, sir, when you first say
it (knowibg that Fetters was down i
: Georgia. the white, e,of your eyes mad
revolution in their orbits that woul
!, shame comet. Have you attempte
. to impeach it?-dare you attempt to d
y it? | rather think not. No proof
= why, sir, you must have forgotten tina
q your communication was written TO
= = the Lancaster Gazette, the intelliger
5 readers of which can see case whe
a made, clearer than that quack lawyG
y of yours, whose legal lore consists
slanderous epithets that would sham
, the bully of the house of infamy, an
- is calculated to bring disgrace upon
profession that once had upon its lii
such names as Clay and Webster. n
: wonder he has advised you to retir
y Hisstock of vituperation is exhauste'
!" You say that | have changed the issu
:. Not SO. have met your charge
"a "a liar by testimony irrefragiblc !; an
~ ~ now, sir, as l am but private citizC
'd "a and the public can have very little il
~ ;" terest in a private affair, | wish to ca
"a :, your attention, (for you don't appe'
~ to comprehend IT'D to the fact that "
are public officcr~--a servant OF Il
rn people under pay. Instead OF a