The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-11-04
Personal Uxculpations.

EDITOR COLUMBIAN, Dear Sir In
last weeks issue of your paper and in
your leader you repeated the charge
that it was alleged by SMITH in the late
canvass, that WILLARD secured his
nomination through the corruption of
the Centralia and Conyngham dele
gates. This charge was not known to
us before the election, neither do we
wish to revive the spirit of the canvass.
The truth is, we had to vote for MIL
LARD in the Convention or betray those
good citizens that sent us there to do
SO. These districts were always nearly
unanimous for MiLLARD, and the fact
was proven at the late election. Fur.
thermore, WILLARD did not offer one
dollar for our votes, he was sure of us,
and had no occasion to purchase our
vote. We, the undersigned delegates,
are willing to prove on oath that the
charge is false and was false in every
particular. But the offer was made,
not by WILLARD, but by SMITH him
self, to buy us.
Just before the Convention assembled
he, SMITH, sent E. II. KELLER, Dis
trict Attorney, to us with an offer of
five hundred dollars ($50O) to vote for
him (SMIrH) and oppose WILLARD, the
choice of our constituents. KELLER
done his best to persuade us to take the
money and vote for SMITH, and we
challenge him to deny the fact if he can.
We publish this in justice to the char
acterS Of Mr.. WILLARD and ourselves.
Yours truly,
THOMAS KILKER,
p. LUBY,
THOMAS GERAKTY,
MARTIN GAUGHAN.
NORTH CoNYNGHAM, Oct. q, 1870.
! EDITOR COLUMBIAN, Dear Sir Il
had fully made up my mind not to no
tice the slanderous articles published
in the Republican sheet of your town,
in regard to the purchase of the Dele
gates from this eide of the mountains
by Mr.. WILLARD and others, believing
it to be an electioneering trick, and that
with the election it would end, but still
find it kept up with spirit of vindic.
tivencss. L had the honor Of being
delegate from North Conyngham, at
that Convention, and as will be seen by
reference to the accompanying affidavit,
did not go to that Convention for gain,
but at the earnest request of Mr.. MIL
LARD, and now challenge any candi-
date for any office, to say, much less to
prove, that l received any money, from
any of them, or any of their friends, or
that / asked any money, or extorted, or
tried to extort any promise of reward,
for my vote or influence at said Con-
vention, but on the contrary, told any
one who asked me for my vote or infiu-
ence at said Convention, that 1 had
promised it to Mr.. MILLARD, and
would not be there as delegate but for
his interest. think the voters of North
Conyngham have fully refuted this
slander by their votes at our late elec-
ton, by voting to man for Mr.. MIL
LARD. He received out of one hundred
and thirty-seven votes polled, one hun
dred d &thirty-two votes ,and by referring
to the vote polled at Centralia, and
South Conyngham, it can be readily
seen that those delegates were instruct.
ed for Mr.. MILLARD, or he would not
get the unanimous vote of those two
districts. 1t is not through any desire
of mine to gain newspaper notoriety,
that have departed in this case from
fixed rule, of treating all such with
contempt, by my silence, but this SLAM
der has been so persistently adhered to,
that in justice to myself, cannot pass
it unnoticed, not having any quarrel or
even the least objections to Mr. Smith,
personally, never having met the man
before the day of that Convention /;
therefore could have no object in oppo-
sing him only my preference, as well
as the preference of our people for Mr..
M ILLARD, SO that this attack of Mr.
SMITH was entirely out of place and
uncalled for. Hoping you will give the
enclosed affidavit and this article an in
sertion in your valuable paper,
am Dear Sir,