Litchfield enquirer., 1871-01-12
A Sentinel Apology /.

| A eOA~s~e@Ss @@ksSA~0J.
 The reply of the editor of the Sentinel to onr last weeks statement regarding his re- cent publication of private letter written to lady by gentleman from Norfolk. is characteristic. He denies no material fact. and his mode of treating the affair goes far to explain the motive of the original outrage. The reply commences as fol- flows (itaIics ours):
 .sWe learn from the Enquirer that the Good Templars of Norfolk have passed some resolu- tions about the editor of the SENTINEL. We don't ko,c schat these resolutions are but the Enquirer says they "are of so personal character that we prefer not to publish them."
 The letter accompanying the resolutions informs us that copy of them had also been sent to "Mr. s. B. Johnson of the Sentinel" In case of their miscarriage, the editor of that paper is welcome to our copy. Knowing Mir. J., as they probably do, only from his conduct in this affair, we are not surprised at the very unfavorable opinion the Norfolk Good Templars ex- press of him, but the question of print ing the resolutions having been left to our judgment, we determined against publica- | ton.
 The occasion for this demonstration [continues the Sentinell was the publication of letter which was handed us 6 literary curiosity. We printed it as such and the Winsted HerGld did the same. N noso turns ot that the writer of that letter was Good Templar of Norfolk.
 Handed us as a literary curiosity. No doubt; but had the editor of the Sentinel and the person handing that letter to him, intended no personal annoyance to it's writer, they would most certainly have published it in the usual manner, sOithout signature. It so happens that the editor of the Sentinel boards at the very hotel where these Norfolk gentlemen lodged. Their names were all entered on the hotel book; it was we'll understood that they were wit nesses against liquor seller; consequent ly they were much disliked by the freqnen- ters of the bar-room. and, as was we'll known, by the editor of the Sentinel; hence, when one of them incautiously dropped or left behind him an unsent letter, we can readily understand how it came to be 'shanded us with request for it's publica- tion." We can also understand why the full name of the writer, and the christian name of the lady to whom it was address ed. were published, and can appreciate the peculiar wording of the sentence, "N noaO turns om that the writer of that letter was a Good Templar from Norfolk" If fur ther evidence was needed of the motive which induced the publication of MT. Cur tiss' letter, it is to be found in the follow ing closing, gratuitous, most improbable libel of the already sufficiently libelled Norfolk Good Templars:
 Some of the most active members of that or- ganization were recently here at 8 trlal, and @ number ot them soere notoriously drank during the whole time.
 We were at first reminded by the fore going, of the view the Rev. MT. Stiggins expressed of the Brick Iana Branch of the Grand Junction Ebenezer Temperance As. sociation, when drunk himself; but fur ther reflection inclines us to suspect that the charge originated with the person who handed the Curtiss letter to the editor of the Sentinel. It is redolent of some such origin.
 We think it sufficiently evident from the Iacts Of the case, from all that the edlror or the Sentinel says, and from all that he does not say, that the publication of MT. Curtiss' letter was occasioned by dislike of the or. ganization to which he belongs and was in- tended to annoy him personally. regardless of the feelings of the lady concerned. If the editor of the Sentinel were accidentally to come in possession of letter written to the wife of political opponent by her bus band, and were to publish it with the sim pie purpose of making kim ridiculous, it would be precisely the case in question. If the editor of that paper were to write let ter to a lady and lose it before mailing, there are people in the world into whose hands it might fall who would think it wor- thy of publication as ''literary and senti- mental curiosity" How would hs enjoy changing places with MT. Curtiss
 The case of the publication of this letter by the Winsted Herald is not at all in point. That paper copied it from the Sentinel. probably supposing that the signature. at least, was fictitious, and evidently unaware of the facts attending it's publication in the Sentinel.
 The charge of drunkenness against the whole Norfolk Good Templar Lodge is le- gitimate V Ewe. The absurd recklessness with which it is made is very much in the present Sentinel style. But the publication of MT. Curtiss' letter is is very different and an infinitely meaner act. Journalism certainly affords abundant opportunity to gentleman of such ingenuity as the editor of the Sentinel for fair hits at opponents without resorting to foul blows of this shameful description. He has sinned SC often in this way that it is certainly time he should be called sharply to order. before the Litchfield Sentinel becomes common nuisance. e1ti