The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-08-02

and one thing is certain, your Lrop.
erty has been more secure ever
since. | presume Mr.. Mcclure has
reference to charges which he would
perhaps like to have retaiIed, that I
was connected with parties who had
been trying to get rewards offered
for other parties. The charge wac
false. would be glad for those in
terested to call and see me in person.
/ have concealed nothing. What
did and what received any one in
terested can know bycalling to see me.
As to "bridges' what does he
mean Is it to give publicity to a
base SANDER upon myself and the
parties who built these bridges, that
was interested in the contract p
Has it come to this, that no man can
hold Office, and no man do public
work, without the office holder and
contractor being charged with being
accomplices in crime, in swindling
the people? From the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaketh.
"Suspicion haunts the guilty mind"
and | fear those who only want an
opportunity to swindle, are those
who create these suspicious. The
gentlemen who have contracted with
and worked for the county, are well
known. Come and get names and
then see what they were paid and
swear them if you wish and get up
your proof 1t is Mr.. McClure's du-
ty to investigate and that he may
have something to work on at once,
] tell you that Capt. Harden has
never had a contract or worked for
the county since had charge of the
affairs of the county as Ordinary.
Expectations in lands"--what
does he mean? Certainly l have a
right to buy land and pay for it with
my own money. The county has
no interest unless | use their funds
or neglect their business. Mr.. Nc
Clure is too hidden and dark in his
insinuations, but | meet him in a
word, and challenge him to show
proof of any speculations in land in
which the county is interested, or
when it was not fair, honest and
honorable legal transaction. Nowsd
Mr.. Mcclure, don't make the dode
of the politician and say, "they t.
me SC" but come up and investigal,
and if you find wrong expose it, and
ifnot, how can you sustain yourself
in your sacred calling and not retract
and make amends. There is one
truth we'll and fifty spoken by Mr..
Nc Clure, "that there is no place
upon which religion has not placed
its consecrating seal more sacred
tho the OrdinarY,s nfinA, y odd IL 20
equally true that religion ought to pro-
tect the Ordinary against the SANDER
of the religious. 1t looks very much
like Mr.. Mcclure was initiating one
mentioned in the Bible. lie states
by uasiRuation, the meanest mode of
attack, my misdeeds, and then
thanks God he is not as other men.
The woe of the Bible is pronounced
against such as make long prayers
for a pretence sake and devour wild
ows and orphans. | would not for
NV right hand say aught against
the religious and especially the min
istry, but when men try TO use the
church as cloak to advance their
worldly interest, | am authorized
and instructed by the Great Head
of the Church, to 6es0are of such.
Tax Payers, to you one word
When [ took charge of the office of
Ordinary, the county was in debt
Eight Thousand Dollars, and county
orders worth from forty to fifty cents
in the dollar. Now, the indebted
ness is very little, nothing but the
current expenses of the year, and
the orders worth ninety cents in the
dollar. Bridges built and in good
repair and roads well worked, Jail
safe and in good condition and the
credit of the county as good as any
in Georgia. l would not boast, but
Mr.. Mcclure alludes to it, and | as
sert, that widows and orphans have
been treated with universal kind
ness, and their property and inter
ests have been protected. In EVIL
dence Of this fact they are my
friends. Mr.. Mcclure denies being
actuated by a 'feverish, futtering
anxiety for Office" Nobody had so
charged against him, but guilty
conscience needs no accuser."
Fellow-citizens,-I compromise
nothing with my accusers, who
would destroy me by false and SLAM
derous accusations, Let them do
their worst. To an honest and in
telIigent people who have the right
and whose duty it is to examine in
to the official conduct of their public
servants, invite the closest scru-
t;nv and it will afford me pleasure to
show the record, and explain by
proof every official transaction.
know my record is clear, and when
YOU examine you will kno'o, and even
then, | claim no right to your sup
port, have only discharged my
duty according to my best Judge
ment. Do me justice for the past,
and then select your officer for the
ensuing term as you believe for the
best interest of the county. Regret