The Republican journal., 1872-09-19
Tempest in a Tan Yard. Law and Leather


correction. We invited him to make a
declaration over his own signature that
there was no truth in the statement, and
gave assurance that it should be printed
in the Journal This he declined then TO
do, but seemed to want the denial made
without his written authority. We strong
ly advised that our suggestion be adopt
ed, and saying that he would think of the
matter, Mr.. Shaw left. We Immediately
made arrangements to meet at Burnham
the parties from whom our information
had been derived. and make more parti-
cular inquiries. BY the Saturday noon
mail we received the following:
CHARLES SHAW e. son,
rANNEETES AT DETROIT, EURNHAAI, IlAETLAND,
AND PLYMOUTH:
CHARLES SHAW, GKEENVILLEJ SHAW,
Derter, Maine. Detroit, Maine.
Mr. William II. Simpson. Editor of the Re.
publican Journal, Belfast, Maine.
Dear Sr-I notice in Your paper of day be-
fore yesterday IN article stating that we dis
charged J. W. lIazeltne of Bnrnham from our
employ. because he voted the Democratic tick
eft, and | hereby state that the above charge Is
false and unless the same is retracted by Won
through the same paper-we will give you a
legal opportunity to establish the fact.
Yours &c.
CHARLES SHAW & son.
BY g. j. Shaw, one of the firm.
This is a most extraordinary letter.
After we had voluntarily agreed to make
the correction, if Mr.. Shaw would state
in writing that the charge was untrue, he
makes that statement, and adds the threat
of suit at law if we fail 20 do W hat he
had been assured we would do. Every
respectable newspaper is ready TO correct
an erroneous statement, upon its being
shown. But we doubt if the whole range
of newspaper experience affords an eX-
ample like this. Let Us see what we are
required to do. First it is charged that we
published an article stating that ''we dis
charged j. w. Hazeltine, (which is not
true. We said Mr.. H. "was discharged"
quite 4 different thing, which should he
perceptible to a man so tender concern
ing statements as Mr.. Shaw, Again Mr..
S. says the statement was made Sin your
paper of day before yesterday" and re-
quires a rctraction Through the same pa
per" Now we submit that this is reqGir-
ing too much. Our paper OF day before
yesterday has gone to the four quarters of
the globe. Some arc on the Pacific trains,
some on Southern rivers, and some on the
wide Atlantic. Bsmark will be disconso-
late if his copy fails. We can't possibly
recall them. To require US to 90 back
into last week, is rs bad as to knock
man into the middle Of the next one, and
we specially ask release from this portion
of the sentence. Then, providing we don't
do these things, Mr.. Shaw says eve will
give you q legal opportunity to establish
the fact" That's right. We don't want
an illegal opportunity. and what's more,
we won't have it, We arc law abiding
always. ''Establish TIE FACE" says Mr..
Shaw! Now that is queer, after so much
indignation, to call the statement q fact
If it is a fact, why all this fuss about it ?
In recaptulation, it will be seen that
our remarkable correspondent first alleges
that we said what we didn't say. Next
he alleges that what we didn't say is false
Thirdly, he requires that we make an i'm
possible rctraction in last weeks paper.
Fourthly, he arrives at the conclusion that
the falsehood that we didn't publish is a
fact! Will some benevolent gentleman,
accustomed TO the answering of hard ques-
tons, please say what is required of us?
Now having, so to speak, cleared away
the mder-brush of this matter, we come
to the main question Was Mr.. ITazeltine
discharged for voting the Democratic
ticket? We have conversed with our in.
formant, with Mr. Hazetinc, and should
have seen the local agent of the tannery
but for his absence. We find some demo
Gratis of the locality who do not believe
Mr.. IIazeltinc was discharged because of
his vote. And finally, Mr.. II. says that
at the time OF his discharge the agent told
him that he had orders to reduce the work
ing force. This was new fact to us, and
in our judgment renders the original state
ment unjustiiable, and we hereby with
draw it. AS it can't be done in the paper
of day before yesterday, we hope our
friend of the numerous tanyards will &C.
cept our issue of day after tomorrow, in
which he finds it.
And now, having had our pleasant little
talk about this matter, we take leave of
our friend and his ''tanncries at Detroit,
Durham, Hartland and Plymouth" We
wish him all manner of prosperity. and
sincerely hope that his leather will wear
better than his letters.
The logic employed by the Rockland
Free Press is something wonderful. For
instance il saws