The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-06
Letter from MIR. James Lyons.
RICHMOND, VA, Aug. 5, 1877

RICHMOND, VA, Aug. 5, 1872.
10 The Editor Of the Richmond Enquirer: D.
The vulgar abuse Of the press or anony-
nous writers excites only my contempt ard
derision, and ! take no notice of it; not so,
however, with words of Kindness or even
fairness, and, therefore, return my thanks
to you and the editor of the Alexandra
Sentinel for the articles in your paper of
this morning, which show that you can be
just to one WHO'S political opponent and
personally stranger to both Of you. You
say that il has been made apparent that my
"attack" on Mr. Greeley was unjust"
With all respect, submit that you are msta-
ken; but if you are not, it will be my duty
to repair the injustice, and | will do so
whenever it is made apparent; for, although
abhor Horace Greeley as do no other man
living-not even Ben Butler-because |
believe that he wickedly and wilfully labor
ed to involve his country in blood and ruin
from the worst motives towhich
the motives of him who fired the Ephesian
Dome were innocent and sportve-and
when | stood by his side when he was here
/ would not sore my eyes by looking at
him, and, although in September, 1862,
las the Honorable B. G.. Harris, public
the government for the fiercest war upon
us, "even to extermmating Southern trail
tors"- protesting in his craftsmanship,
and in his conscience save the mark
to think us not traitors, and although I
would prefer Fred Douglass to him as Presi-
dent, l will not wilfully do him injustice. /
will say, for the present only, that the quo
tation which has wrung out such howl of
rage and agony from the Greeleyites was
taken oerbatia, from a letter written TO me
by a gentleman of as high standing as any
in America that have since written to
him to send me the proof, and am assured
that it shall come; and if it does not in
some. sufficient form, | will publish the fact
and confess the error. 1t is proper to say,
however, in addition, that have been in
formed that there is more than one gem
tleman in this city, -one of whom at least
is for T" the nominee, who recollects the
article quoted, and spoke of it before my
letter was published, or even written.
Very respectfully, your obedent servant,
JAMES LYONS.
P. ST. When the venerable and upright
Thomas Richie edited the Enquirer, its
maxim was audi 81 aHcrdDl pa7tem." If
send you the letter of Mr.. Harris. (of
Maryland,) will you publish it? J. l..
We give our readers the benefit of the
above letter, and deem it but an act of JUS
tice, as we copied the sharpest Of the crti-
cisms passed upon the initial letter Of Mr..
Lyons. The Enquirer respectfully de-
cliLes to publish the letter of Mr..
Harris, fol. reasons given; but it
denounces the vulgar personal and parti-
san abuse which has been heaped upon its
honored townsman by reason of the very
damaging letter which he published some
days ago. We have a copy of
the Harris Letter, written to Colonel
John I. Watkins, Of Baltimore, on the
subject of President-making. The letter is
a scathing one, and coming from such u
veteran Democrat as the Hon. B. G. Harris,
will no doubt have great influence in stay
ing the . midsummer madness y which has
seized upon so many Of the leading Demo-
Gratis of Maryland and other States. But
the tide Of this &c Greeley craze" is turn
ing. There is not SO great demand for
lunatc asylums as there was month ago.