The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-08-02
CANTON, July 23d, 1872.


notice from me, especially as thu
author makes charges, by anstnao-
ton, affecting your interests. The
charge that the district conventions
were "packed" and the delegates
"cut and dried" is simply ridiculous.
! The citizens of Cherokee are free
men yet, and if Mr.. Mcclure knew
them as well, and had lived here as
long as have, he would not try to
"pacll" them or charge them with
being "packed."
If they are my friends in the
town and Bulls district, it is
because | have labored from my
youth up to try and deserve it, and
not by insulting their intelligence or
manhood as Mr.. Mcclure has, and
the citizens of other districts know
their fellow-citizens in these districts
too we'll to be influenced by charge
so frivolous. But this shows the
animus of the author To iniure me
he insults every body who may be
my friends. lie may secure his
election by such means, but do not
believe it. The people have a right
to hold their primary meetings in
the various districts and send dele
gates to meet in convention. If my
friends attend the meetings and ex-
press their preference for me, Mr..
Mcclure has no more right TO COM
plain than | have if they should send
delegates who will vote for him
The people will do as they please
and no man has any right to COM
plain and insult them because they
do not choose to support one Or the
other. | ask their votes and am
thankful if | get them, but | have
too much respect for myself and for
the people to "fuss and quarrel and
abuse them if | should fail. Other
men in Cherokee county are quite
as competent and as we'll qualified
as myself, or the Ordinary from
Pickens, and if we are both ig-
nored by the people, it is their righ
and | shall abide the nomination and
submit as gracefully as can, if
am defeated. So much for the
sweeping insult to the people and
myself, that they could be "packed'
and that l or any body else could
"pack" them.
He asks if | am the only man in
Cherokee competent to hold the Office
of Ordinary. | answer, as above,
that am not the only man who is
competent and never pretended any
such thing. He believes in "rota-
ton" He has changed his mind
since he left Pickens, for he served
one term and was q candidate for
reelection. | wonder if he told the
good people, of Pickens, that they
ought to beat him so as to rotate,
and "break up political rings" and
stay the tide of corruption" No,
he is, as Judge Underwood once
said, in favor of rotating 10 Office and
never out and from one Office to
another, and goes further still, he
wants to rotate from one county to
another.
Mr.. Mcclure speaks of my "votes,"
'rewards," bridges" and "specula-
ton in lands" He is a minister of
christian church. | have too high
regard for the Church of which he
is member and for all churches to
speak OF any minister as Mr.. Nc
Cures conduct deserves. He means
in this way covertly to attack and
defame a fellow-citfzen by insinua-
ton and by leaving the people to in
fer that great wrongs have been done
them and they damaged and injured.
Does he believe it No, for he has
no proof Of any such thing-for no
proof exists. / may have erred in
nv life in many votes have cast,
but reared in Cherokee, with every
interest in common with Cherokee,
here having lived and here expect
ing to die and be buried and my
children to live after me, | have
voted as | believe at the time for the
best. IF | did not vote for secession
It was not because | did not believe
the South was wronged, but because
| thought it would be followed by
greater wrongs. Since the war
| have desired and labored to have
our country restored to its forme
prosperity, and this can only be donC
| by peace and a faithful administra
ton of the law. With the Military
over US and threatened ruin to all,
| have acted as believed would best
secure peace and prosperity. If l
have erred in judgement, who was
there so wise as to look into the fu-
ture and advise me The best men
at the South are now in trouble and
doubt as to what is best and how tc
vote. IfMr. Mcclure is so wise
why don't he step forward and grasl
! the helm Of State and guide thu
good old ship of State over th'
troubled pillows. 1t is pity he
should hide his eight under a bush
| ELI and become ''feverish" in his
excitement and anxiety in search o.
a little office in Cherokee, and ther
stcop to insinuate untruths in his at
tempt to iniure one, who had never
wro nged him.
AS to rewards" it is true, that
did arrest several parties for WHOM