Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-10-05

~, have not the reputation of af1ixinp my
signature TO q document acknowledging
myself to be most infamous libellcr and
guilty OF other crimes, the punishment for
which would have been felon's cell. net
such a document Of confession is in Columbia
county, and bears your signature. SO much
Tor comparison of our characters.
Mr. Buckalew, it is your testimony in
relation to the Fishing Creek Confedera-
cy" that teens with falsehoods" and not
NINE. Every statement you made ut Pitts
ourg in regard to the Fishing Creek Con-
federacy is either absolutely or construc-
lively false. was member of the orpani-
zation referred to and know whereof I
speak. l also know that YOU knew of the
organization and its purposes, and were in
sympathy with it. Had it not been for YOU
and your fuglemen there never would have
been trouble in Columbia County. Our
acts ,rere simply yo,tr teachings.
lime Will not permit me to refute all the
falsehoods contained in your speeches, for,
to repeat your own words again, it 'teems
with falsehoods." l will therefore notice
only few prominent ones You state
there never was an officer of the United
states opposed or resisted, or even insulted
within the limits of Columbia county," Do
you forget that Lieutenant Robinson who
came into the county with squad of SOL
dlers TO arrest drafted men ,Cds shot by n
party OF armed men on the banks of Raven
creek, and afterwards died DO you forget
that drafted men were guarded by us at
various times for weeks and do YOU doubt
that If an attempt had been made to arrest
them there would have been bloodshed ?
I ou well know, and the citizens of this
county well know, that there was blood
shed and armed resistance in Columbia
county Mt that time, and they wonder at
your audacity and stand aghast at your
brazen falseh0ods.
You say "it was true that two or three
OF the arrested men were convicted',-
that "the acquttal of Daniel McHenry.
one OF the arrested citizens, by the
unanimous vote of the military cOmmis-
sion that tried him brought the whole
question of the Columbia county trou-
bles to an end" Now, here are two
specific lies. Specific lie Nc. There
were not t,co or three citizens convicted.
but seren, viz John Rantz, Samuel
Kline, William Appleman. John La
mon, Joseph Vansickle, BENJAMIN Col
ley and Valentine Fell, al! of whom
were tried. convicted and incarcerated
in Fort Minin. Specific lie No.2-The
acquittal of Daniel MclIenry did not
bring the whole question of the C0lum-
bia county troubles to an end as you say.
After the acquittal of Daniel McIenry,
four OF the above named prisoners were
tried and convicted. You wish to convey
the impression that as soon as Daniel
Mcllenry was acquitted, the whole prose-
cution fell, whereas, the trials went on
regularly, the same rs though he had been
convicted. That L was draft sneak"
and Il captain of one of those armed organi-
zation IS owing to the schooling you and
Others like you gave me. Had | known
you then as well as | know YOU now nv
name would not be linked with yours in
this history. You well state that "our
citizens ought now to be heartily ashamed
and to regret that the whole thing has been
brought up again after n lapse of eight
years." l acknowledge that | participa-
ted in the affair and am ashamed of it.
You prefer to exhibit your shame and re-
gret by lying out Off If you prefer your
mode of escaping the odum of disagrecable,
facts TO the more honorable one Of telling
the truth, you are welcome to it and all the
honor it may bring, Governorsbip included.
Yes tits shame and regret. but "BaRgu0'S
ghost cW not dorm at his Jid,ling." Eight
years, sixteen years, nay a hundred years
will not oblitcrate it. History will repeat
it, and | must bear the odium ola tool while
you will figure rs Il cOnSpirdtOr.
Yours Sc.
EDWARD MCIIFNRY