The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-10-28

tanned inuendoes, insinuations, and direct
charges, not only against those connected
with the Register establishment, but
against others In this city who happened
to belong TO tho political organization 1t
supported, which, TO soy the least, rested
on no better foundation than the assertion
recently made by one Of the editors Of the
Register, and which was the occasion OF
the disgraceiul scenes referred to-"
In addition to the above extract from
the NepS, I desire to re.publish In this
connection the following editorial squibs
from the Register Of the 18th Of October,
tho day after the difficulty, in which the
editor attempts to justify the conduct Of
the paper towards me. They are as fol-
lows:
"Did the Register Of yesterday contain
anything more severe about Sweeney than
his little paper teemed with last summer
about Mr.. Baker ?"
"We may have expressed ourselves with
little more freedom and warmth prob
ably than we Otherwise would have done
because Of the brutal and slsnderous as.
saulls made on the editor oil this paper by
Sweeney last summer, as one Of the editors
OF the little paper known as the "Jakey."
We suppose the two parties are now
about even, so far as Pumping paper bull:
lets are concerned, and as To. the use oil
tho other kind the results have been harm.
less. ~ y + -. -. II MI y.
This ID, as the lawyers say, the gist Of
the whole thing, and 1t furnishes an ex.
PLANTATION Of the reason why was so
shamefully abused and slandered in the
Regtster on election day and the one pre-
ceeding it. According to their own con-
fessfon It was aldesire to be ,reyenged on
me Tor the supposed authorship ofcertain
charges against Lewis Baker, which APP
peared In the. Daily Democrat during the
last gubernatorial campaign. l did not
write the articles in question and knew
nothing about them until saw them in
the Democrat. Any fishwomsn can use
billingsgate, and the libels in the Register
of the 18th and 10th have no foundation
in fact, and are pure invention. The
mere coinsge of malignant and vene-
nous brain. Much Is eXcusable in igno-
rance, but Notwithstanding ! am not
willing to, submitin silence to the misrep.
destinations Of the press throughout the
State in regard to the difficulty between
the people OF the Register and myself.
That the facts may be known, that the
people. !. may Judge between US
I make through your columns this state
ment. At the instance Of many friends
my name was announced In the Wheel
Inc. papers as q candidate for the Legisla.
ture, ! did nothing in the way Of letters
or speeches to forward my election, being
content to leave the matter to the voters
at the polls. On the day before the cleo.
tion, the Register published an article
grossly libelous and slanderous Of my
private character. Meeting Mr.. Long l
demanded, the authorship Of the article in
question. Drawing himself up he an
swered that hetwas the author. .1said TO
him then, "this 10 my reply and proceed
ed without further ceremony.to chastlse
him. - M ..-sr .s..aE
The next day thelI RICHTER again assailed
me in terms more vindictive and SANDER
Gus than before. / had learned on the
streets that Baker, the proprietor, had
made his threats OF what he would do,
that he was fixed for me, Sc. The after
noon OF that. day as + was driving IN q
buggy, I saw Mr.. Baker and Mr..
GARRISON, the local editor, seated to-
gether In q street car. On my ap-
prnaoh they both rose and drew
their pistols. One Of them fired at me
from the window OF the car. AS neared
them they took shelter on either side OF
1t, and TO dislodge and demoralize them, l
fired rapidly, id the direction Of each,
when Baker broke and ran away.
At this juncture / was arrested
by an officer. This Is the whole
affair; nobody was hurt, only MORALLY
scared. The articles referred 10 were un.
called for by anything in the canvass, and
grossly abusive Of the acknowledged free.
dom Of the press, and so denounced by oil
citizens Of whatever politics. l had no
desire 10 be a candidate and only &C.
quiesced at the earnest solicitation OF my
friends.
I cannot close this letter without re-
turning my thanks TO my friends for their
hearty support, and point with gratifica-
tion and pride to the fact that so far as I
am informed every Federal soldier in the
city voted for me. They shot bullets at
me In war-ballots In peace. Citizens Of
Wheeling and Of the State OF West Viz
ginia, you have known me from child
hood. There Is not one act OF my life
that am afraid to expose TO the broad
glare Of day and to subject to the most
critical scrutiny. My honor Is dearer TO
me than my life, and I will not at any
time submit to unmerited abuse and IN.
provoked insult. And editors Of news.
papers should not be surprised II in firing
of their paper guns charged with malig-
nifty and spite, they should feel soldiers
hand resting heavily on their editorial
garments. JAMES W. SWEENEY.