The Cecil Whig., 1873-06-28
Communicated.
THE SURREJOINDER.
"As TO DOGBERRY A TAX-PAYEK.

GAS TO DoGBERRY A TAX-rAYEK.'
DGg.srrg.-C"ne hther. neighbour Seac"ai. Heaven
hath blessed you with good r,me: t" b" well fvomrs
ed gift of fortune bu to lrrtte and read
by nature
Tages.-If you hear child cry in TIE night you
must call the nurse, and bid still it.
Much Ado about Nothing. act 81, scene Sd.
Mr.. EDIToR:-In your issue of the 21st
inst, 6" A Rejoinder," SO called, to reply
from the late Secretary of the Board of
Town Commissioners to an attack upon
that Board by yourself, appears to have
exercised Gas to Dogberry A Tax Payer"
who exempletled the truth of his patron
Shakespeare's assertion, "but to 1crits and
read comes by nature;' for in the art of
punctuation and emphasizing he seems to
excel, to say nothing of tautophony.
Who would have imagined that the
"child" would "cry:" Mr.. AS to-"
child though you are, wouldn't it have
been better for you not to have interfered
with private matter? You must have
been fed on goat milk;-no child of your
tender years, even, though fed upon thin
ned curd through rye straw, would have
dreamed of such course. Perhaps you
think separating words from sentences and
italicizing an evidence of powers of con-
centration; but we are advised that it is
an evidence cf vacuity of mind?
GAS to impudence," the late Secretary
never charged an earnest and polite inquir-
er with impudence; but, on the contrary,
would at any time have been glad to have
referred him or them where the informa-
ton could have been obtained; but he was
not dealing with such gentlemen. If it
were "the duty of every citizen to make
the inquiry" it was equally their duty to
be polite.
Our readers will please excuse us from
repeating "As to- even though we are
dealing with Dogberry; because it would
be vulgar to pursue vulgarity.
The Gshmongers of Billingsgate could
adorn and embellsh their vlest conversa-
tions without making slander the gist of
their edifying controversies.
But our friend Gas to" when attempt
ing repartee, fails even in wittcism i'll
every instance save one;-let him have
credit for that, if it was an idea inspired
by Bacchus at the thought of champagne.
No doubt his empty mind " in a happy
moment caught a glimpse of divination "
in the hope of something better than his
accustomed nourishment; and that the
labor to him was in thinking of, not drink
ing it.
We submit which shows more "cheek;'
and whether there is not very "great little
ness " in nditing libelous publications and
in using language of others as instanced
in his beautiful little story of the Ink Fish,
which is by no means, even in language,
his own; but the property of another
Mr.. q" AS to-" we had thought you might
have learned something better than to have
stolen from minister's sermons to sub
serve to your own great ltleness.". But
in fact your littleneSs is as natural as your
propensity to utter SANDER. The Ink Fish
story was calculated to attract your atten-
! ton, inasmuch as its habits fairly represent
your character. You were unable in this
as in many other instances, to discriminate
between meum ct tuum; and your natural
avdity seized upon the only thing that
now adorns the rcry dregs of Bellingsgate.
From the tone of Dogberry's gentleman
ly TRADE, one would imagine that he is
an enormous taxpayer; probably he is,
and the tax paid by him, is levied upon
his system as a duty to vile habits.
The salary of $50 was paid the late
Secretary for performing the duties of his
Office during its continuance, not for graft,
flying impudent inquiors after the expira
ton thereof. None of the books, accounts,
or vouchers of the late Board have "turn-
ed up missing" as Dogberry charges; but
were handed over to the present Board,
with but one exception. This was the
late Treasurer's account book, which was
purchased at his own expense mot the
towns, and for his exclusive use and pro-
lection against such Dogberries as you
are. We are informed, however, that
this book is ready for inspection by any
one so desiring; and our polite and gentle
manly friend, Mr.. James. II. Scott, so in
formed the Board before the origination
of this controversy.
Finally, we are instructed by the Book
of books to "Answer not a fool according
to his folly least he be wise in his own
conceit;" ;" therefore, we refuse to handy
words further with either Gas to" or
"Dogberry." b.