National Republican., 1878-06-28
A PERSONAL MATTER,


II PERSONAL MATTER.
7 1t is not at all surprising that the propriN
etOr of the Post should feel hurt by the pub
lication of his own record in part even, or
that he should resort to his favoritc am
munition-box Of scurrility for weapons with
which to fight back. This we pass by rs
scarcely worthy of notice, coming as it does
from the lowest pandcrcrs to vulgarity and
traduction. We do propose, however, to no.
tice very pointedly the charge quite dis
tinctly made that the editor of THE Ma
TToSAL REPUBLICAN is "a thief, who owes
" the Government $iO,317.27, or there
abouts." If that is true, it is susceptible
of proof, and if not true, then the slanderer
who utters it deserves the most condign
punishment rs dcpredator upon the rcpu-
tation of his neighbors. There is proper
way of getting at the facts Of this
matter, and it seems to be i'm
perative that either "a thief" or q
libeler should be punished; and now that
the allegation is distinctly made, even to
the dollars and cents involved, it is to be
presumed that so damaging charge would
scarcely be made unless the accuser was
abundantly fortified with the proofs to estab-
lish it, and would be only too happy in the
interest of justiccIto present them in judi
cial form, that a thief" who is indebted
TO the Government for q large sum of money
may he duly punished for 80 grave an of
iense. This much every good citizen should
desire and should spare no pains to bring
an offender of such magnitude to speedy
justice.S
The editor of THE REPUBLICAN courts
such action on the part of his accuser and
assailant as will fully vindicate the ends of
justice under this grave charge of crime.
The editor of the Post knows whether he
has the proofs to sustain the allegations he
makes and the way to apply them eflec-
lively. In the meantime, lest the editor of
THE REPUBLICAN may suffer some prcju-
dice on account of this bold charge among
those who do not know him, il may not be
an act Of impertincncc to introduce the fol-
lowing document to tho attention of those
who may have seen the serious charge that
has been published against his integrity:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
COMPTROLLER's OFFICE,
WksHISGToN, ID. C., May 3. 1873.
Hon. 4. M Capp late Congressional and Public
PrHtrr:
SIR: Your accounts for Public printing and
binding" Salaries in your Office" Contin-
gent expenses" Lithographing and cngrav-
ing, &c" Printing reports OF Commissioner
of Agriculture" Publication of Report of I'm.
parchment Trial of WV. Belknap,' are closed
on the books of this Department. Yours, re-
specially, A. q. PORTER,
Comptroller.
We will state in this connection that these
are all the accounts that have existed be-
tween Mr.. CLAPP as Congressional and Pub
lie Printer and the Government since April
Is, 1869, and, all being settled and balanced,
we leave our assailant to find place where
the Si9,3l7.27 alluded to, is to come in for
consideration. We are disposed to give tho
assailant opportunity to rctract this calum-
ny, with the bare remark that in this we
mean business. This is really too grave n
matter to pass unnOtiCed, rs 1t is of some
little consequence to the aCcuscr, the ac-
cused, and to the Government, that so large
a sum of money owing to it should be
promptly recovered Or the delinquency
should be punished. In view of this, we
leave the question for our Nssailant and, we
think, calumnatOr, for the present, afford
ing him ample time to challenge his sober
senses in council, and then decide what he
is to do about it. The manly course is the
best and that is to recant this slandcr or
meet it face to face, with full opportunity
of Offering the truth in justification. I j