Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-09-18
PATTERSON. 5 sept. 10, 1878

Editor Sentinel and Republican - Dear
Sir, The editors of the Democrat and Regis
ter, in weak attempt to palliate the crime
that has been fastened upon them, exemph-
fy the adage that ..Fslsehood begets false
hood" Lacking the manliness to own a
fault, they endeavor TO condone 1t by re-
peating the offence. How utterly helpless
men become, how lost TO all sense OF right,
to every attribute of honor, when, without
moral courage, they listen to the Syren song
of the tempter, and allow themselves to be
led into the devious ways of sin. With
what brazen effrontery do these men, when
confronted with one falsehood, utter a Sec
ond lie. They say they did not charge the
return judges or any individual with chang
ing the returns. True, they did not, for
very good GAUGE. Well they knew if they
made the charge direct, they would be called
to answer in a court of justice. But, cow
ard-like, they make base insinuation,
which reflects upon the honor Of every mem
ber of the convention. In the article that
contains lie Ne. 2, they assert that the
writer of this was the first to squeal."
All well, now, gentlemen, wait a little.
Allow your memories to be refreshed. Who
"squealcd" on a certain day in the summer
of 1876, when one John F Hartranft ap-
peared before the Mayor of the city of Har
risburg and made an affidavit charging GER
tain officials connected with the Auditor
Generals Office of Pennsylvania with
.Crookedness l'' Who " "squealed," Will
liam i'' Who "squealed" few months
ago, when Superintendent of the Public
Gro urds at Harrisburg was appointed, and
it was discovered that the commission
issued contained not the name of Amos,
but that Captain Patterson had carried off
the prize1
But to answer the falsehood. These
worthless assert that the article published in
the Sentinel and Republican, three weeks
ago, over my signature, was written by a
Democrat. Now, gentlemen, if that article
was not written by Democrat, you publish
ed falsehood and are guilty of deliberate ly
ing. Is not the proposition fair one Your
assertion is plain, simple and distinct, with
out any "ifs'' or s.buts." You name the
port to which the gentleman referred TO has
his baggage checked. 1 do not know who
this once magnate in the Democratic ranks
is TO whom you assign the authorship of
the communication, but It is doubtless the
same individual whose brains you have often
borrowed to make your paper respectable
in point of ability. Do not take il for grant
ed, gentlemen, because you are so often
compelled to use other peoples brains, that
it is necessary for all men to get through
life by the same borrowing process. But to
the charge. l hereby offer and agree to
pay the editors of the Democrat and Register
five hundred dollars the moment they make
good the assertion that the article in ques-
ton was written by Democrat, or the mo-
ment they establish the fact that it was writ
ten, composed, dictated or even read, by
any individual previous to its being placed
in the hands of Mr.. Schweier, other than
the person over whose signature it was pub
lished. Come, gentlemen, il you did not
lie, you can easily make good the assertion.
Bring or the Democrat, prove the charge,
gard TO the vote in Patterson. The returns
show that Mr.. Jacob S. Thomas received
one vote am informed by Mr.. Thomas
that 90 Bill Jackman said | had six votes
in Patterson" Now 1 offer and agree
to pay Er-Clerk William ]. Jackman, who
retired from the Auditor Generals office of
Pennsylvania with so much credit, honor
and dignity, and who for some time has
been resting upon laurels won by success in
evadIng an investigation as to the haste of
his taking off, one hundred dollars for each
and every affidavit (above one) he produces
from gentlemen who voted at the late
Republican primary election in Patterson,
setting forth that they cast their ballots for
Jacob S. Thomas for treasurer. Come,
William, bring along the affidasits and get
the cash. Five afiidavits, five hundred dol
lars. 1t will go quite way toward making
up the long lost salary which in days gone
by was wont to flow from the vaults of the
treasury into the pockets of one who gave
his tire, his talents and all his ingenious
skill in figures to secure the grand old Com
mOnwealth, of which he sras distinguished
citisen, against fraud, but who, alas for