Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-11-19
AN ATTACK.

Anonymous attacks are scarcely wor-
thy OF notice. They are not fair or gen.
erous. The iuslnuatlon is made against US
hat in a defense ofDr. Fulkerson We have
made a covert attack upon him. and that
the motive was malice growing out OF
a former contest between Us. Nothing
could be more mistaken; nothing more
u~nwarranted by facts, or more unklnd.
We entertain no such petty feeling.
The I%ntelligencer endeavors to rep
resent all the democrats Of the county,
and no faction growing out of that or
any other political contest. We did not
especially mention DR.. Fulkerson, but
mentioned the objects of the attack, I'M
less 1t was an entirely meaningless one,
the only two democratic collectors since
the war, he and DR.. Gordon. We loyalty
defended them from an indirect charge
OF dishonesty, which was aiterward dis
avowed. and which should never have
been made, because it was unwarranted.
We have the kindest feeling for DR..
Fulkerson. We esteem him as a gentle
man OF the most generous impulses, and
of unimpeachable integrity; and we take
pleasure in saying that his adminlstra-
ton as collector was a good one. The
people of the county know, even those
who may at different times have favored
the election of others, that while in
office he conscientiously and faithfully
did his duty; and we a assure those
who have not investigated the matter,
that he did it we'll. The especial praise
we gave Mr.. Mountjoy, the present. col
%lector, was In no sense meant to be de-
rogatory to his predecessor. We pre-
dicted for that gentleman an eminently
successful administration for what we
think good reasons :-because he is
peculiarly qualified for rapid clerical
work and because he has the advan.
tage of the experience of his predecessor
with the complications of the back-tax
law. Neither of these reasons in tho least
detract from DR.. Fulkerson's efficiency
or integrity OF purpose as an officer. As
to the Intelligencer's influence. 1t will
always be IN proportion to its truth. can
dor, freedom from small personal spleen,
and advocacy OF the right. 1t has moth
ing to fear from anonymous attacks, a
thing, by the way, which it does not
allow in its own columns, as all commu-
nications attacking others. even our pol
ltlcal opponents. we require shall be
signed with the real name of the author;
and as to old political quarrels in the
democratic party we cannot be dragged
into reviving them. The past is past
with US, as we know it is with DR..
Fulkerson, and our pen is pointed to do
service, not injury, to all democrats, no
matter what side of old contests they
may have espoused. This is the Utmost
sentiment of our heart. and we hope no
democrat will ever again rake up the few
embers that may be left smouldering
from the fires of past contentious.
Republicans do these things for US natur-
ally, if unkindly. but democrats who
love their party should not follow their
example. The columns of the Intelllgen-
Ger are always open to those who differ
from,as we'll as to those who agree with
It; and no democrat needs to seek a re-.
publican paper through which to criti.
| else anything it may say.