The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-07
Poe in His Own Defence.
A Heretofore Unpublished Letter in
Which he Denies the Charge of Intern
perance.

In the Baltimore American appears letter
written by Edgar Allan Poe to Dr. j. L. Snod-
grass, formerly editor of the Baltimore Satur-
day Visitor, in which Poe emphatically denie
the charge that he was of intemperate habits.
The letter was found by the widow of DIR.
Snodgrass a few days ago, and was written
while Poe was on the staff of Graham's Maga-
zine in Philadelphia. The Mr.. Burton re-
ferred to in the letter was the editor of the
Gentleman's Magazine. The letter is as fol-
lows: .... ..-........ --.
PHILADELPHIA, April /, 1871.
MY DEAR SNoDGRAss:=I fear you have
been thinking it was not my design to answer
your kind letter at ALL 1t is now April FOOLS
Day. and yours is dated March s; but believe
sionally postpone my reply to your favors am
never in danger of forgetting them.
am much obliged to you for permitting me
to hand over your essay to Mr.. Graham. 1t
will appear in the June number. In order to
understand this apparent delay, you must be
informed that We go to press at a singulary
early period. The May number is now within
two days of being ready for delivery to the
mails. 1 should be pleased to receive a brief
notice of Soran's poems for the June number
If you think this will not be too late.
In regard to Burton, feel indebted to you
for the kind interest you express, but scarcely
know how to reply. My situation is embar-
RAISING. 1t is impossible, as you say, to notice
a buffoon and felon as one gentleman would
notice another. The law, then, is my only re-
source. Now. if the truth of a scandal could
be admitted in iustihcation-I mean of what
the law terms a scandal--I would have matters
all my own way. Iwould institute suit forth
with for his personal defamation Of myself.
He would be unable to prove the truth of his
allegations. l could prove their falsity and
their malicious intent by witnesses who, seeing
me atall hours of every day, would have the
best right to speak; mean Burton's own
clerk, Morrell, and the compositors of the
printing office. In fact, could prove the
scandal almost by acclamation. should OBJ
tain damages. But on the other hand, 1 have
never been scrupulous in regard to what
have said of him. have always told him to
his face, and everybody else, that looked
upon HIM as blackgulrd and villain. This
is notorious. He would meet me with cross
action. The truth of the allegation-which
could as easily prove as he would find it difficult
to prove the truth Of his own respecting me
would not avail me. The law will not admit,
as justification of my calling Bill Burton
scoundrel, that Billy Burton is really such.
What, then, can do? If sue, he sues; you
see how it is.
At the same time, as may, after further re-
Election, be induced to sue, would take 1t as
an act of kindness-not to say justice-on your
part, if you would see the gentleman Of whom
you spoke and ascertain with accuracy all that
may legally avail me; that is to say, what and
when were the words used, and whether your
friend would be willing for your sake, for my
sake, and for the sake of truth, to give evidence
if called upon. win you do this for me?
So far for the matter inasmuch as it concerns
Burton. l have now to thank you for your de-
fence OF myself. as stated. You are physi-
clan, and l presume no physician can have
difficulty in detecting the drunkard at glance.
You are, moreover, literary man, well read
in morals. You will never be brought to be-
lieve that I could write what daily write, as
I write it, were as this villain would induce
those who know me not, to believe. In
fine, pledge you, before God, the solemn
word of gentleman, that am temperate
even to rigor. From the hour in which first
saw this basest of calumniators to the hour in
which I retired from his office in uncontrolla-
bic disgust at his chicanery, arrogance, igno-
rance and brutality, nothing stronger than wa
ter ever passed my lips.
1t is, however, due to candor that ] inform
you upon what foundation he has erected his
SANDERS At no period of my life was / ever
what men call Incorporate. / never was in the
habit of intoxicatiop, Inever drank drams, &c.
But for brief period while resided in Rich
mond and edited the Messenger, certainly did
give way, at long intervals, to the temptation
held out on all sides by the spirit OF Southern
oonviviality. My sensitive temperament
could not stand an excitement which was an
everyday matter to my companions. In short,
it sometimes happened that was completely
intoxicated. For some days aIter eaCn excess
was invariably confined to bed. But it Is
now quite four years since 1 have abandoned
every kind of alcoholic drink-four years, with
the exception of single deviation, which oc-
CURED shortly after my leaving Burton, and
when was induced to resort to the occasional
use of cider, with the hope OF relieving ner-
vous attack. LrI std- fL.w
You will thus see. frankly stated, the whole
amount of my sin. You will also see the black
ness of heart which could revive slander of
this nature, Neither can you fail to perceive
how desperate the malignity of the slanderer
must be-how resolute he must be to slander
and how slight the grounds upon which he
would build up defamation-since he can
find nothing better with which to charge me
than an accusation which can be disproved by
each and every man with whcm / am in the
habit of daily intercourse. .Ir.. -.-,--.
have now only to repeat to you, in general,
my solemn assurance that my habits are as far
removed from intemperance as the day from
| the night. My sole drink is water. Will you
| do me the kindness to repeat this assurance to
such of your own friends as happen to speak OF
me in your hearing? feel that nothing more
is requisite, and you will agree with me upon
reflection. rft 81 Kan.
Hoping soon to hear from you, am, yours
most cordially, EDGAR A. Poe.
rPbilade1nhia North American