The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-11-24
For the Democratic Advocate
THE DUNKARD LETTER.


1 Sentinel of last week, Mr. A. Fl. Huber refers
the public to "a written statement put on
/ file by him at the Sentinel office, in which he
/ claims to have pointed out the real author OF
the document commonly known as ''lhe Dun
kard Letter. Some OF my friends who have
glanced over his statement inform me that |
am named therein as the guilty party, and
/ that Mr.. Huber has cleyerly dovetailed to-
gether and colored with his own specious
| comments two or three trifing circumstances
III such "a way as seems, TO those who wish To
believe me guilty, to make out u plausible
case against me- He further charges me IN
his card with treachery to our friendship IN
having performed this trick and tried to put
it on him.
/ should disdain to notice a proceeding so
underhand and cowardly but for the fear, that
if | suffer his charges to go unchallenged,
some persons in and out of the Dunkard
| Church, whose good opinion | am anxious to
retain, may believe that ! have really done
what he alleges.
Ifcireumstantial evidence and innuendo are
to determine the matter, they are not wanting
! in another direction. The letter came out
four or FIVE days before the election and paved
the way for direct appeal to the Brethren,
who are known to be sensitive on the subject
of politics. The opportunity and all the inter
vening time were used by the Republican cam
| paign committee in following it with their
circular, denouncing it as "a Democratic
trick, and urging the Brethren to come out
and vote, so as to rebuke 1t and its author.
Certainly no Democrat who had the ability
to conceive the scheme would have failed so
miseraby in its execution. Certainly no Re-
publican can complain of its effect. Men
reflected: What politician in Carroll county
has most assidueusly courted the Dunkard
people? and has demanded the leadership of
his party year after year because he could
''controL the Dlnakard rOte ?" What man in
the county not of their number is most famil-
lar with their doctrines, beliefs, feelings and
habits of thought? Who is it that has most
persistenty urged the Republican members
of the church to vote at every election, going
even so far as to get their Elders to preach to
them occasionally of the obligations which, as
citizens, they owe to the Government? Who
is it that has expressed alarm at the growing
reluctance, especially of the older members,
to NEEDLE in politics even SO much as to vote?
Who is it, therefore, that has felt most keenly
the need of some potential stimulus to
arouse and solidify them in behalf of that po-
litical party in which his personal ambitions
and fortunes are embarked? The stimulus
was supplied, and the result proves that the
necessities of the case were exactly under
stood. Never before were the Republican
members of the Dunkard Church, both clergy
and laymen, at the polls in such force; never
before did they work with such zeal and ar
dor for the Republican ticket as at the last
election. One name and only one would an
swer the questions Thus Mr.. Hubers rela-
ton to the church and his reputation for po-
litical trickery Immediately suggested him as
the author of the scheme. He has not yet to
the public shown cause why he should not be
suspected.
But it is no part of my defense to fix the
trick on him. lido not feel it necessary to my
vindication that should fix it upon any person.
1t is not matter of any concern to me who
wrote the letter, since did not And think it
is not a matter of any concern to the public III
either case. / have only meant to show that it
was not my accusation which directed attention
to Mr.. Huber Up to this moment have not
accused him. Up to the day of the election,
or possibly the day before, did not mention
the subject to any one. The most | have
done at any time was to assent when
others said it looked like his work Who
of us was in fact the 'false friend?''
As soon as the letter came to hand he
charged me with having written it-not to
my face, but when | was not present. He
passed the word allover the county before cleo
ton day, so that was denounced on that day
at every polling place where Dunkards went
ovote At Church on Sunday he profaned the
House of God by malignant repetitions of the
lie. 1t is currently reported that by him and
number of the Republican Dunkards | was
there discussed in terms which no gentleman
certainly no Christian gentleman would in
so sacred place. 1t was demanded that he
prove his charges, and he said he could. |
asked for no quarter. | dared him to the
worst he could do. During two weeks he has
laid all his resources under tribute to find cir
cumstances which he could distort into evil
dence against me, and at the end has utterly
failed to sustain his accusation, or make out
a case which will bear the sunlight of publ
city, but has been compelled to hide in a
corner, where no one but his partisan per-
sonal followers will ever go to see it, an er-
parte statement whose declarations | have
had no chance to analyze, explain or deny.
Does he think any fair or just man will con-
denim me upon such testimony, or will take
his word for its sufficiency?-he an accused
party, anxious to escape suspicion by fixing
it on some one else? His mere opinion is of
no consequence in the premises; and he would
not think it is if he knew himself as he is
known to the general public.
But / shall not rest upon his failure to make
out case against me. To his accusation |
oppose
MY OWN FULL AND EXPLICIT DENIAL UNDER OATH
did not write or compose the Dunkard Letter or
have it done. did not dictate it, or any part of it.
did not send it to those who received it, or have it
sent l did not know of its having been so sent I'M
til Mr. Huber showed me copy Of it in the post
office at Westminster on Friday the I'd day of No
yember did not coneeiEe the scheme en- nor exc
State Of Maryland, Carroll County to-lon:
hereby certify that on this 22d day of November,
A. d. 1888 before the subscriber Justice of the
Peace of the State of Maryland in and for Carroll
County aforesaid personally came James A. Diten-
baugh and made oath on the Holy Evangely of AL
mighty God that the matters and facts in the fore
going denial are true as therein stated.
IRA Z. GROUSE, j. P.
This is my answer to the charge, and come
what will, it is my final answer. No enyen-
omed reiteration, no popular delusion, no
importantly of friendship, shall ever draw
from me another syllable in reference to it in
my own defense. The libel and my answer
are before the public. | leave them to the
Judgment of honorable men. To those mem
bers of the Dunkard Church, of both political
parties, and to those Republicans outside of
the church, who have come to me in advance
of any denial with assurances of their belief
in my innocence, [ here publicly return my
sincere and hearty thanks, with the promise
that shall strive in the future as | have
striven in the past, to deserve their generous
confidence. And to those Republican mem
bers of the Dunkard Church who are said to
have denounced me SO bitterly, and to have
sent me such spiteful messages, | shall not
reply in the same temper, but simply suggest
to their sober reflection this question If their
political activity in the last campaign, under
the leadership of the Westminster postmaster,
has brought them to such a state of mind and
such unchristian utterances about a fellow
creature who has never wronged them, would
it not be more profitable to the cause they adj
vocate, the church they represent and their
personal piety, for them to give more atten-
ton in future to the practice Of the doctrines
they preach than to the advancement of the
selfish and worldly schemes of any ambitious
politician?
JAMES A. DIFFENBAUGH
Westminster, Nd, Nor. p, 1888.
THE MARKETS.