The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-08-28
Card to the Public.

Mr.. James H. Clemson, Of Frederick coun-
ty, has been vilifying and abusing me, per-
sonally and by letter, for the last two months
or more, without any proyocatlon whatever.
had made up my mind to let the matter pass
unnoticed by me, without making any effort
to resent it; but the constant and continued
repetition of those slanderous declarations
compels me to indicate myself before the
community in which they have been cireu-
lated, and have thought the best and most
proper way to do SO would be through the
columns of the county papers, and therefore
kindly ask the editors to insert this article IN
their papers In doing so | desire only to
make fair, frank and honest statement of
the facts connected Herewith as they oc-
Cured, SO that the public may be enabled to
Judge impartially and without prejudice as to
whether or not Mr.. Clemson has been justified
in heaping such calumny and abuse upon me
individually. The provocation that Mr..
Clemson claims the right to assail me for has
grown out of the official correspondence from
me as secretary of the board of directors OF
the Farmers Fertilizer Company of Carroll
County. Now the facts contained in that
correspondence were indicted as the sentiment
and expression of the entire board of direc-
tors, and fully endorsed by them, and was not
my individual production. The correspon-
dence was purely of business character and
none other. If Mr.. Clemson thought he had
been unfairly dealt with, it was his duty to
have assailed the Board of Directors; it was
their act and they alone were responsible tor
the same. Mr.. Clemson did not possess that
degree of manly courage and fortitude to assall
the rightful parties, but has singled out Mr..
David D. Bonsack and myself as his targets
of calumny and abuse. | have retained
copy of the correspondence, and both Mr..
Bonsack and myself have all of Mr.. Clemson
letters in reply to the same. Those letters
will speak for themselves whenever 1t becomes
necessary. Mr.. Clemson has been exhibiting
the contents of the correspondence to indlvid-
uals in his neighborhood for the purpose OF
creating a degree of sympathy for him, in
order that he might be enabled to advance
the success of his business to the detriment OF
our Company. feel fully justified in saying
that every member of the Board is Mr..
Clemson's peer in every respect and stands
as fair before the community in which they
are known as Mr.. Clemson dare to do, not
withstanding the boosted and magnihed ex-
pressions of his reputation. | am also fully
satisfied that there is another element con-
nected with this transaction that is too cow
ardly to come to the front, but like Judas
is injecting the serpent-like fangs of venom
into the current of abuse To that element |
would say that am always ready and willing
to face an open foe, but if there is any one
thing in this world that / despise more than
another it is man who is so base and un-
grateful as to stab me in the dark, and no one
that processes to occupy the position of a gen
tleman would be guilty of such a cowardly
act. 1 have now said all l desire for the
present, and will leave the matter in the hands
of grateful and generous public, and will
most cheerfully submit to the result of their
honest Judgment. Very Respectfully,
JNo. L. DIFFENBAUGH.