Year: 1877

My DEAR SIR:-Your note and copy
of the Wheeling MteLtlgencer OF Septem-
ber 28th are at hand. / would have
writtea you sooner, but for the fact that
some impHtant matters claimed my un-
divided attention for the last few days.


With regard to the matter contained
in the purported letter from Msrtins'S
Ferry to the IntetLigencer, l hardly
think it worthy OF serious attention. lt
n man has TO stop and throw stones or
kick at every miserable, NANCY, whelp-
ing cur that barKs at his heels he will be
apt to be employed a large por-
ton Of his time. Besides the
purported letter has no signature,
raising the suspicion Immediately
thst.the person who wrote it is coward
end a sneak. When man attacks the
character of another through a news,
paper and dare not attach his signature
one of two things must be true, either
the man is lying or his character sEd
standing in society are so far below par
that he knows that the addition OF MS
name to his vaporings would convince
every body that no attention should be
given to it. 1t is strange that these
creatures did not make their attack while
| was in your city. That would be
manly; it would be honest and fair; but
manhood, honesty and fair dealing have
evident, y no place in the composition OF
their character. They wait until
| hsve lett and stab me in the
back. How like the liar, the coward
and the pusillanimous poltroonl They
also seem to think my speech did not
amount to much, yet IL seems to have
hurt them considerably. 1t evidently
made them vince, else why should they
become so angry2 "Hit birds tutter.'
You can always tell when man is hurt
by the way he squirms and writhes. II
these men had anything to offer against
the arguments made and advanced,
they would have done so, but being un-
able to answer my arguments, they re-
sort to abuse, which is the very best ev-
idence that what l said was true aud
unanswerable. l am Democrat,
and never thought it was necessary
to apologize for 1t; hence when
l make political speeches, L am not
afraid TO state facts just as they are. l
never sugar coat the pills administer to
nv Republican auditors. l am not sur
prised that they make horrid faces, but
they should, If they could, contradict
facts stated, and not resort to throwing
mud. 1t would be more manly and less
cowardly.


But now for the charges. If | charged
SO. rs for expenses to Martins Ferry In
1878, when l was President of the Coop
ers' international Union, 1t was just the
amount it cost over and above any
money received from any source what.
ever. can not at this late day remem-
Der Just what it cost to go round
bv wsv OF Columbus, or why
went that way. l only know
that the amount charged was
correct and further know that my ac-
counts were audited that fall At the St.
Louis Convention of the International
Union, and that particular Item, as
well as every item of receipts
or disbursements, was passed upon
and found correct by committee ap-
pointed by the convention for that sole
purpose. Atthat st. Louis convention the
Union at Martins Ferry had delegate,
ii am not greatly mistaken, and yet
neither the delegate nor the Union ever
SAID word about that item, or sny por.
tion of my financial report. If there
was sny overchsrge or failure to give
credit, why was it not mentionedi lh
the same report, containing this
item, the Martins Ferry Union is given
credit, but am unable TO say whether
3 psrtisa OF that credit was nsasy given