Year: 1878

BRRIAH BRowR. Esq,


! Editor Of Dispatch:


SIR:-


! I feel deeply sensible Of my obi.
cation to you for the candid and con-
elusive manner in which you have
met the charges against me, which


have from time been banded about,
not only through the public prints,


but through private circles. The
obligation is the greater from the
the fact that the service was unso-
licited and not in recognition of any
claim upon you of either political
or personal character. and could
only have been actuated by q sense
of justice and fair dealing between
men. You are aware that I have not
heretofore entered into any public
controversy with my assailants,
trusting my vindication to the know
ledge of my character possessed by
the people, among whom I have re-
sided for nearly twenty years, with-
out suffering an imputation of
wrong until within short period.
But it seems now due to those who
have volunteered ir my defense.
that I should speak for myself, lest
my further silence while the matter
is being publicly discussed, should
be construed into a confession of
guilt or evasion of the charges
against me.


Twenty-Five years ago, when I was
fifteen years and seven months of
age. entirely unacqnainted with the
English language and a stranger in
foreign land, I joined the army
and shortly afterward deserted the
service without any excuse that was
technically legal. AS a matter of
law the enlistment was void ab initio
being that of q minor W der eighteen
years of age, not having the consent
of either parent or guardian. You
seem to have intuitively compre-
hended the motive and incentive to
that act, for which l have suffered
years of mental agony with the full
conviction that I had wronged 10
human being by it, or done what
others would not Lave done under
the same circumstances. A boy,
unacquainted with the institutions
and customs of the country and
with no knowledge of its language,
l enlisted. believing that in a free
government, where all men are
equal, the military vocation pre-
sented the best field for achievement
by one ambitions for distinction, to
be won only by metito,ious service.
But the delusion was speedily dis
PEELED, when [ wse ordered to men
ial service in a hospital, with no
prospect OF active service in the
field, as the country was then at
peace. l determined at all hazards
to escape ffom the degrading slaves
~, deeming failure resulting in
the severest punishment preferable.
succeeded. ard alone, penniless
and unfriended. I sought this then
remote bound of civilization, where
by own efforts, I acquired an edu-
cation fitting me for position as
lawyer, and how I have since sue
ceeded in my profession, is well
known in the community. In the
meantime I had a large family grow
ing up and the great secret of my
life was becoming every: yeara great
ell burden to me from the fear that
disclosure might bring odium up
on them. Not until had attained
political position Of prominence,
was any attempt made to impeach
my honor, on account OF any public
or private transaction in my busi-
ness, profession, or social inter-
course. When I was Secretary of
this Territory my political or social
relations happened to be such as to
incure the jealousy and enmity Of
combination hostile to then Terrific
rial Administration, and conspira-
cy was formed by our common enc
my, of which I was to be the victim
and Samuel G. Wingard, then o. S.
Attorney, was the instrument. The
specific charges were made and the
proofs of my desertion hunted up. In
addition was charged with non
citizenship and with making COR
rupt bargain with the Public Print