Alexandria Daily Advertiser

FRIEND SNOWDEN.

THERE is a paragraph in thy paper of yesterday, called the PROTEST of Joseph Smith, which appears to have been intended as an impeachment of my integrity. I can with truth deny the accusation, and may complain with propriety of the manner in which it is made. It is true, that I purchased a few articles of merchandize in the course of trade from Mr. Smith: but it is not true that I did so with a view to the failure which happened with Mr. Smith, the circumstances of our firm were supposed by ourselves and others to be good; and Mr. Smith had so fair an opinion of our credit and mercantile conduct, that he repeatedly pressed me to purchase on an easy credit all the dry goods which he had on hand; but I took from him only such articles as would answer my particular objects in trade at that time. Our firm had not then the most distant expectation of a partial or total failure; but finding sometime afterwards that by reason of an unexpected coincidence of circumstances, we could not continue to take up our paper as it fell due without making sacrifices which would be ultimately injurious to our creditors and selves, we determined, in pursuance of the advice of judicious friends, to postpone the regular payment of our paper, until we could discharge the demands of all without injury to any.--This conduct, which we conceived the most equitable and advantageous, hath drawn upon us the severe reproaches of Mr. Smith, who, having very little charity towards us, himself, wishes to do us injury in the opinion of the world, upon the slightest grounds of presumption.---The christian spirit of my accuser should have taught him to have placed the most favorable construction on a transaction which wore no positive marks of fraudulent intention: and both decency and politeness should have instructed him to withhold publicity from an unfounded and injurious accusation.

Thy Friend,

Jonathan Schofield.

Dec. 11.