Sunbury American And Shamokin Journal

C. W. Hegins, Esq.

The last "Union Star," published at New Berlin, contains a letter written by a certain Daniel Kohler, formerly of this place, which, for paltry meanness and contempt, exceeds anything we have seen for some time. This Mr. Kohler proceeds to say that he was a member of a debating society, in this place, some twelve or fourteen years since, of which C. W. Hegins and some others were also members-that Mr. Hegins abused Gen. Jackson, and said that he should have had "his head cut off for vetoing the U. S. Bank bill"-that he abused the Germans, calling them stupid dutch, and said, according to Mr. Kohler, several other equally stupid and silly things.

As we were one of the members of that society, from first to last, we do not hesitate pronouncing the above a most base and contemptible fabrication. That Kohler was a kind of butt for the society, and in fact for the town, is well known, and that Mr. Hegins frequently quizzed him is also true. But, independent of all this, what can the public think of a man, who, while he professes to be a minister of the Gospel, thus obtrudes himself into the political arena-profess his aid as a slanderer and libeller, and volunteers his services in defaming the character of a member of a society, which, out of charity, tolerated his presence, by retailing or rather parading in the public prints what he pretends were the private conversations and remarks of the different members. The editor of the "Star" asks the public to believe Mr. Kohler because he is a clergyman, as if his clerical garb was a sufficient warrant for any conduct, however gross and outrageous.

With some, we know, this is all sufficient, and had not this Mr. Kohler "Stol'n the livery of Heaven to serve the devil in." we should not have deemed his silly letter worthy of a passing notice. The editor also refers to the Rev. J. P. Shindel, of this place, in support of Mr. Kohler's character. We ask and dare the editor, or any of Mr. Kohler's friends, to refer to Mr. Shindel to endorse Mr. Kohler's character, either for veracity or general good conduct. Mr. Kohler also says that Mr. Hegins attended as a delegate and took part in a whig meeting at Northumberland, in favor of the U. S. Bank, about that time. To disprove this assertion, we need only to say that Capt. Samuel Hunter, a good whig, whose veracity no one will doubt, states most positively that Mr. Hegins was not present at that meeting. We ask the editor of the Star, as a matter of simple justice to Mr. Hegins to publish this article.