The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser

MR. E. B.

IN a former paper, of the 9th inst. I addressed you as a friend, and, I think, in a very feeling manner, supposing, and indeed wishing you to come forward in such a manner as would be a pleasure to your friends, and an honor to yourself--but, instead of doing away the gloomy mist and the disagreeable vapors that have taken impression on the minds of the people, you add insult to insult, and aggravation to aggravation. You in the first place take upon you to abuse the Printer, for the information derived to the people, 'through the medium of his free and uninfluenced press.' Your next attack is on "The People," and "One of the People," in the following words ;--"Having seen two publications in the late papers, signed The People, and One of the People, which I suppose were intended to injure me at the ensuing election," &c.-You might at will have said in plain terms, that the People have no right to inquire into your conduct. I do assert Sir, they have, and I hope and trust, Sir, the People will at all times have that discernment as to be able to discover a true and faithful servant, from one who is void of truth, honor, and integrity.--I class you amongst the latter; and shall go on to prove my grounds to be just.

You proceed to say, with an assuming air, that the People have charged you with betraying the trust committed to you by them. I, as one of the People, assert, you have. I ask you, Sir, in the first place, whether you did not assert, to a number of gentlemen in Martinsburg, that you would be at home at the November Court. THIS I DEFY YOU TO DENY. I will ask you, Sir, if the Assembly was not sitting at that time?-I answer for you, it was. I ask you again, if you were not at home at the December Court ?-I answer for you. you were--and was not the Assembly still sitting? I answer, it was, and engaged in very important business. I ask you if you did not boast of receiving from 100 to 150 dollars at November Court, as fees, when you ought : have been representing your constituents in the General Assembly of the State? I answer again for you, YOU DID. And after acting in this improper and unwarrantable manner, you have the audacity to come forward and assert, that the indisposition of one, and the death of another of your nearest relations was the sole cause of your leaving the Assembly; at whose pressing solicitations, although during the most intensely cold weather, in which you should have risked you precious health, &c. &c. [see the pity moving tale ! -But, this is too delicate a subject for me to say much upon--yet the apology is so winningly, so abominably false, I cannot help making a few observations on it.

You must know the cause of your friend's indisposition was unforeseen at the time you engaged to return: You know, Sir, the death alluded to was unexpected--I may say, very sudden! How then could the truly affecting occasion be the motive, or an interview the object of your journey, the hardships of which you so feelingly describe, when it is well known you winged your way, even past the very door the day which consigned the remains to its last fire, without dreaming to honor the awful solemnity with your presence-or one single solitary tear--or so much as a sympathetic sigh!

This position, Sir, will not do. Can you deny, that this is insulting the understanding of the People, and basely apologizing for your misconduct, not only at the cost of truth, but every degree of respect to consistency and shame? I ask you now, Sir. if you have any thing else to offer, in justification of your taking the airing of 200 miles, in that inclement season of the year, at the risk of your delicate health and tender constitution, the importance of the preservation of which, in behalf of the public in general, and your dependent constituents in particular, shall ever be duly appreciated by
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.

March 17, '97.