Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

FOR THE PORTLAND GAZETTE.
To what a miserable condition is the calumniator reduced, when convicted before the public of assailing the character of an individual with charges, which have no foundation in truth. To repeat his accusations he dares not; to retract them would be virtuous, and therefore he will not, and unequivocally to deny having made them would require an effrontery, greater than even that of "Junius" What course then remains? The last miserable refuge of exposed guilt, evasion!
After publicly accusing "a certain great man" of meanness, fraud, cowardice, &c. and being convicted of falsehood in every statement, made for the purpose of proving his charges; what would the public expect but that he should retract his calumnies!
But this is not congenial to the mind of Junius; it is too honorable for a disposition like his. He, however, seeks some "compunctious visitings of conscience," and would persuade the public, that his attacks upon "a great man" in his "judiciary," "legislative" and "executive capacities," were mere random shots, and that they were not aimed at the character of the Sheriff of Lincoln. To a writer, who, over the signature of "Truth," detected his falsehoods and exposed his calumnies, he says, "what right have you, sir, to fix the charges of Junius upon the Sheriff of Lincoln?" Who authorised you to say that the character there drawn suits him only?" "Remember, "Truth," it is you who have brought your Lincoln Sheriff before the public." You seized the picture and pronounced it his--miserable evasion! But, go on Junius: though reformation be hard, you will find it salutary; and no one, it is hoped, will be so uncharitable, as to impute his commencement to fears excited by "threats of prosecution."
L.
Aug. 20 1816