Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1883 — MR. MCCARTHY’S REPLY. [ARTICLE]

MR. MCCARTHY’S REPLY.

Ed. Sentinel: My attention has been directed to an article in a recent publication purporting to give historical and biographical sketches of the counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton. The article alluded to is on page 469. It is entitled the “Press’’ and makes certain statements in reference to the origin and publication of the Banner in Jasper county, in 1858. From what source the publishers of the book obtained their information is unknown to the writer. These statements are little else than a rehash of certain falsehoods that appeared in the Rensselaer Gazette. December 1857, and were promptly met and refuted, as will subsequently appear. — The article in the Gazette, which appeared as editorial, statea, in substance, that the writer of this article, who was then the editor and publisher of tne “Jasper Banner,” came to Rensselaer an entire stranger—that he represented himself as identihed with the Whig party—that he obligated himseit to publish a neutral paper and went back on his obligation—that he agreed to refund the amount subscribed for the purchase of the press ahd material and afterwards refused to do so. The article, which was liberally sprinkled, with abusive comment. was copied into the Banner, and replied to as follows:

“For willful misrepresentation and deliberate mendacity the above statement is without a parallel. Long before we had any thought of coming heie to reside, we vAre urged to come to Rensselaer and establish a paper. We were informed that the citizens were exceedingly anxious for a press. Theonly proposition we ever made to any one vat that if tne citizens of the county wo’d purchase a press and material, we would publish a paper at our own expense lor the avails of the office. We had no political aims in view. Our object, in cm mon with others, was to in. lid up the interest of tne county. We, therefore of our own uocord, aud without any solicitation or restraint whatever, chose to publish a neutral paper. At that time trie Repu dican party was not organized in this county, or if it was, it existed only ’as a mongrel Party, being badly crossed with Know-Nothing-ism. For two years previous, and up to the, time of our coming here, we had been associated wi th another gentleman in the publication of a Democratic paper-i ne Delphi Times. It was well known that we were a Democaat, and we took no pains to conceal the fact. ’On the contrary, we avowed our pohtical preferences to one who differed with us. and who was the most adj ve in securing the purchase money for the press. When we propped publishing a paper we never agreed to, nor intended to own a dollar of the stock. The amount raised, h° we ver, failed, tb meet the amount of purchase and wcvv er® induced to pav out Icon ,! de./” ’«i e < ? or:- own < means.

Some time after thecom tnencementof our paper, and within the first year, the Kan-sas-Nebraska Bill was introduced into Congress. We were urged by certain Republicans to come out in opposition to this bill, as it was, in their sstimation, a great out. ■age. We declined, and assigned as a reason that we vere publishing a neutral paler. We were urged to dislensc with our scruples, but •id not see fit to comply. OthIr circumstances, of a similar haracter transpired which if evealed might be anything but palatable to the Republican party of Jasper county, >ut we scorn to betray the conIdence of even a political opionent. "je have never obligated ourself to secrecy m the aatter alluded to, but it was •onfided to us in confidence nd we shall not disclose it, although, by doing so. we ?aight vindicate ourself and xt the same time place one the highest official dignitaries in the Republican party * n a very ridiculous position. The only attempt ever made to Induce uj to violate our neutrality was made by leaders of he Republican party Having failed in this, and finding that we were democratic in principle, they suddenly be'.ame disaffected towards the banner; and under the plea i hat they understood that we rere to buy in their stock, man tested their displeasure. Unlet these circumtsances almost -he entire stock owned by the Republicans was bought up. or it is a significant fact ihat hey were the only ones that omplained of a mis undertaking. This occurred, we relieve, during the first year., (Conclusion next week.) —wffißW -•- J. A. Thompson. Jeweler, at Retnigton, has a fine stock of Watehes, ewelry. ete’on han 1, and adding t® r, dai’y, for th® holiday trade,