Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1859 — UNDERHANDED ABUSE. [ARTICLE]

UNDERHANDED ABUSE.

Some persons opposed to the success of the Republiran ticket, and not having proper regard for truth or their own self-respect, have been busily engaged in secretly circulating slanderous reports about Mr. Halstead, charging him with being a defaulter to the Marion township treasury. Although the whole thing is ridiculously false, there are some Democrats and one or two Republicans, of whom we have heretofore had a better opinion, engaged, to their disgrace, in, circulating these falsehoods—for falsehoods they are, as every man can satisfy himself who will take the trouble to investigate, and investigation is courted by Mr. Halstead. No man has boldly made these charges yet, and no respectable man ever will;, but those engaged in the contemptible business shield themselves behind the cowardly “I heard so.” The result of the circulation of such falsehoods will undoubtedly increase the vote for the Republican ticket, as well as react with crushing force on the heads of the originators. It is a desperate game to undertake to defeat a local ticket by attempting to ruin the character of an upright man and an honorable neighbor. Such a game almost always fails, as it should. The people will not stand quietly by and see a good man’s reputation stabbed in the dark by the assassin slanderer. They will almost invariably rebuke the “backbiter” by turning to him the cold shoulder, and if they fail to do so on Tnesday week, we have overrated the intelligence of the people of Jasper county and their love of justice. We advise the public to closely scan the character of every man who circulates these rumors, and see if it be without spot or blemish. Below will be found the card of Mr. Halstead, and the affidavits of the township Trustees during Mr. Halstead’s term of office, and also the affidavit of the present Trustee, which completely exonerate Mr. Halstead • mk. Halstead’s card. Tb the Citizens of Jasper County: Having been basely charged with having been a defaulter to the Township of Marion, in the County of Jasper, as Treasurer thereof, which charge is being made for political effect, without even the shadow of truth or evidence to sustain it, 1 would therefore pass . itTby in silent contempt, were it not that it ~Wrikes, not at the political, but at that which is above all political preferment—above all else beside—the moral character for honesty and integrity. And further, fearing that some honest persons living in other parts of the county, may be led to think there might be some truth in it, should I suffer a charge of such a nature to pass unnoticed, permit me to say to them, if any such there are, who are inclined to doubt the statemenVof myself and the Trustees with whom I settled, that they would confer a favor on me, by calling and examining the Books for themselves, which may be found in the hands of A. Thompson, present Trustee of Marion township. D. T, Halstead.

AFFIDAVIT OF MESSRS. BABCOCK, COEN AND HARDING. State of Indiana, ) Jasper county. $ ,s ‘ Personally appeared before me the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Nathan Babcock, E. T. Harding and John Coen, and being duly sworn on oath say that they were Trustees of Marion Township during all the time that David T. Halstead was Treasurer of said township; that the charge made against said Halstead that he was a defaulter to said Township as Treasurer thereof is without any foundation in whole or in part; that we settled fully with him as such treasurer du ring our continuance in office, and that every dollar due from him as such Treasurer was paid over by him promptly and fully. Nathan Babcock, John Coen, E. T. Harding. Subscribed and sworn to, Sept. 26th 1859. W. S. Hopkins, Justice. AFFIDAVIT OF MR. THOMPSON. State of Indiana, i Jasper County. $ ssPersonally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace, in and for said county, Alfred Thompson, who duly affirms and says that he is the present Trustee of Marion Township in said county; that the books and papers which belonged to said Township during the time that David T. Halstead was Treasurer of the same are in his hands at the present time; that he has made an examination of said books and papers with reference to the charge of defalcation made against said Halstead, and as the result of said investigation he found that the said charge was without any foundation, and that said Halstead had faithfully accounted for and paid over all moneys which came into his hands as such Treasurer. A. Thompson. , Subscribed and affirmed to, Sept. 26th, 1859. W. S. Hopkins,Justice .