The Macon advertiser and agricultural and mercantile intelligencer. (Macon, Ga.) 1831-1832, August 30, 1831, Image 7

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TV the Citizens of* Captain Gregg's District, Twiggs Comity, I never did to the best of my knowledge and belief, against ail individual who I thought had any character, cir culate any circumstance calculated to wound his most deli cate feelings.* Ho far as I have been able, I think I can safely say, there is no person in this community, if he.had anv character, however humble and insignificant in the scheme of Providence—but has always been the peculiar ob ject of my care and protection. And yet with all these in nate, heaven-born and philanthropic feelings and principled that have jnarked and characterized jny life, and do notorious among you, I have had the misfortune to loose the good opin-" ion ot a little man in your district calling himself “MAT-. THE VY Rf)BEIiTHON”-=M have been accused, by thism sed, oi bringing into doubt his Patriotism and love of country —thereby not only corrupting the main ocean of character and respectability; but by its baneful apd contaminating in fluence, has considerably lessened the dignity and importance of all the tributary branches. I have been accused, by this nolor.ous coward, in his letters to Maj. Henry Loyless, of ma king use of bis name as a “ DgSLRTEa/rcro the Jirmy” Ac. and ii * says, the same is a “base He, a “slanderous falsehood,” Ac. In these letters” he further says, he did not “desert”— but “there was perhaps more reason to suspect him of a hznd-.nmsnt, than of desertion” and “that there is a striking and important difference between desertion and the abandonment of a post in the army”— and when convinced by Maj. Loyless that there is no difference in the meaning of the words “desertion and abandonment” as applied to his conduct in the army fas reported,) he turns rightabout and says he only “obsquatvla ted ” Did you ever- hear of such quibbling—siioir-coiitempt ible subterfuge?—Would any person but Robertson, hut a consumatc Uoward have resorted Vo such pitiful means “to screen” himself from a direct charge of “deserlicnV' lie says further—“l (Matthew) never heard of the charge of desertion, until my first letter to you” (Mr. Loyless) of the U)th of June last. And at the same time insinuates, that the charge originated with me—r-and then very cautiously adds, “on e when / (Matthew) was a candidate in Bibb county, I heard of Dr. Baber having mentioned the circumstance of my being arrested in a manner, which I thought teas intended to in jure my Elert'on.” Now Matthew Robertson. knows full well, this charge never originated with me—That while in the Seminole campaign, I had no knowledge of him or the cir cumstances of his arrest, but by report—That Dr. Baber oc cupied a subordinate situation, in the army, under me, teas bet ter calculated to establish “his identity” and know more of the circumstances than myself-—That my first acquintance with him (Matthew) was in Macon, (long since) when it was no torious before my establishment in that place, that Matthew Robertson was the man who had “deserted his post in the ,Jr ■my”—and that Dr. Baber, as I was informed, first gave it publicity. Take all these cii'Qumstances together, in con uecrion with 'he annexed certificate of Win. B. Cone mark ed No, l—-the conduct of Dr. Baber, as confessed by Ro he tson, and I think you will fulfv. acquit'me pf having fabri cated the charge : and that he (Matthew) knew of the charge of “desertion” long before the 10*h of June, 1831 —Again, to Mr. Loyless, ‘‘/ (Matthew/} do not consider Dr. Chumming worth the. notice of a gentleman —and that “he has neither character nor responsibility to answer,” Ac. Mark the cir cumstance well—After having sent his friends, (1 speak ad visedly,) to Macon and thought he had effectually silenced Dr. Baber and believing at the time, I wasjthe only witness against him—he determined to put pie af defiance and pro tect his cowardly insignificance under the general charge of a want of “character and responsibility. Did you ever hear of such impudent, such deliberate meanness and villany? One more extract and I am done with his extraordinary let ters to Mr. Loyless. “In your first letter to me (June 31st) you (Loyle ■ss) say you have seen Dr. Baber and that he as sures you it is a fact —not that I (Matthew) deserted the ar my—hut that I abandoned a post or situation,” Ac. Now says Matthew—.“l have seen the Doctor and he has author ized me to say to you (Loyless) he never told you any such thing.” From these two statements lam bound to believe the declarations of Mr. Loyless, not only those contained in his letter to Robertson, hut those in the annexed certificate marked No. 2, and that l)r. Baber or Matthew must have as sorted a falsehood —I think it will fall on Matthew. My Opinion is fully corroborated by the annexed certificate, mark id No. 3, and dated Ist July, in which Dr. Raber distinctly states that “Jf. Robertson a Lieutenant in a company of Geor gia m'litia, d>d leave or abandon a mihfady post, Qc. “It be longs to” Matthew Robertson “to “to this matted— ' for I.suppose he will hardly get the Doctor to acknowledge hav ing toW Mm any thing to ilie contrary. A few words relative to the conduct of Dr. Baber in this matter. 1 11 this admira ble certificate of his, lie savs> “/ have in no instance attempt ed to create an impression, that this post was abandoned with out orders” —Matthew Robertson says Dr. Baber made men tion of the circumstance of his arrest to injure his election. Then according to the statements ol Robertson, I would in fer that Dr. Baber first circulated the report of “ desertion and abandonment,” to injure the election of Matthew Robert son in Bibb county-r-ayd when he (Baber) has apostatized and become a candidate himself-—a polirieal I fiend ol ibis Matthew—he declares it a joke, and that he has in no in stance attempted to create an impression, that Matthew Ro bertson abandoned his post without orders—Now fellow citi zens, if my ihferenees arc correct, did you ever hear of such evasion, equivocation, twisting, screwing and lying, in order to extricate this “sink of sodom,” this less than puppy out of a dirty, cowardly scrape. In 'addition to the certificates to which I have already refcred—l annex the certificate of Copt. Rent. R. Smith, mid the copy of a letter hv Col Samuel Robertson, the arresting officer, marked No. 4 and s—Scru tinize them closely, in connection with the extracts from Ro bertson’s letters to Maj. Loyless, and I think you will comp, to the conclusion, that there is something dark and mysteri ous in this business, and that, considerable explanations are necessary to extricate Matthew Robertson from the charge, of “desertion and abandonment” —and that Dr. Baber has been guilty of a strange perversion of truth. 111 conclusion fellow citizens, I take my leave of this mischief-making little man, and pkgje him in judgment before you; confidently be lieving you will award to him that station in the school of im portance to which, from cowardice cmdjncanness, he is justly entitled—and shall advise him to settle this matter with Dr. Baber, or acknowledge Ac. JOHN B, GUMMING, Hcpt. 11,1831. NO. I. GEORGIA, Bibb County. I do hereby certify, that in Dec. 1820, or Jan. 1827, at Old Fort Perry, sixty miles from this, on the road to Fort- Mitchell, a conversation took place between David E. Both well of Lomsville and myself, about Matthew Robertson, wlfothen resided m this place (Macon,) I have very distinct recollection that Mr. Bothwell abused him, called him a de serter; and so far as my recollections serve me, said (he Ro bertson) was in the army, (meaning the last war) and wa* under his brother, and that Robertson was left with the charge of a few soldiers, became alarmed, absconded from and left them or his post or both. You are welcome to use this, Ap.- Sept. 12, 1831. W. V, CONE. To Dr,. J. B. Gumming, noTii. GEORGIA, Twiggs County. I called on Dr. Ambrose Baber, in Macon, sometime in June last fora statement of the facts relative to the deser tion of Matthew Robertson in the Seminole campaign—Dr. Baber stated to me that Matthew Robertson abandoned thq. baggage wagons, left in his charge between Hartford and Fort Early—that he (Matthew) was arrested for that offence and continued under arrest until the army was disbanded—- that, his sword wfts restored to him without trial, and for what cause he knew not—that a friend of Robersons, while he (Robertson) was a candidate in Bibb, requested him (Dr, Baber) not Unsay any thing about it. Dr. Baber said that, Samuel Robertson was the officer who arrested Matthew, and restored him his sword—and that his conduct was spok en of in the army as being very disgraceful—l give this as the substance of what Dr, Baber said, without pretending ty give his precise words, HENRY LOYLESS* Bth September, 1831, NO* HI. Sometime since last winter to collect a mistake, which had arisen with regard to myself ami Map Robertson of Twiggs county, I stated to Mr. Hmith that fl/. Robestsop, p Lieuten ant in a company of Georgia militia, did leave or abandon % military post he was ordered to gftard sometime during th% Hem’mole campaign, that he was arrested for this act, and his sword returned by the officer ordering the arrest without pub lic investigation. It is equally true I have in no instance at* tempted to create an impression that this post was abandoned without orders. Private considerations which Jlfaj. Robert son may be aide to explain, rendered his conduct, in any man. ner reprehensible, AMBROSE BABER Jtlacon, July Ist IS3I. XO.IV. GEORGIA, Twiggs County. I hereby certify that sometime subsequent <0 the gefl. eral election in 1830, 1 was informed by Dr. John B. Cum* ming, of Marion, that there had been a desertion of an offi cer from his post during the Seminole war, thathe; Dr. Cam ming, luul heard in Macon, that A/atthew Robinson of Twiggs county was the man who had deserted—and I)r. Gumming referred me to Dr. Baber for further particulars.—Some time after this I called on Dr. Baber and he told me it was sc— that Robertson had eitheir deserted or abandoned his post— which was considered a flagrant violation—He also stated to me that Robertson had beeen anrested and held sometime under arrest, when his sword was restored to him without public investigation, by the arresting officer, or the office? who ordered thearrest Ac.' BENJAJ/IN B. S.Wm, J)farion, Ith September 1831, # V. S. Robertson , to Henry Loyless. Sandcrsville, \sth, July 1831. Dear Hir: Yours of <he sth inst. reached this office by the lest mail, enquiring of me some of the particulars attending Jl/atthew Robertson’s conduct in the late Seminole campaign —lt would give me pleasure to serve you at any time, either personally or politically, and when I recollect that the indi v Idual here spoken of, was then young and inexperienced, (and perhaps it was for the want of experience, that he got into the difficulty) must under these circumstances beg you to excuse me for declining the particulars asked for. I am verv respectfully, your friend, SAMUEL ROBERTSON,