Item

The Boyds versus the Charlotte Gazette

Standard
Feb 16, 1848
Communication
Mr. Editor,
In the last “accidental” half sheet of the “Charlotte Gazette,” I noticed a very unnecessary sneer at Mr. Boyd for his conduct regarding the appointment of special constables in this town. It is not my purpose to defend Mr. Boyd, for he is amply able to take care of himself, but the worthy Editor takes so much credit to himself, for his exertions towards putting down the rioters who have troubled us, that I feel really desirous of knowing what he has done. As a native of this Town I am not willing that he should any longer traduce the character of its youthful people as he had done, without contradiction. The boys of this place are with few exceptions neither better, nor worse than the boys of other places, and when I hear the Editor accusing them of riots, of robbery, and of foul indecency, I am constrained to say I believe the charge to be false.  They would not be worth contradiction, but that the Gazette unfortunately for us, has a small circulation where its editor is not known, and may therefore possibly have some little influence abroad.
            This much the editor has hope for the preservation of order in this town,--he has by harsh strictures in his paper, by foul abuse in the streets, and by the publication of untruths, goaded on the boys to retaliation, and fearing the consequences, has endeavoured to bully the Magistrates into encouraging him in such conduct. There are a few however, who know their duty, and do it, caring little for the “brutum fulmen” of the Charlotte Gazette.
            It has been well said that virtue is never in so much danger as when vicious men praise her. So morality and order are badly off for supporters when disorderly persons begin to uphold them. If the editor would devote more attention to making his paper useful and interesting, and less to misrepresentation and abuse of those who have never injured him, it would be better for the community and himself.
            Yours, Juvenis

Standard
Oct 3, 1849
Communications
To the Editor of the Standard
Sir,
In my last, I promised I should say something about the Hay Scales, and in order to redeem that promise, shall state for the information of your readers, what I know concerning that matter, and what did take place at the Sessions:
            The Clerk of the Peace read the Petition of John Bradford, stating that great necessity existed for a new set of Hay Scales, and among other reasons, that he was a large purchaser of Hay, that the present Scales could not be depended on, and that the weigher was inattentive. For these and various other reasons he requestd that he might be allowed to place other Scales in the Market Square, he having imported a superior set for the accommodation of the public. Public spirited, very. Being present at the Sessions when the petition was read, I addressed my fellow Justices on the subject, showing that the complaint as to the correctness of the Scales and the inattention of the weigher was remedied by Mr. Miles S. Hannah undertaking that duty, a person in whom the public had the utmost confidence, and who was not likely to take charge of an imperfect machine, or make use of one.
            My most particular friend, Black Jack of the Charlotte Gazette, would fain made the public believe that I had gulled their worships by influencing their action in my favour, the Scales being my own. That such is not the case the following will show. The proprietors of the Scales are Mrs. Wyer, Mrs. Ames, Mrs. Putnam, Mr. James H. Whitlock and myself, and so I stated to their worships at the time. One of the Justices, Mr. Hatheway, who had made himself somewhat conspicuous in the matter, finding the petition was likely to be rejected, produced three sets of memorandums of the relative weights of Hay at the Brown’s Scales, so called; and the Market Square Scales, of Boyd’s, as he would have it. They showed a difference of a quarter cwt. Each in their loads and three cwt. In another. That, however, did not show that the Market Scales were wrong, and the others right, it being a well known fact that the last named Scales are frequently out of order. They have one good quality, however, they always give greater weight than the other.
            Now a word or two as to Mr. Bradford’s importing the Scales. As at present advised to deny it. It is true that the iron work for a set of Scales was sent here to Mr. Bradford’s care. It is also true that they lay in the Treasurer’s stores for two or three months, and it is also true that no entry was made for payment of duty until a day or two before the Sessions commenced and then only for the purpose of backing up the petition. The plain fact of the matter is this. A Sam Slick of a fellow came along this summer for the purpose of selling Hay Scales, lodged with friend Bradford, and while there, naturally enough told his business, Sam waited on myself and introduced the matter of the Scales, after a good deal of soft sawder, he urged me to buy a set, which I declined. He then gave me to understand that from the length of time the Scales had been in use, he thought some of the irons ought to be renewed. I replied “well, as I am anxious the Scales should be always in high order, what will you furnish the four iron standards for?” He replied “about 70 dollars.” “Oh! Thankee Sam” said I, “if they want renewing I can get them cast here for 12s 6d. Finding he could make no hand of me, he felt anxious to know what income was derived from the scales. Without hesitation, I informed him. “I guess, says he, “they pay pretty well, wouldn’t you like to go into a concern with another set of scales on shares? I replied, no. He said I had better do so, as if I did not, another man would. I bade him go ahead, that one scale was sufficient for all that was done in this quarter of the town. He went away, and the first I heard again of scales was from Mr. Bradford, who came to ask my consent to placing another pair on the square. I told him I would not give my consent, as one was sufficient. He grew angry, and made use of language at the time not very becoming under the circumstances, and I think it quite likely that I gave him the answer stated by sooty Jack in his filthy rag. Very pretty, wasn’t it, to ask 70 dollars for about half a cwt. Of castings, and enter the whole machinery of a new set of scales at a value of “Five Pounds” and all this to accommodate the public!
            I have no desire to quarrel with Mr. Bradford. He has many good points, but when he mixes himself up with such a miserable, worthless drunken wretch as John McLachlan, he must be prepared to take what those get to lie down with dogs.
            Neither do I desire to continue a paper war with so disreputable an Editor as McLachlan but since he has begun, he shall have enough ere I have done with him.
            I am yours, etc,
            James Boyd

Standard
Oct 3, 1849
For the Standard
Mr. Editor,
Please to me the favor to insert in your paper the following statement.
            The “drunken deboshed fish” who conducts that delectable hebdomadal the “Charlotte Gazette,” in his last issue asserts, that I waylaid him in the street on Wednesday evening last, for the purpose of intimidating him to the extent of preventing an expose of my father, etc.
            He is a liar. On the evening in question, I was walking along the street, thinking of nothing concerning him, when this arrant blackguard passed me, and as he did so, ornamented his countenance with his favorite grin. Not feeling in the mood to tolerate even an insulting look from him, my first impulse was to floor him. A second look convinced me that he was far gone in intoxication, and I refrained. I told him, however, that if in his expositions he did not confine himself to truth and respectful language, I would so handle him that a certain dingy intimate of his should find it difficult to recognize him. So saying I left him.
            On the next day, Justice Hatheway set a constable to me, politely inviting me to come to his office and find sureties of the peace toward the Editor of the Gazette.
            This was might like Mrs. Bond in the old song, crying to the ducks, “Dilly, dilly, dilly, come and be killed.” So thought I, and I waited upon Mr. Hatheway to tell him that I demanded an examination before two Justices, thanking him at the same time for what I ignorantly supposed was his courtesy. He refused this, unless I would take upon me to assure him beforehand that I could controvert the statements made by Mr. McLachlan in his affadavit. He read to me the complaint, in which the Editor insinuates that I had concealed weapons, and that, being afraid to meet his prowess fairly, I would take undue advantage to injure him. I again refused to find sureties on those terms, and on Saturday morning Mr Hatheway came to me and asked me to go to his office. There I found the Ethiopian Editor; and Mr. Hatheway very modestly proposed to go into an examination among ourselves three. But I had heard that it was unsafe to go to a certain warm country to hold lawsuits with its ruler, and conceiving that such would be my predicament if I consented, I again refused, except I might have an examination before two Justices. Mr. Hatheway, strong in the law, issued a warrant for my apprehension. This warrant I at once obeyed, and entered into the requisite sureties before Mr. Justice Ker, not choosing to have my liberty restrainer for so long a period as Messrs. Hatheway and McLauchlan would have inflicted upon me.
            I think my character and conduct in the understrapping situation I hold, are too well known, both to those who appointed me and to the public I serve, to suffer much from a score of editorials in the Gazette.
            It is rich to hear this common brawler, this foulmouthed blackguard, complain of abuse. As well might a scavenger complain that he accidentally tipped into his own cart. I admit that I stated to him in public my opinion of him, and I was not fastidiously careful of the epithets I applied to him. I did not hope to provoke him to a breach of the peace, for I knew that his pugnacity extended no further than to administer punched on the head to a defenceless boy, and thrice a week to vent his drunken valour on his poor negro wench.
            The Editor has tossed the ball in a very good style. Under favour of your columns, I hold myself bound to give him a “catcher.”  I will endeavour to show to the good people in sections of the country where he is not so well known as here, what an impudent imposter this is who pretends to be a reformer of public abuses, and an exponent of public opinion.
            Your obedient servent,
            J. K. Boyd

Standard
Oct 10, 1849
Communications
For the Standard
Mr. Editor,
The Herculean task set me in the last filthy rag of Black Jack, would seem to his admirers, if he have any, almost more than one man could accomplish; for “little dogs and all, Tray, Blanche and Sweetheart, how they bark at me.” But nothing daunted here’s at them.
            First, the, had I known that friend Bradford was coming out, I should have waited until the appearance of his article, before troubling you with mine on the subject, of the Hay Scales. It is only necessary for me to say to him, that I regret for his own sake that he did not confine himself to the truth. Fie, fie, John! Modest John! You should not have fibbed so. You know, John, I did not make use of that ugly word at the commencement of our conversation, nor until you had said you would be d---d if you would not have a set of scales there. Another fib you tell, John. You say that I strenuously opposed the erection of your scales, as you call them, upon public ground. I did no such thing. I merely stated, as I said in my last, that the scales called mine were in perfect order, that an unexceptionable weigher had charge of them, and that if under threes circumstances the Justices thought another set was necessary they would say so; upon which the prayer of the petition was rejected.
            Having for the present disposed of this subject, I take up, as next in order in the rag alluded to, the Editorial, or rather series of Editorials put forth by that most miserable devil living, McLachlan. He says my answer to his last is, as might be expected vulgar, shuffling and abusive; in which light, if he mistakes not, it will be viewed by the great mass of the people. It may be so viewed in the little world, and by such little people as he moves among, or with whom he is allowed to hold converse. It is well known that no person in the sommunity who has any regard for his own standng,will admit the Editor into his domestic circle. From such society he has long been a banished man. Indeed he has arrived at that pitch when man ceases to be a man, and is now become a mere butt for the boys, and the keeper of the lowest groggery in the place, would as soon see the d---! Enter is door as the poivallint Editor. Now for the  subject matter of the Editorial. He says that I asserted I was authorized to proceed to Fredericton on the Fifteen pounds business, and that I retained 30 percent of that sum, as traveling expenses. This, I unhesitatingly pronounce to be a lie. I was authorized to proceed there on quite a different errant. He knows it, and the community know it; but it would not suit his purpose to tell the truth. He has, or assumes to have, a press, and when he can get credit for paper uses it to belie and ridicule people whose shoes he is not worthy to clean.
            Was it not enough, he asks, that I was allowed to pass off quietly with £110 of the Emigrant’s money? What doe she mean by this? If he means that I had more than my Salary, let him show it. He will, if he can. I thank God that I am not in any man’s power in this respect. I honestly, hardly, and at the risk of my life, earned all I got for that service; and I have the pleasure of knowing that I gave to the Government which employed me, the highest degree of satisfaction. I might have been better paid, had I asked for more; and what I did received was given by an open vote of the Legislature; who must have thought me fully entitled to it, or I would not have go tit. As to the constitutionality of the appointment, that was a question for his masters. Enough has happened since the appointment to show its necessity, and it has to say the least of it been of manifest benefit to the taxpayers of the Parish of St. Andrews.
            The next thing in order, is the subject of the fines said to be in my hands. In my former communication, I referred parties concerned for the statements made by me, to the County Treasurer, and Overseers of the poor so far as to April 1849. I did not say that I had paid anything to either of these Receivers since that period; and I now say, that I have not sued for or collected since that period any fines for selling liquor contrary to law, or any payable to the County Treasurer; although that indefatigable and honest Town Clerk, Elliot, knew of one person selling liquor since last April, without a license, and would not make a complaint.—This is the first time I have known that it is the duty of the Town Clerk to report to the Sessions the amount of fines imposed by the Magistrates for violations of the license law. That officer is allowed for the due performance of the duties required of him, such sum as the Justices in their discretion shall think fit. They only want known what service has been rendered, in order that they may measure out the reward as they would to any common informer. Does any one suppose that Elliot would lodge an information without the expectation of a reward? Not he. What induced him to furnish the Editor of the Charlotte Gazette with his list of fines for such offences, breaches, of the peace, and offences against morals? Simply, his own ugly, vindictive spirit. I had refused to employ him as a Constable, out of which he made a fat thing while he had it, and I am properly punished for using my influence towards procuring him a situation to enable him to make a living. But there always have been, and I suppose always will be just such characters in the world. I ought not to notice such vermin, nor would I do so, had I not known, that the admirable trio I named a few days since had made themselves extremely busy in trying to rake up something that they thought would not redound to my honour. Let them go on; I defy them to injure me and tell truth.
            With respect to the amount shown to be collected by me, about £21, I have to state that I paid upwards of £14 to the County Treasurer as appears in his accounts. The difference in amount will be seen on examination f the statements handed by me to the County Treasurer at the time the monies were paid in.  A number of presentments were made by the Grand Jury against persons living as remote as Baring, St. Stephens, the Ledge, and on the other road as far as Nixons. On these complaints, no conviction could be had for want of proof, although a large number of witnesses was subpoenaed. All these witnesses I paid, except in one case, where the paty summoned paid costs himself. The costs incurred in this manner amounted to above seven pounds. Thus I account for the Liquor fines, except one of two pounds from George McCulloch; which, not having been prosecuted in the ordinary way, but on complaint of himself, was omitted in making up the statement from y books.
            My liabilities for fines will therefore stand thus:
            George McCulloch’s fine omitted £2 0 0
            A fine for drunkenness £1 0 0
            Roix’ fine for an assault £0 12 0
            Elliot’s fine for contempt £0 10 0
            Ellman’s fine for an assault £1 10 0
            E. Leavitt, for non-attendance as a witness under Licence Law £2 0 0
            Total £8 2 6

            Deduct
            Fines for drunkenness no provision being made by law as to whom payable £1 10 0
            Costs in the Shannon case they being poor, discharged £0 11 0
            Ellman’s fine, held over to abide threatened prosecution £1 10 0
            Total £3 11 0
           
            Leaving to be paid immediately by me £4 11 6

I make the above statement merely to show that no such monies are in my hands, as are said to be. The charge of having in my hands three pounds, a fine from William McGowan, is of a piece with the rest of the trumped up story. Where di the worthy Elliot get his information as to that fine? Reallly, he was hard up for material to make out his account. He has however, gratified his spleen, and that is I suppose enough for him. He now has news employers. Let them beware of him.
            I hold myself liable to pay over the fines for drunkenness, so soon as it can be pointed out to me who is to receive them; and the Ellman fine, when I am satisfied that no further steps are to be taken by him in the matter.
            I conclusion, I need only says that the dirty Editor’s attack on the Provincial Secretary relative to my appointment as Emigration Officer, is totally unfounded. That gentleman had nothing to do with it, not being at the time a member of the Government. The situation was offered me without any solicitation on my part or that of my friends, and at a time when others were applying for it.
            As to my doings in the Assembly, they are well known. It has been conceded by my enemies politically and otherwise, that I have faithfully discharged my duty; and it is for such conduct, and such alone, that the Government has reposed confidence in me, not only as Emigration officer, but in other offices. They do not need the watchfulness of the filthy Editor to put them on their guard as to whom they will trust. They have discernment enough to detect anything improper to say of their servants, without interference such as his.
            I have now done, and trust you will forgive the length of this article, but having been attacked by three at once, I have had much difficulty in circumscribing my remarks to so limited a space.     
            I am yours, etc.,
            James Boyd

St. Andrews, 8th October 1849
Mr. Editor,
I had hoped to be able this week to commence a review of the Charlotte Gazette’s course since its commencement. But I have tried in vain to procure a file of that credit to the Press of New Brunswick; the sheets having been, as fast as they appeared, converted to base uses; not quite so base, however, as those for which they were issued. I advertise in today’s paper for a file, and the reason I don’t extend the offer to the Editor, is that he would get drunk with the money; and I cannot encourage intemperance.
            I have in course of preparation an account of the causes which induced this goof man to retire from the magistracy; his characteristic modesty not permitting him to redeem the promise he made nearly two years ago, to publish it himself. It will be accompanied by some official correspondence. I shall also lay before your readers a narrative of facts relative to the last voyage of “our Brig Frederick,” which will prove the old saying true, whom a man injures, he never forgives.
            Meantime, lest the Editor should think I have forgotten him, I beg you to publish the following episode of the Eureka Shirt—Should he have the impudence to deny the statements made, I can substantiate them by the most respectable testimony.
            A Mr. Ford, of London, advertises Eureka Shirts. Whereupon the redondite Punch thus comments:
            “What are Eureka Shirts? The word ‘Eureka’ signifies ‘I have found.’ Falstaff in Henry IV speaking of his ragged recrits, says, ‘They’ll find linen enough on every hedge’—these, we suspect, were the original ‘Eureka Shirts.’”
            There are Eureka Shirts in Saint Andrews as well as in London. It will be fresh in the recollection of many; that, no longtime since, the Editor of the Gazette was in the habit of going about buttoned to the chin, and his throat swathed almost to strangling, in  a dirty tartan rag, evidently some superannuated duster. This was taken as an indication of a marvelous scarcity of linen, nor was the guess far from truth.
            After a time however, the Editor emerged from obscurity like the Sun from the clouds. His pectoral regions rejoinced in the linen, and his cheek bones triumphed in a collar of sufficient amplitutde for the Sail of a small boat. The appearance of a regiment of his Highland cousins without any breeches, would not have created the excitement that did this appearance of the Editor in a Shirt, and many were the guesses hazarded as to the cause of this sudden metamorphosis. The most available solution of the mystery seemed to be, that the beneficence of the Scotch Church penny-a-week Society had been called into requisition; and upon this hypothesis, though some doubted, most rested content. But time, who unravels all mysteries, would not permit this one to remain unexplained.
            In the rear of the Editor’s house is a garden, where, on summer evenings, he and his sable Dulcinea were wont to hold sweet converse. Often, however, when the respectable Editor was Bacchi plenus, i. e., full of Yankee rum, the spirit of discord would invade this second Eden. Not long since, at one of these soirees, after a good deal of mutal recrimination, and many harsh epithets, this modern Adam and Eve proceeded to end their dispute by pugilistic argument. Sundry blows and scratches having been given and taken, the combatants paused for breath. The Editor began to fear for the integrity of his apparel, and the following parley ensued:
            Editor: “Let ge my shirt, you black d—l.”
            Phebe: “Your shirt, you wagabone! You haven’t had a shirt of your own these seven years, and the one you now have on, I gave you.”
            Editor: “And you stole it, you b—h!”
            Here was the mystery at once explained. The cause of this abundance of fine linen was at once apparent. Archimedes once cried out “Eureka” and his discovery affords a whimsical contrast to that of the Editor, or his sooty satellite. The great philosopher’s “Eureka” sent him dancing shirtless home, while the Editor’s “Eureka” endued him with desirable integument. And it is such a man as this who has the unblushing impudence to talk of exposing corruption and securing the independence of the Press! It is a marvel that the peole of Charlotte County will suffer themselves to be duped by this vile wretch whose only passport to their favour is his brazen falsehood, and unscrupulous dishonesty.
            I have to apologize for the course language employed in this communication. It will, however, be readily seen, that it is not mine, but the Editor’s.
            There are other choice morceaux in the history of the Editor, which I shall in due course furnish. For the present I leave him to digest the above.
            Your obedient servant,
            J. K. Boyd