you could have obtained the truth in five minutes, at any time, by consulting the parish records? And how could you say that you should state only such facts as had come within your personal knowledge. ?' "I hereby certify that the above statement of Mr Whitman is true according to the parish records. THOMAS GORHAM, Parish Clerk." 2. On your twentieth page, you make the following statement. 'On Saturday afternoon, certain persons were inquired after, and for a time could not be found. At length, when found, at a card table, they at once expressed their readiness, to use their gambling dialect, to sign the death warrant of their minister!' A more thorough and slanderous falsehood could not have been uttered. This I will prove from two sources of evidence. First, I will present you with the names of the individuals who signed the paper to call a parish meeting, in the order they stand on the original document now before me. Jefferson Dodge, Asa Beals, Jr. Samuel Ladd, Jesse Phelps, Thomas Banks, Joseph Hoyt, Elisha Crehore, Daniel Carlisle, Nathaniel Stearns, Isaac Bemis, Jr. Joseph Hoar, William Locke, Lewis McIntier, Henry Coolidge, Samuel Gale, Abijah Whitney, Nathan Locke. These, Sir, are the men whom you accuse of being at the card table on Saturday afternoon. I challenge you to name the individuals of this number who were found gambling. You know this cannot be done. But, secondly, I will give you the certificate of Mr Stearns who procured the above signatures, and in the mean time, let me ask how you could deliberately publish such a gross slander? Did you see any of this number at the card table? No. How then could you declare that you should publish only those facts which had come within your personal knowledge. "I hereby certify that I obtained the above names to a paper, requesting a parish meeting to know the minds of the society, whether they will dismiss Rev. S. Harding.' I also certify that not an individual of the number was found at any card table, or engaged in any species of gambling. NATHANIEL STEARNS." 3. In relation to Mr Harding's dismission, I asked if one legal voter was deprived of his right of suffrage? Or if one illegal voter was allowed to cast his vote into the ballot box? In answer to these inquiries you utter this language. 'I do believe that what was done was as illegal as it was wrong.' And then you try to make it appear that legal voters were deprived of their right of voting; and illegal voters allowed the right of suffrage. Now, Sir, how in the name of common honesty, could you make this assertion? Mr Bemis was moderator of the parish meeting. He did not allow either yourself or Mr Ross to vote, because he had examined the laws of the State and found that you were not legal voters. He allowed Mr Hartwell to put in his vote, because he was a regular member of the parish, and although he had been at work in Nashua a short time, his family and home were here, and he was as much entitled to this right as any other member. When the council was assembled for the dismission of Mr Harding, you had this subject brought up for their decision. There were three orthodox ministers and at least one orthodox lawyer among the number. Mr Bemis stated the facts and explained the law; and they decided that the parish vote was legal; that is, that no legal voter was deprived of his right of suffrage, and no illegal voter allowed to cast in his vote. All this you knew. How then could you make the above assertion, and try to impose upon weak minds by talking about the laws? How could you declare that you should state only such facts as had come within your personal knowledge? "I hereby certify that the above statement of Mr Whitman is ISAAC BEMIS." true. 4. In relation to the same subject you make the following assertion. I had been a member of the parish for years.' What could induce you, Sir, to publish this downright falsehood? Your business, the past year, has not surely been so pressing as to prevent your looking at the parish records, and ascertaining the correctness of this statement. The truth is, you was not a member of the parish until 1825, the very Spring Mr Harding was dismissed. I have the book before me, and am utterly astonished at your hardihood. Oh! how could you honestly declare, that you should state only such facts as had come within your personal knowledge? "I hereby certify that the above statement of Mr Whitman is true, according to the parish records. THOMAS GORHAM, Parish Clerk. 5. You next intimate that you had borne your part of all the parish expenses.' This is another falsehood equally unfounded and glaring. When the assessors were employed in the chamber of Mr Crehore's store in making out the tax bills, in the Spring of 1825, you happened to pass along. Mr French, one of the number, stepped out and asked if you would be assessed; you replied that you never had paid any parish tax in Waltham, and should not if they assessed one. Mr Stearns, another of the assessors, remembers the fact distinctly, and within a few days he has seen Mr French who says he is also ready to testify to this statement. Now, Sir, can you show any receipted parish tax bills? How then could you declare that you should state only such facts as had come within your personal observation. "I hereby certify that the above statement of Mr Whitman is true. NATHANIEL STEARNS." Mr Harding to remain, I You answer in these words, honorably obtained.' I will 6. In relation to the petition for asked how the names were obtained? 'I will only say that every name was not only say that many of them were obtained dishonorably, but I will explain how they were procured. One girl would write the names of all in the same boarding house on a little piece of pa per, and in some instances without the permission of the individuals concerned. In this way the names of some who had previously left the place were inserted. One of this number worked in the room of Mr Davis, whose certificate I present below. In proof of my assertions I appeal to two circumstances which you will not pretend to deny. First, you had the names of many who have uniformly chosen to attend Unitarian meetings. Of this I am certain; for I have just examined the original papers. And Second, you had nearly three hundred names; though the whole number of men, women and children, from three or four towns, who attend your meeting, has not since come up to this mark. If you call this an honorable way of obtaining names, you are welcome to your petitioners. "I hereby certify that the name of a Miss Smith was on the paper requesting Mr Harding to remain, who had been absent from this town some days before the paper was drawn up. TIMOTHY DAVIS." 7. In order to give all your assertions the appearance of truth, you have published an extract of a letter from P. T. Jackson, Esq. to Rev. S. Harding. Let us now see what Mr Jackson says in relation to this circumstance. These are his words. "As Mr Harding has chosen to publish my letter at this time, without consulting me, I feel at liberty to say that were I to have occasion to write him now on the same subject, I should express very different feelings and opinions from those which influenced me when that letter was written." Well, Sir, what feelings and opinions do you suppose Mr Jackson would now express to Mr Harding on this subject? Those of us who are acquainted with the circumstances in the case, can be at no loss to conjecture. For the benefit of strangers I will offer one word of explanation. Mr Jackson was the agent of the Manufacturing Company, and resided in Waltham part of the year. Dr Hobbs was the acting agent and remained here the whole time, neither of them attended Mr Harding's meeting, or troubled themselves about him so long as the people in their employ were satisfied. They heard a few complaints against him, because the people supposed they men. were desirous of his remaining; and they were desirous of his remaining so long as the majority of their workmen so wished. They occasionally heard, from Mr Harding or his friends, what he was doing for the benefit of the society. When the opposition commenced, they supposed it was composed principally of people disconnected with the 'factory; and as they owned the church, they wished their own people to be accommodated. Accordingly both these gentlemen, although of different religious views, actually exerted themselves to have Mr Harding retained, because they knew not the true state of the feelings of their own workAll this will serve to show under what impressions Mr Jackson's letter was written. As soon as they learned the whole truth on the subject, that the dissatisfaction was general, and that he was legally voted away, they wished for peace and harmony, and for the majority to rule, as they had ever wished. But Mr Harding remained, contrary to his written agreement, and did all in his power to foment division. And were Mr Jackson now to address him on this subject, I suppose the substance of his communication would be this. By neglecting to fulfil your engagement to the parish, and by the course you have pursued since your dismission, you have forfeited the respect and confidence of all honorable men.' 8. You speak of money being sponged out of the people to pay my salary. I am astonished that you should touch upon this subject. When people had fallen off from Mr Harding so that the Company were obliged to pay two thirds and three quarters of his salary, a law was made by the people themselves, which required all persons in the employ of the Company, to pay two dollars a year for his support. With this arrangement Mr Harding was satisfied, as the agent is ready to testify under oath; and all of you who have since seceded were delighted. The moment the vote of dismission was taken, according to agreement, you raised a dreadful noise because the same rule was still continued in operation. It was all right to make five hundred Unitarians pay for the support of Mr Harding; but to make one hundred Orthodox pay for the support of a Unitarian was extortion and tyranny. For your own credit, for consistency's sake at least, I should advise you to allude to this business no longer. So long as the law existed, it |