TO THE PUBLIC.
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1t IS to me an unpleasant task at any time to be compelled to appear before the public in my own defence; but more especially in my present state of i'll health. It is daty how ever, owe to myself and my friends on this occasion to say something in relation to a re- cent publication in the Arkansas Gazette. published by Mr. Woodruff of this place. It seems that Mr. Woodruff supposed he had en- closed and mailed fat the post office hefe1 on the 25th day of July, IA pieces of Territorial Scrip, amounting to S49, in letter directed to NIT. Tolleson, of Helena. Mir. Tolleson received the letter whole, sound, and undefa- eed, but no Scrjp.-Alr. Woodruff, about the same time, received letter from Mr. Woody at Cane Hill, purporting to contain or , notes, amounting to $40. This letter was all so received at this office by Mir. Woodruff, (as l am informed, )without any marks of violence upon it, but like the letter to Mir. Tolleson. 1t contained no money.

 heard nothing of this matter until the day before the publication made it's appearance, when wascalled upon in my sick room. by Mir. Woodruff s foreman with the manuscript ! copy. glanced over 1t hastily, and informed the gentlemen who brought 1t, that was then at the first ofthe affair.

 As soon asf was able to go the office com menced an investigation of the matter, and found by reference tothe list of mails receiv- ed of that date, that there was but one letter from Cane Hill, and that charged Is3 cents

 postage, (the price of single letter.l Inext referred te tic Nay-bill of that date from

 Cane Hill and found that 1t corresponded pre-

 cisely vita the entry on the books. then

 called for he Book of Mails sent, and found

 there hut one letter directed to Helena. and that one marked, or charged 123 cts postage the price ofa single letter. was anxious to ferret out he fraud if possible, and devoted considerable time, sick as l then was, in ex-

 amining ani reilecting upon the subect.-I 1 ireasoned wth Mr. Woodruff upon the subject

 and told hin l conld not believe otherwise than that b had enclosed 1t to some other

 one ot his correspondents. But he persisted

 to the last hat he had made no such mistake.

 1 however Hrote to Mir. Tolleson for a rer,l,n l of the lette,--it was enclosed to me and ;s now in my possession; and if 1t ever covered

 one piece otScrip will forfeit all my claims to honor antruth. It is a small letter writ

 ten upon tin letter paper, folded about IA inches shoter than scrip, and not quite so

 wide, (unles estrimmed close.) I made an ex- hibition of to the public, who believe con

 cured witlme without dissenting voice.

 Mir Noodnff came to the office and pres- ented tito i'm, and he was constrained to aa-

 init that hehad likely been mistaken.

 | was nc so unchartable as to believe Nr Woodruff esigned an attack upon this Post Office Or uon me. I knew no cause for fl. and hoped hat ss his next next pai,er it. would have had 1e magnaniniiy to publicly ac- knowledgehis own error. and thereby take oil the oblquy, which might otherwise rest on the Pot Masters and their Deputies on that route. But he failed to do So for two or three week; and not then, until the notice taken ofth terror by the other two papers of this place-and even then his admission of