"SAVE ME FROM MY FRIENDS."

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 830, 11 December 1878, Page 2

"SAVE ME FROM MY FRIENDS."

Farqvharson. We are terribly afraid of anonymous letters. There is so much blood and mystery about them. When an individual is afraid to confront you and identify himself with, his own opinions, either because he is ashamed or them, or cannot put them into an intelligible form, and wishes his want of respectability or incapacity to be attributed to other persons in the community in which lie lives, he resorts to anonymous writing, When an individual wishes with impunity to offer an insult to another that he knows would ensure wellmerited punishment j he wraps himself up in the cloak of anonymity. He gives a moral stab in the dark ; and is just as much a coward as the assassin who, creeping stealthily up to his victim, stabs him froiji the back. Our correspondent has been honored with an anonymous note, the matter of which we reprint below ; and, if he gains no other advantages from being "QurOwn," he has, at all events, secured the pleasure of having trod upon the toes of somebody, and produced a little excitement. 33ut we should think that ther'e is another person who is the subject of some

excitement—although perhaps not so pleasant—if we may judge from p'j tone of the note. Not that we mean (C.. Mr. Farquharson wrote the note. : should imagine that he would not be ,1 foolish as to do so ; and, moreover that I' would not even consent to the " friend feeling of some enthusiastic admirer beLlet off in such a manner in his belQ The diction is most disgraceful; as q graceful a3 the ebullition of temper, j.. the low, vulgar, ignorant tone display in the note. Mr. Farquharson shoVj offer a reward for the apprehension of t;. person or persons who have conspired .'" do him an injury by making use of v, name in such a manner. This is the referred to :

" Livingstone, Tuesday morning, " " Sir, —We are truly obliged to youf. : , the able way you painted Mr. Farquhi; son's character in the Evening Ma.il. §. much for your gratitude. You shoe';; have been the last to turn round on hi>; Both him and I always proved your friet* when occasion permitted, and took yet!"' part often ; so that is our thanks. Or, of your statements I will contradict : tht is writing to Mr. Sui»,pter privately. J is not true, for I was, present when ft. said letter was written. It was writtf; at the suggestion of the Chairman of 1; Committee, who also was present. J pleased to return my book or my mons; which ever you choose, as I do not inte; to put another sixpence in your way wit you are on this place. There is not 01 on the place put more in your n ; than we did, and I will take not to forget your grateful disposition There is a certain pseudo-mystery abc; the matter slightly bordering on t';. ridiculous, but the letter bears in it matt of a profound genius [Hear, hear, hear.. Ed. E.M.] to say nothing of the Christ!; spirit it breathes. I cannot but admi> the courageous stand taken by H> Farquharson's defender, and should th individual have condescended to favor j. with his or her name my gratitude cov!: have had no bounds. [That is juat wh the writer feared.] Any attempt, howevs on the part of an humble person lit myself to reply to such a brilliant effusi;; would be little short of presumption. ; therefore content myself, Mr. Editc; with asking your advice in relation to tb matter. —I am, &c., " Your Own Correspondent, " Livingstone." [Our advice is, let the matter rest whe, it is. The remarks contained in the ncj speak loudly for themselves in a dirt: tion anything but creditable to tiwriter. The threats of ruin and oth; dreadful things little short of annihfi tion need cause our correspondent h little anxiety and few sleepless nighu A man possessing the power and abife to work such damage to a man whom 5 has set up as an enemy, would do it, at; say nothing about it, even anonymously Whilst we would thus advise " our own,' we would recommend Mr. Farquharson t: seek out his "friend" and champion and although perhaps he might not b. able to bring an action against him {<:; defamation of character, he might otha wise shew his appreciation of hia conduct We feel sure that •'-qui - - own" will m feel jealous, when we say that we sjj: ■ pathise more strongly with Mr. Farquhi'. son than we do with him. —Ed. E. M.]