A CONTRADICTION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2157, 2 December 1875, Page 3

A CONTRADICTION.

To the Editor of the Advertiser, (Per favor of the Evening Star.)

Sir,—l see in your issue of this morning I am reported as having been present at the preliminary meeting for arranging tbe reception of His Honor Sir Qeo. Grey. I say this absolutely false, and you must know it. I was not there even in the spirit, let alone in the flesh, and the only reason I can assign for you having placed me there is to try to make me look ridiculous in the eyes of my fellow-citizens to suit some after-purpose of your own. I can fight against opinions and truth ; falsehood, combined with the power of the press, I cannot. I throw up the sponge, and at least die honorably. But suppose we analyse this great preliminary meeting a bit, and see who was there. Well, there was Dr Kilgour, I Understand he is coming out for the Assembly. There was Mr Robert Graham and Mr John Wilson; we will take the two as one ; thafc makes two so far; then.we have Mr Alex. Brodie ; well, Brodie likes these ttnngs;\ and then we have Mr McCuHough of the Star, and Mr Wilkinson of the Adyertiser—l suppose looking up a little business. So that take the two business men from the list, and it stands four people—practically reduced to three. Preliminary meetings I ofteu attend are generally got up by some dozen or so business people adjacent to the locality where the first idea,comes from, and then follows a public meeting— either to' accept, alter, or endorse the original idea. Hole-and-corner meeting I despise ; flunkyism, and eating the dirt of one's olten expressed political opinions much more so. I give second place to no man for my respect for Sir Geo. Grey as a straightforward, honorable English gentleman, well worthy of his name and title, but there I stop. I claim the right at any time to regulate my action so as to express my own political opinions equally with the highest in the land.—l am &c, John Butt.