To A. W. Hogg, Esq.,

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2090, 8 July 1887, Page 2

To A. W. Hogg, Esq.,

Editor Wairarapa Star.

(Open Letter, Mo 2 )

Sib, —In my previous letter to you I concluded as follows :

" Exercise, I pray you, a little charity and cultivate those qualities which distinguish rational mao from irrational brute.'' When I wrote those words I had no hope that they would work any great reformation in you. I have not been disappointed. Still, 1 have not been altogether unsuccessful- Your leader in the ‘ Star’ of July 2, is unique in its way —it is slightly more decent than usual I You wisely, though not bravely, devoted your more objectionable style aud grosser epithets to the ' Observer.’ You make, however, one grave error regarding my first letter—a mistake natural in a man of your mental calibre—you mistake mv politeness for weakness, Sir, 1

■. mw no mau on earth 1 fear less than your--elf. I will tell you why. The knowledge may be useful to yon. First, then, you are unable to argue. You think epithets are arguments. Let ms make this clear. My previous letter to you was perfectly courteous and calm, yet you call me a " windbag” aud say 1 "rave.” Then, as excuse for these Hoggiau elegancies, yon assert that I strut in my ••journalistic capacity under a variety of disguises." These three mere assertions settle the matter —in your mind. My good sir, it is your readers you have to couvmoe not youtsolf. Youi readers do not regard you as inspired. You must prove to them I am a windbag and that I rave. Do not you see the difference now ? But, still proceeding on your unproved assertions, yon declare I called you an " ignorant bullying boor." Here yon drop into another pitfall. Do you suppose lam the only pressman or other person who holds von in low esteem f Why, in the Wairarapa—the only place yon are known—l have heard, I regret to say, scores of persons nse fat stronger epithets regarding you than ‘ ‘ ignorant bullying boor.” Bnt had you the faintest knowledge of literary matters yon would see that '* Wellington Watchman ” and myself ate aa different in style as possible. Yon should reason more and assert less. You are the victim of a fatal and ungrammatical fluency. Yon suffer from a dysentery of bald assertions. Correct this. • • •

No sit, yon are not a favorite in the Wairarspa. This is tbe mote unfortunate because yon arrogate tbe position (vide your leader July 2) of Hogmaster General of the manners and morals of Wairarapa North, Now, for snob a position, a person should be goodtempered, talented, truthful, bonest and well educated. The people of tbe Wairarapa say you possess none of these qualifications, they scoff at your loud professions of honesty, independence and lofty motives. When you profess virtue they say you have an axe to grind ; when you profess very loudly, they assert the axe is very blunt. I may or may not agree with this. I am free to confess, however, that I have ever found the people of tbe Wairarapa a sbrewd discerning folk. In any ease, were your “ principles " and " honesty ” for sale. I should desire to purchase them at my valuation and sell at your own. The profit would be large.

1 do not fear yon, in the second place, because yon have not a good memory—l prefer to put it so, it is more euphonic. I will give one instance of your bad memory— ex uno discs omnes. —In February 'BS I lectured in Masterton, You were present; 1 invited discussion, yon sat very still indeed. After I left, yon wrote from that damaged memory of yours a report. In that report, acting with your usual honesty, you placed certain offensive expressions in my mouth —which I had never used and which you knew I have never used —and then proceeded to dilate on my vulgarity and coarseness, end so continue to do. That is not tbe point, however. This is. On or about 18th Febiuary, ’BS, the following appeared in tbe ' Star ’ with reference to me

“ We consider that neither in wit, argument ability or (sic) valor is he a credit to the Freethinkers of New Zealand.”

Well, eir, in 188S, I had no paper in which to reply to yon. You were cafe in Coward’s Castle. I came up to Masterton therefore to f ioe and cmtradiut you. I invited you to a tend my lecture. Unformed you I would castigate you for untruth. Sir, you remained away. Ton were discreet. But iu June, 1887, I bad a paper iu which to reply to your ornate fables, and so iu Jnne 30, 1887, you write me: “ A man of ability and education.’'

Sir, yon are exceedingly discreet. Out do you not peroeire that gentlemen of your trade— professional economizers of the troth —should have remarkably good memories 7

Thirdly, Ido not fear yon because yon are no critic. You have neither the education

nor knowledge necessary lor the office. 1 have never seen an unfavorable notice of any

of my lectures in any New Zealand paper except yours—the • Star.’ Every other paper has spoken of my manner and matter in flattering terms. Possibly they were wrong —yoq right. Still, Ido not think yon are a critic because, after dilating in ’BS upon my ignorance, coarsaoess, and want or ability, you wrote:

“ There was a good attendance and the lecture created a good deal of fun blatphemy calculated to shook although owing to the lecturer indulging in an astounding display of levity and rather and amute thoie, (fee., (fee., &o.’'

This is not a very critical notice, is it! The italicised portions read qneerly, eh I Then, sir, in the ' Observer’ you really continually mangle language in a blood-curding manner. For ius'anoe, you try to make Oemini, the twins into Gmninis the—twinses. There is a vulgar prejudice against this. You should carefully esehew foreign phrases. In unaccustomed bands they are liable to miss fire. They might hnrt yon. But you are not much of a critic, are you ?

Fourthly I fear you uot because you ate neither honest nor brave. I will give one instance. I can give a score. You say in your leader of July 2:— “ Had we imagined . . that the Freethought platform was sorb an unstable and altogether wretched structure that our reference to ” Ivo's " new occupation would place him in the position of Othello we should certainly have he} 1 our hand." This was in answer to ray letter, Did I

say anything about you damaging me on the Freetheagbt platform ? Yon know I did not. Yon know 1 alluded (o my with Mr Nation. You know i nave pended upon the Freethooght platform for my living. Why then did and do you drag in the Freetheagbt platform ? X will tell yon, because you (bought it would create a prejudice against the Standard. You have dragged the name of Qod through your columns of tilth te serve your base and pitiful purposes in an election squabble. Yon even parodied the most beautiful psalm in the bible and talk of my profanity 1 Mr Hogg, you are one . f those—now happily, rate persona—whenever remember your l)eity until you desire to use Him. What are you f A Christian or a Freethinker ? Come, you introduced religion into this discussion, not I. But be a man, declare what you are. But remember it you call yourself a Christian that many have heard you boast your infidelity, and that yon, with your vaunted " independence,” out to a Freethinker any position which yoe may have attained, A Freethinker mads you, sir; 1 would it bad been in his power to hare ■run nyou honest and manly. Bemeraber, ou the other hand, if yon claim bt » Freelijiuker every decent Freethink'i will disown you as a reneuade, Sir, you stand between tue Soy Hu "I ''hristians' contempt and the Charybdis of Freethinkers 1 scorn. Yon run with the hare and hunt with the hounds ; you sell your noble " principles,” your •• honesty ” and “ independence ” for a fiveshilling advertisement. You taunt me with my religious opinions because you know (bat

I am your superior—and that is not landing myself extravagantly. Tee, sir. your superior in ability, courage, argument nnd true independence, and aa yon dan not lace and fight me on our respective merits, you attempt to sub me in the back Tie the bravo . trick the world over. You are too late m the world’s history. With more honesty Ton might have made an inferior of the Inquisition ; with more courage a persecutor of Covenanters. Forsaken by fate, bom two hundred years or more after your proper era, you are-the editor of the ’Star’ and jcu. name is Hogg. 1 am. <kc., J. Evison.