“For the Spy”

Date

2-8-1812

Newspaper

Western Spy

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 3

Newspaper Location

Cincinnati, Liberty Hall

Serial Number

529

Abstract

Article that critiques coverage of earthquakes in Cincinnati Liberty Hall. Accuses them of undercounting earthquakes and exaggeration of effect of quakes at New Madrid. Note that the Western Spy has reported more and more accurately that the Liberty Hall.

Transcript

FOR THE SPY. Under the head 'Earthquake,' in last Liberty Hall, the fears of its editors appear to be 'tremblingly alive' to consequences that may result to the good name of their foster town Cincinnati;--'We feel it a duty' say they, 'to advert to a publication in the Western Spy of Saturday last, in which it is stated, that for three weeks after the 16th ult. one or more earthquakes were felt every day; and that, with intervals of one or more days, they had been constant down to the 25 th inst. during which one occurred and "others were expected!" They next confidently announce, that 11 shocks, only, have been felt here since the earthquake commenced.-Now, Messrs. Printers, I have no hesitation in appealing to the discerning part of this town for the general truth of your statements, and whether they have not, in the aggregate, experienced more than thrice that number of shocks. Citizens of Cincinnati, and its vicinity, respectable for their number and intelligence, their dililgence and accuracy of observation, and not less anxious for 'the truth to be told' than the editors of that paper, all concur (with slight shades of difference inseparable from the peculiarity of the subject) in believing your statements to be generally correct. But, Messrs Printers, I well remember, that, at two different times, when yellow fever appeared in N. York and Philadelphia, its existents was strenuously and fatally denied for some weeks together--aye, and by many of the healing faculty too-fearful the character of their darling cities might suffer, and themselves become unpopular--til at length it could no longer be concealed. Thus were wantonly sacrificed hundreds of lives, which might have been saved by a timely flight from the seat of pestilence-and thus narrow prejudice, fortified by avarice and self interest, warred against humanity. Do not imagine, for a moment, that I am impressed with a sense of imminent danger to this town, or its inhabitants, from any convulsions that may threaten it at this time; believing as I do (and as every mortal, blessed with common sense and reflection must believe) that Cincinnati is not in the focus of this grand operation,' Facts already known are opposed to it. In regard to three words above-"OTHERS WERE EXPECTED"-and which the editors have sneeringly selected and enclosed between double quotation marks, it is only necessary to say, that the expectation has been realized. As the charge of exaggeration, on our part, appears to be one of the objects of the publication in view, let us now see on whose side the exageration lies. In Liberty Hall of the 29th January; there was given an account of the Earthquake as it appeared, on the Mississippi between N. Madrid and the Chickasaw Bluffs, taken from a letter to this place, of which that account professed to be the substance, Millions of trees! are made to start from the bottom of the river during one of the concussions.-Now, sirs, I myself have perused that same letter, and can positively affirm the word millions is not to found throughout the whole of it.-But I am disposed to cavil. You have already published an abstract of that letter, methodically digested and correct in substance. VINDEX. January 30, 1812.

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