152 



HISTORY OF H E E E F K D CATTLE 



The following is Mr. Chapman's reply : 

 Mt. Pleasant Farm, Clockviile, 

 Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 22, '56. 



Sir: In yours of the 15th inst., just re- 

 ceived, you ask if I put my hand on either of 

 your animals while in the rmg ? I answer. No, 

 sir — but for you to suppose that "my eye alone 

 was my judge" is simply ridieulous. I think 

 that the animals "in the ring" would not handle 

 materially ditferent from animals in their stalls. 

 And I endeavored to give all animals (cattle) 

 of any merit a good examination during the 

 three or four days previous to their appearance 

 in the ring. For you to feel so sore about the 

 decision of four such men as composed that 

 committee, setting aside myself, the fifth, I 

 thiuk, will lead you to injure rather than bene- 

 tit your herd. Eespectfully yours, 



S. P. Chapman. 



Wm. H. Sotham, Esq. 



My reply to the above: 



Owego, Dec. 26, '56. 



I received yours this morning, and in reply 

 must ask you one more question, which you are 

 bound as a gentleman and chairman of that 

 committee to answer. Did you put your hand 

 on either of my animals while in their stalls at 

 Philadelphia? Both my young men (students 



of mine), my herdsman and myself all know 

 you ; either one or the other, and more frequent- 

 ly two of us, were with the cattle; all four will 

 say you never entered "either stall" in our pres- 

 ence. When I ask your advice you are at liberty 

 to give it ; I will risk my herd myself, and I fear 

 no man. My object is to know whether you 

 did your duty as chairman, and you ought to 

 know, as a breeder, that is my right. If Mr. 

 Tainter is as rich as Golconda he is "no judge 

 of cattle." What you can say or do will not 

 injure my herd; it will stand the test under 

 sound judgment. 



I am, sir, yours, etc., 



Wm. H. Sotham. 



S. P. Chapman, Esq. 



I was perfectly satisfied Mr. Chapman did 

 not put his hand upon my cattle, and 1 waited 

 three weeks for his reply to this, in hopes of 

 getting something more in Mr. Chapman's own 

 "hand"-writing ; but I suppose he found out his 

 true predicament and declined to e.vpose him- 

 self further. Therefore I wrote him the follow- 

 ing letter: 



Owego, Jan. 16, 1857. 



Sir : As you did not answer my last letter, 

 I suppose you silently confess all I said were 

 facts you could not contradict; but as you pro- 



CITY OF HEREFORD AND THE RIVER WYE. 



