Transcription for the above image(s):
[Page 63]
In defense of her work she fought a good fight. This one she
won--later.
[Article 1]
Mrs. Joe Person's [illegible]
ATTACK AND REPLY.
A short time ago, Rev. Dr. E. A. Yates, of Wilmington, wrote the subjoined
letter which was published in the Raleigh Evening Visitor. The
attack coming from such a source demanded a reply, and Mrs. Person, in
justice to herself publishes below both the attack and reply:
THE ATTACK
Correspondence of the Raleigh Evening Visitor.
WILMINGTON, April 17.
DEAR VISITOR: This seems to be a day of pretentious humbug, and
unfortunately the hum of the bug seems to be in the direction of
the established order of the things; things that have been approved by the
test of ages. There are certain great bulwarks of religion, civilization
and liberty, ending their expression in the physician, minister of the
gospel, lawyer and school teacher, against which the isms and humbugs of
the day dash their waves. Society is especially interested in having these
bulwarks properly supported. We may concede honesty to a man, and, at the
same time condemn his reasoning, who, because he has run upon a small
island, persists in his claim to have discovered a continent.
Yesterday, an advertising pamphlet was thrown into my yard. It contained a
handbill stating that Mrs. Joe Person’s medicine was extraordinarily good.
I concluded to buy some; but looking at the pamphlet I discovered a tirade
of abuse of the Raleigh physicians. The effort seems to have been made to
force the Raleigh physicians to notice the patent medicine mentioned
above. They properly refused to do so and hence their names are spread
abroad in this pamphlet as deceivers, and if what this villainous pamphlet
says be true, scoundrels! Who believes that Haywood, Hines, McKee, Royster,
McGee, and others are such men as this pamphlet makes them? And if not,
what shall be said of such attacks as these upon men without whom society
would be poor indeed! I determined not to buy the medicine, of course; for
I saw that there must be something rotten in Denmark. For why try to rise
by pulling others down? Why force a great principle as maintained by
physicians for the good of society to yield to the claims of a secret
remedy even if it was discovered by a woman? If it is good in itself, push
it properly. Good is a unit. It is not divided against itself. There is no
necessity for abusing physicians. Besides, it shows the cloven foot at
once; for that cannot be good that tries to force itself over the levees
of civilization, and that would inundate society with free doctors, lynch
law, free love, sans religion, sans virtue, sans
virtue, sans everything.
Yours as ever,
E. A. YATES.
[Article 2]
[illegible]
Dr. E. A. Yates, Minister of the Methodist Church, Wilmington, N.
C.:
DEAR SIR: I have just seen the Raleigh Evening Visitor of April
18th, in which appears your personal attack upon me.
1st. Your attack was uncalled for – a copy of the “Villainous Pamphlet,”
was, weeks ago, mailed to each of the Doctors you go so far out of your
way to defend – months ago, they read the article to which you take such
violent exception and they have always treated me with the respect and
courtesy due a lady from a gentleman. I submitted the statement to the
principal ones concerned – Dr. Jas. McKee and Dr. McGee – for their
correction and approval, before it was sent to press, and I am at a loss
to discover why you should have constituted yourself the champion and
defender of the professional honor of the Raleigh Doctors, when they are
all alive, and so fully competent to take care of themselves. I DENY that
I have ever uttered one word of abuse against the Raleigh doctors, or any
other members of the Medical Fraternity, and had I done so, the
complaint should have come from them – not you.
2nd. Clothed in your ministerial garb, you have uttered a slander, which,
divested of it, you would never had dared to utter.
3rd. Your attack was upon one, quietly pursuing the vocation which duty had
assigned her – one who never did you a harm – you dealt a blow calculated
to injure one you thought powerless to defend herself. Had you turned to
the back of that same pamphlet, for references for my personal
reliability, you would have found as high names as Carolina can afford –
if they are unknown to you, let me ask you to write to Col. Thos. C.
fuller, of Raleigh, write to Dr. G. W. Blacknall, Mr. John Nichols, Gov.
Jarvis, Dr. Eugene Grissom, Raleigh, write to my minister, Rev. R. B.
Sutton, D. D., Kittrell’s; write to your brother, Mr. W. J. Yates,
Charlotte, may more; write to the Raleigh Doctors; ask any or all of them
if you had ANY RIGHT to use my name in connection with the closing clause
of your attack, and I am confident a sense of honor and right will cause
you to offer me the amende honorable, and to acknowledge through the
columns in which your attack was made, that it was unjustifiable and
wrong.
I am, very truly,
MRS. JOE PERSON,
April 29, 1884.
Charlotte, N. C.
Addenda
