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which a Seymour and Blair staff has been erected. Certainly this is not an "ungrateful thing," as this fine company has been systematically ignored by the city government.

3d. The "Hope" has no flag displayed from its house: but there is one in the vicinity, flying from a staff planted on private property.

4th. It is understood, however, that the pole raised near the "United" engine-house was the offensive timber which stirred the bile of the patriotic Howell; and it fortunately happens here again that the facts are all against the "busy-body" who, using his own eloquent language, is now "cackling like a scared chicken" over the "rumored" indiscretions of our gallant firemen.

As we have said, the facts are all against Howell, which will be seen by the following brief statement.

Originally the "United" Fire company made a donation to the city of the lot on which its house stands; and presented the corporation with the first engine, reel, and hose which they used in the public service. The property is now held by the company under a lease, and the flag staff which stands near the engine house is planted on property over which the immortal Howell has not even the fractional control which his Mightiness seems to suppose he possesses by virtue of his accidental position in the Councils of Norfolk.

The "outrage," then, in this case is not the erection of the rebellious poles which shock the sensibilities of a white black man, but it is found in the insolent assumption by this fellow that the Fire Department had been, as such, converted into an engine to advance the interests of the Democratic party.

Here again the "loil" Howell is in error. The constitutions and by laws of our companies explicitly forbid the introduction of politics or religion into their meetings, and, as companies, they have not violated this rule.

On the contrary, it is within the knowledge of the present writer and several other gentlemen that application was twice made to Captain Lakin by the White Man's party for the use of the United engine house, and upon both occasions it was refused on the ground that the use of the property for political purposes was contrary to the rules of the company.

Now, after this statement of facts, we may well ask if our fellow citizens of the Fire Department are to be censured by an alien and "busybody" because, as citizens in a "free country," (?) they dare to erect poles which do not fly the ink-black banner, which is the flag of his idolatry?

Are we to have in this community the same theory announced which "General" Abbott recently proclaimed in North Carolina, when he said: "These people must know that we are their masters?"

And who is this Howell? Upon what cod-fish and onions has this our Radical Caesar fed that he hath grown so great as to take the tone he has assumed?

Again we ask, who is Caesar Howell? and echo answers - who?

Thank God there is no law in this state, as there is in North Carolina, to punish" a man for withdrawing patron-ge [[patronage]] from his avowed enemies!