John Webbe to Benjamin Franklin, December 4, 1740
As it is the indispensible Duty of every Man to defend his Reputation from unjust Calumny, I was, therefore , obliged to step forth to vindicate mine, from the injurious Insinuations in the Gazette . But, notwithstanding the Attempt to destroy my Character, on which my Livelihood entirely depends, I was extremely careful , in my Justification, to avoid running into any Matter, but what the Nature of the Charge (not less than a Violation of Trust) and a Self-Defence * rendered absolutely necessary . The Facts urged in my Vindication I endeavoured to set forth with all the Clearness I was capable of, without Artifice or a studied Perplexity; and, therefore, if there had been the least Misrepresentation, it could have been most easily detected. Facts so stated , and NOT DENIED , are, according to a universal Rule of judging, CONFESSED ; and therefore Mr. Franklin’s Silence is the highest Justification I can desire. While he continues in that Humour I shall suppress the Remainder of the Detection. This is a Kindness he could not reasonably expect at my Hands; Considering that he has since my first Letter, in Quality of Post-Master, taken upon him to deprive the Mercury of the Benefit of the Post, and will not permit it to travel with his Gazette , that charges me with the most infamous Practices. His Resentment against his Brother Printer is altogether unreasonable; for a Printer should be always acquitted from being a Party to any Writing when he discovers the Author, or when the Author subscribes his Name; except the other knows he publishes a Falsehood at the Time, which cannot be supposed to be the Case in Respect to what Mr. Bradford printed for me.
I take this Occasion to return him my sincere Thanks for the Opportunity he has so generously , so humanely , tho’ it was to his own Prejudice, furnished me with, of vindicating myself from the most scandalous Insinuations. But I presume he will not from thence assume to himself a Right of having me at his Mercy hereafter, and to spare or cut my Throat at his Pleasure. On that Presumption, I subscribe my self, with the greatest Gratitude and Respect, his most obliged, humble Servant,
John Webbe