If I could have gained more time I am sure he would not even have struck me.
It takes time both to form such resolutions and to recite them.

That time, however, I gained while thinking of my retraction, which I first wrote in pencil, altering it from time to time till I got it to suit me, my aim being to make it look like a concession to demands, while in fact it should tersely speak the truth into Mr.Winters' mind.

When it was finished, I copied it in ink, and if correctly copied from my first draft it should read as follows.

In copying I do not think I made any material change.
COPY.
To Philip Lynch, Editor of the Gold Hill News: I learn that Gen.

John B.
Winters believes the following (pasted on) clipping from the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE of January to contain distinct charges of mine against him personally, and that as such he desires me to retract them unqualifiedly.
In compliance with his request, permit me to say that, although Mr.
Winters and I see this matter differently, in view of his strong feelings in the premises, I hereby declare that I do not know those "charges" (if such they are) to be true, and I hope that a critical examination would altogether disprove them.
CONRAD WIEGAND.
Gold Hill, January 15, 1870.
I then read what I had written and handed it to Mr.Lynch, whereupon Mr.
Winters said: "That's not satisfactory, and it won't do;" and then addressing himself to Mr.Lynch, he further said: "How does it strike you ?" "Well, I confess I don't see that it retracts anything." "Nor do I," said Winters; "in fact, I regard it as adding insult to injury.