Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-07-03

:hus Be laden with the most horrible
ideas concerning men that he never saw,
and measures that he never heard of be-
fore; and will carry with him impress
sions unjust and unfavorable concerning
individuals who had no means of coun-
teracting Misrepresentation. The incl
dents of the last house thus furnish de-
posite for the next; when he receives
credit and a check for an additional
amount at a third: and in this manner
Incomes the instrument for spreading
sAnder oyer the state.
If it were required to supply the most
really means of dffusing the most malig-
nan SANDER throughout the whole state,
viii the least liability Of detection tor
the generators, and the east possibility
of redress for the sufferers could sug-
ges, no better plan, than to have about
three or foar tattlers in each county to
be located al the most suitable places on
the public roads, as the edge of prairies,
in some nominal village, sc. to keep
houses5f private entertainment. have
said ttttters, because many Of this class
in sdch situations do infinitely more mis-
CHEF than slanderers in others, but if
i've superadd the character of slanderer,
then, with such an opportunity, the
Father Of Liars might stand back in re-
spectlul Difference TO the power of one
OF his most trusty subjects.
Some Pretensions to responsibility, in
property, or in manners, would be ne
cessary to entitle their misrepresenta-
tons to more easy belief; and the arro-
gance of an upstart would be an addi-
tional claim to the Office, as his feelings
and his interest would give an additional
spur TO malice. If himself should be
engaged in active measures of interest,
or ambition, or any thing else which will
produce opposition, SO much the better;
for the more unpopular, the more hated;
and the greater rascal he is, the greater
will be his labor to make passing stran-
gers believe the most malignant lies con-
corning his opponents.
With such causes of SANDER, and such
means of diDusing it, how can the most
RESPECTABLE and the most Pure expect to
escape its venom: or what means shall
they employ for redress ? Must they
personally visit the hundreds among
whom falsehood is circulating, and re-
peat separately as many times the de-
NAL of the charge; or the explanation of
the circumstance, which would give it a
totally opposite coloring? This would
be task requiring the age OF Methuse-
leh to combat the stories of year; and
the misrepresentation of the conversa-
ton employed for that very object would
give rise to a new tour demanding Pc
Rod equal to the existence ofthe world;
and to correct these in return, might be
the employment Of an eternity. Shall
they make the public newspapers We
Mcle of their defence? Every week
might fill the columns of a paper with
matter, little interesting to the mass Of
readers, but which yet produces the
most destructive effects to the feelings
and peace of the individual as far as the
sphere ofhis connection extends. Must
the law be resorted to :? His time and his
money would be all expended for the
qualification Of exposing the rascality Of
men whose feelings would notbe touched
by the exposure. Besides, the law will
not give redress for expressions which
will injure mans character as much as
actionable ones. If man says that he
can prove his neighbor to be liar, or a
rascal, or cheat, OR ahypocrite, the law
is SO little jealous of general character
that the slanderer may go unpunished /;
but let it be stated that he lied once or
cheated once, the circumstances OF which
the assertor can prove, then the balm OF
the law can be applied to cure this
moschetoe bite in the character little
offences like little flies can be entangled
in the legal web while larger ones can
escape or break through. Shall the
sufferer then be obliged to resort to per-
sonal force? This might probably be the
best mode of redress in country where
character is valued according to strength
and agility, and prowess, and the possess
sor of these valuable properties is digni-
fed with the praise of being " much OF
man." But power and innocence do
not always accompany each other; and
when they do, the conflict itself would
generate thousand of the evils it was
intended to revenge. If there be no
more available means of redress, then,
the individual must make virtue Of ne
cessity and suffer in silence; or give
simply general negative, and challenge
the proofs Of his slanderers: and If the
world will take the just and righteous
position, always believe man inno-
cent until he is proved to be guilty
SANDER will soon hide her head in con-
fusion and dismay.'
| OLD FARMER.