Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1836-08-10
White Pigeon Township, Aug. 9, 1886.

IL They who may look for any reply from us,
to the scurrous attacks, with epithets peculiar
to themselves that the serfs who guido some of
the presses in the land may lavish upon us, must
look in vain. Such ephemera may batten in their
own filth the magnitude of their folly must be
swellcd by their own records-not by the addi-
ton of any registering of ours. With the steady
purpose of carrying out the theory of our docla-
rations by watchful practice, that through all
the storms we may have to encounter, land there
are loud premonitions of one approaching,) on
the rough seas of party politics, we intend to
cure prudence enough at the helm to guide our
barque clear from all the shoals, sawyers and
sandbars of party scurrity and petty vitupera-
ton. We hold tho moral obligation 10 be just us
sacred in conducting the public press, as in the
intercourse between man and man, that any dis
torton of the truth, any suppression or misstatc-
ment of facts--,oiM Diew to deceiue or mislead
the public minds A VIOLATION OF THE MOST
SACRED OBLIGATIONS OF DUTY, not only; but an
insult to the understandings Of an intelligent
community, and an act of vile treachory to their
liberties.
II is with these principles, that we have hith.
erto RETAINED, both in our original and selected
articles, from all defamation and disrospectful
language towards those opposed to the candidates
of our preference for office. In such a course
there is safety as well as comfort. Safety from
self condemnation--no goadings of conscience,
for having robbed any one of his good name
dispoling of no benefit to the pilferer, but rem
dering the loser poor indeed Consolation, that
we have not forfeited the solid respect of the can
did and intelligent, to gain the frothy applause of
the ignorant and bosterous portions of mankind.
If experience be teacher, whose lessons are
worthy of regard--then one who has been some
ten years through various party skirmishos, on
the battle grounds of politics, though but Just
awoke from few years retirement must be con-
sidered but bad scholar, not to have retained a
few'remnants from the past, for reflection and
beneficial Improvement. 1t having never been
our practice we feel no inclination to begin now,
to carry bludgeon to knock the ideas out of
other mems heads, for not running parallel with
ours. Some, though we hope not many, who
go ON with us in support Of Martin Van Buren,
for the presidency, may expect us to do part of
the dirty work of polting William II. Harrison
with the scandal and low cpithcts appropriately
belonging to the blacklegs at horse race, or the
jugglers at cock fight but they will find them
selves barking up the wrong troc'-wo not
the game they look for.
Candor and fair construction, are as equally
due from readers to editors, as from editors to
their readers. It was sound and truly liberal
remark of the late venerable sage of Monticello,
that every difference of opinion is not differ
ence of principle" and is tho best text for dis
course on Republican liberation, that can any
where be found. Hc even went so far as to say,
that error Of opinion may be tolerated, when
REASON is left free to combat It," But Mr.. Jof-
ferson was never known to debasc his reason, by
combating errors of opinion, with the vile wea-
pons of rant and blackguardsm. Though it may
sometimes happen, that in our desire to DO faith
full, statements may be made on defective autho-
rity or on supposed proofs, which finally fail
we shall embrace the first opportunity for ack.
nowlcdgment and ample correction; hoping to
meet in our patrons candor enough to DO salts
fed, that the publications were made under full
belief in their truth, and not from wantonness
and dscreditabo motives.
II has already boon remarked of our paper, that
il was moderately political ;--cANDrpLv political,
would be TO our minds a better phrase--for we
know not but we have as much warmth in sup.
port of our candidates, as any who are of the
most Jealous stamp for bitterness of expression
and hcradc Establishments. Ifsuch moderation