New-York tribune., 1841-12-11

or Eo.Yrse-Unab!c, "e Pres1"'
.l.e,v.. in any more innocent and
.hsre are sundry characters among
- themselves in manufacturing the
,..t Astonishing news their imasina'i0n' ca" '0N
".,.., nd sending it Post-haste 10 the Editor OF
n.w,Daper-renerally selecting the least
.a.re,,able-in hopes 10 see il fly through the
t.,d carving wonder or terror, they care not
which. in It's train. To this class belongs the
fabrication OF the n E Boundary News which,
but for its exceeding stupidity and the legible
falseLood it bore upon it. face, would have carried
alarm and consternation throughout the country.
The Boston Mail which was made the instrument
Of :irs, spreading this contemplate lie, says;
"The New-York Tribune call. it most
absurd and wicked fabrication" 1t may indeed
have been absurd but We ds not find any thing
n,r,icularlv aricEsd abou, il, beyond that which
a-ra.he. TO any other fiction. The author. who
ever he il, probably got it up for mere sport or
pa.tirne; and though we happened to be the more
immediate object OF his Pranks, We DO not perceive
,ha, We could help the matter by getting angry
about it
The Mail here plainly declares that there Is no
difference in point of morality between deliberately
forging falsehood, wkich may cause inhriie mise
~. and spreading it far and wide, and scribbiing
a fictitious tale which does not Pursort to be true,
and 10 which no one can for moment attach any
importance If this is the principle upon which
the Nail make. up its news we shall hereafter
know how much dependence TO place upon lts
statements pleasant and right commendaole
fiction indeed, it is-that pitched battle has
taken place between the standing armies OF two
oreat nations at peace with each other that
some thirty or forty men have been killed and
that thi. Is but the first step 10 general war be-
tween them. Had this alarmiHg tale been fully
credited, as its author intended it should be, does
the Mail suppose it would have been without effect
upon the business, and the happiness of the ma
,ionl And can it see nothing wicked IN tins
utter disregard Of historical truth and in this com
pleic Indifference to the welfare OF the couatry
If Mr. Joseph Fairbanks, or any other common
liar. had told this alarming story rra roce to the
Editor Of the Mail, insisting sobsrly upon It, truth
he would undoubtedly have pronounced him "a
Sase wretch, and might have thought i. worth his
while to get angry abou, it, but whom ne sits down
deliberately, concocts carefully his ie and through
the columns of the newspapers, gives ii currency
there is no especial harm done; it is nothing but
hoax and is rather deserving OF praise as a mark
of ingenuity, than censurc as an act of black and
wilful falsehood.
We nre having by far too much of this of late
This same pleasant hoaxing is sinking and de-
grading the character of the newspaper press as
faithful herald of buay world. These journals
have already become almost the poorest Authority
that can be cited for the truth falschood of any
statement, and if the newspaper morals of the
Mail are to prevail, they will soon deserve all the
contempt and distrusi the judicious are disposed
to bestow upon them.