Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-22

".sFsei Vairs. Iysu Aars IL noil' VIVA, matt
ters deeency, where there is no virtue Was II
given TO hide the lo,,hsomeness OF vee' or a,
dupery, to set off the charms OF what is pure Is
it be the ally Of wha, might really, but for con
vsn,onl propee,y. walk abroad in its honesty. with
ou, shame because without i'll or 10 it to lend q
meri,rieous veil what, bu, for the covering, dare
not meet the day
There is sort Of morality that seems built upon
those good lessons which Dir Joseph Surface gives
to Lady Teszle, in the School for Scandal" The
best way to preserve ones character The tells her)
10 to part, ct once, with tina, unguarded honour
which, as il is concious of nothing wrong, takes liz
tie care of mere appearances. Get rid Of your viz
tue, and you will Immediately become vastly cir
cumspect about its semblanec.
The Surfaces OF the Presa are, since Dickens
strc ures, pra,ins much, in this way, and moralzng
about the ndeceney Ct the American Newspapers.
If they will make themselves HeSxsr, they'll soon
find themselves sufficiently msnded as to deceney,
and doing, at Tic same time. much good to that OF
others. in provoking them less to abandon il.
To all such, We recommend that rather manlier
lecture, which Two Editors OF high character, and
strdious, therefore, Of something better than de-
csney give in ;hc following remarks. The Peters
burg InieiIigsnesr pre6xes to an eIuac, fiom the
Lynehburg Yuginian, the comments which we
quote:
DECENCY OF THE PRESS.
"Thsre is a ee,tain class OF Editors in the United
States who set themselves up os CsnserS .horuni,
aud are much in the habit of reading lectures on
"decency" "dignity,' and Courtesy" Sc. SC, to
THAR contemporaries. This class may DC subdvi
ted to their character. One portion consists of
10. .k.ss L..
billy SOFT oil men, who move through the world as
Il they were treading on eggs. These digaitaries
never eondesccnd call things by their right
names. Not for the world would they compounds
iAsir dignity by scaling spade spade" When
,hsy speak of strumpei, they they term her an
unfortunate woman"-a pick pocket they call
ga csxterous operator"-and a rogue, who robs the
I'LL Of the Bank or Merchant by whom he is en-
ployed, is ginserly designated as "jefaul,er."
The other subdivision is composed Of those who
prate loudest of the value of dignity because they
themselves have not the minutest particle of It. Like
;he thIti, who wishes TO divert attention from him
sell, they arc most active in raising the Hue and
Cry; and when they are most given to the use OF
undignlfed and INDIGENOUS language; they are most
prompt to give lectures TO their neighbours on de.
cercy and dignity.
10 this last subdivision, truth requires u. 10 rank
our neighbour of the Richmond Enquirer.
We have no wish 10 say harsh things about this
digniary, TO wound IN The slightest degree thlt
self love which IS his chief characteristic II ne would
only respect his ov oge, and act with the dignity
and gravity which We have right 10 expect from
one who has lived as long he has in goad society
We should carefully abstain from saying one word
WHICH could 6stg!b his contemplation Of his
ing stones At his neighbours Windows we cannot
help advising him to procure good strong shutter
blinds for his Own; foe. be may rely upon IT, that
long 1s he leaves his glass in the expo condition
IN which !; Is at present, an occasional stone will be
hurled at il.
The nnne Ysd m m ,rs nh f,orn ,ha r kk,. W
sinisn, we are of The opinion, will convince MIR
Rrehle that our advice is worthy Of his attention..
The VHginian's stone breaks good many of the
Erquifer's panes
Some time since tic Enquirer extracted an atti
Gle on dignity" from Pennsylvania paper and
dedicated" 1t TO the Wing Press OF Virginia, with
hope that would profit bY the lessons incu cat-
ed. On the dedication" which reminds US Of a
drunkard's ndmontIon about sobfiety, the Virgin
ian remarks
"But We mus. protes, against ,hs spiri. and the
temper IN which the Enquirer, filling TO profit 10y
the example IL much applsudu, transGrfs this ex>
ree! TO us eolumns II 'dedichtes IL TO the Wings
Of Vitginia,' as Il The Wing press wers alone cen
sdfable for breaches of courtesy. And yet, in Its
comments, 1t is itsefso regardless OF decency as 10
adopt tho sanderous impuia:ion fihe Madisonian.
that they The Wing presses Of VaI require fumiea-
ton before admission into our fames-they must
serve long quarantine before they reach unianted
PAGES The impulatlon IS Itself untrue,-ai lea 81
when made in such broad aud general terms But
even II u were 10 some ex entuue affirm that the
remark 70 not less applcabs TO the presses OF the
Enqnret's party than TO its opponents. Nay we
strike little higher, oLd say, thai, notvithsiand-
ing all Mr. Rtehe's homilies nbou the Jsoity and
deeeney' Of the press, editor is more regardless Of
his preeepis than their author. And for proof OF |
this VIC might refer TO his Columns for the las, six
or eight weeks IN which, more than one occasion
language OF the eoaTsest vIiupefaton has been ems
poYed-and not always in "sef defence" either
why tten, does he dedicate the foregoing extrac,
TO "Ihc Wings Of VirsiniJ," and "rcpublish Il E,r
hs edIheation of,he Wing press Of Virgins" aon,7
We ssy to him, "Physieian heal myself" Do not
only tell US what It becomes US to do but let your
conduct be ~ accordance with your counsel. And
no one can doubt hat II tho Enquirer wide extend
ec s. IS Us influence, would assume tho virtue" of
which u is 90 much cnamoured Tin o,hers,) ire
lorm' would much more speedily DC effected, than
by tho daily repetition Of 10 lamentations over the
degradation Of the press and It's daily admonitions
10 10 conductors. IL has tried its advice long Q.
nousbi lot It no" sss what efFicasy there may be in
example"
'STANDi AND DELIVER