The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-07
THE UNITED STATES GAZETTE.

We would wish no stronger evidence that our
political opponents are conscious Of the badness
of the cause which they advocate than their un-
ceasing employ Of misrepresentation and abuse.
They know the value of the maxim propounded
by shrewd foe to Christianity, who told his
disciples never to hesitate at the invention and
publication of calumny. They know the
murky power of abuse in yelling weakness.
With good cause we are not driven TO the
employment of such weapons, though in crush
ing reptile, if he is any way noxious, we use
the instrument most appropriate for the purpose.
Some, which endeavor to annoy us, are too
harmless to attract even our notice.
We treated the imbecility of the Boston Cou-
rier as it deserved. Its buzz was innocuous.
We could not degrade ourselves so far as to re-
tort its vulgar epithets A careless quotation of
some Of its choicest phraseology was certainly
amply sufficient to demonstrate that its COM
ments on our arguments were utterly unworthy
of notice. We quoted them merely that our
readers might perceive what language our as
sailants employ. Whether the language is most
consonant with their habits, is merely the
substitute which weakness furnishes for argu-
ment, we will not undertake TO determine.
Violence of abuse and coarseness of epithet are
no eyer, at best, but miserable substitute.
Shrewder foes fight with the brighter weapons
of cool misrepresentation and polished calumny
The grossness OF the vice remains, but it is
covered by the thin polish invented by hypocri
sy. A lie however, is lie, no matter In what
ola of p,oU no cOuphpd and
BY what specious name the affectatlon of extra
ordinary politeness may call it-no matter whe-
ther it be only insinuated or boldly told. We
wish TO use no term to ears painfully polite, that
will offend by its harshness; but we must con-
TESS that we find in some of our contemporaries,
who pretend to great dignity and excessive can
dor, not only single passages, but even whole
articles, to which truth cannot but ap-
ply the harsh epithct which we have
penned above. We might select exam
pies and make running commentary in proof
of our assertion; but our labor would be dis
agreeable to ourselves, while it would but little
edify our readers, who we trust are, as we are
enemies to the maxim which holds all to be fair
in politics Semel mendax semper mendax, is
an old adage, which is at least safe in practice.
When we find one false statement in an article,
it is no bad rule to doubt the truth of all which
it contains-whether that statement is directly
made or cunningIy Implied.
The United States Gazette words sentence
with excessive caution, to convey the idea that
our paper is now sustained "by seven thousand
dollars subscribed in cash, and the large amount
paid in subscription by the Clay Wings of
Philadelphia" That any money has been sub
scribed Gin the sense meant by the writer in the
United States Gazette) for the Madsonian,
since it has been under our management, we
utterly deny that we have received any Phila-
delphia money for our, paper except from
our subscribers, we deny; that the Clay
Wings (even Office holders, and their name is
legon,) subscribe for our paper, we deny
the seven thousand dollars alleged by the United
States Gazette to have been subscribed in Phila-
delpha, or to the subscription of the Clay Wings
we deny That the vitality" of our paper has
been acquired from the 'seven thousand dol
lars" is pretty fancy of Mr. Chandler's-and
we leave him willingly to the enjoyment Of the
vision his Imagination has created. But the dis
righteousness which would convey to the mine
of the ordinary and unnterested reader belle
which is untrue, we must denounce as unworthy
orally enjoyed. An equivocaton is worse thar
direct misstatement The former is more dit