Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-04-18


IN the newspaper journals, (democratic.) So the
matter stood until after the election leaving the
people to speculate and wonder on whom the lie
would tall-hs exceilency the governor, or the
bassador of Heavens dispatches. The election
came of; when Brownlow came out publicly with
| the same statements, and proved, by those who
were present when Jones made the statement that
he had made it as he (Brownlow) had detailed it.
And Jones has quietly pocketed the lie, and must
carry it while he lives. 1t will stick to him like
the poisoned shirt of N.cssus-a pretty brand ior
the chief executive 0-ncer of a sovereign state
wear! How does Tennessee bear her honors, with
fa!sehood branded de- 4 the forehe - her
supreme executv ter! "Oh, shame! W..
| thy blush :"
But mustHass to Ohio. Yes, sir: truth COM
pels me relr. lily 10 expose some frauds and for
geries pracscd in that state, which, for the honor
ofEy state, | would like to have forgotten. Some
three or four weeks before the election, commu-
nlcaton appeared in two of our journals simultane-
ously, over the signature of "Roorbqck," charging
COL Polk with branding his negroes on the back
with the initials of his name-"J. K. P"
Sir, one becomes bewildered almost when he
contemplates such an abandonment of every re-
gard for truth and moral obligation as is displayed
In such communication. 1t shows waltonness
and criminal daring on the part of the wretch
who can presume so far to defy public opinion as
to be guilty of such outrage but thereaection
is still more Notifying when we can contemplate
a public state of morals abandoned and vitiated
as to tolerate such an outrage. When contenl-
plate the absence of all the virtues that toerates
such falsehood, and such black and damning
SANDER, we lose confidence in governmental and
political Institutions and we feel as five are unsafe
III our property, our persons, and in our reputa-
ton. We feel benighted, and as If we were thrown
into that state of heather darkness from which the
world was redeemed by Mediator.
This reckless Islander reminds me of pious and
talented divine, who, when speaking of the in
creased moral and religious obligations which our
redemption brought us under, and our often reck-
less disregard of them, in mercy to man we were
sometimes Involuntary brought to regret that the
star of Bethlehem led to the discovery of Redee-
mer.
: It is the duty of every member of society to DO
his part to preserve that state of morals public and
: private, which the christian religion imposes and
should they be neglected, and permitted to fall
e collaps into that state of darkness which even a
j., heather would loath, we are ali accountable, in
h proportion to the means and influences which are
d IN our power to maintain them When any people
= lose confidence in the laws to which they look for
protection, either in the enjoyment of their civil or
1t religious rights they discover that they have
< nothing either to fear or hope from Them. They
throw off all restraints, and immediate anarchy
n takes the place of legal regularity. The whole ma
chlnery of government, well civil as religious
n becomes at once d perfect wreck. Personal Sc
curity is the foundation of all governments: and all
# laws, whenever they fail to give that security lose
all obligations due to them and all duties and sub
>, missions to them are at an end; and with The over
d thfo" OF civil government, down goes your re-
, glous government. The former may stand for a
time without the latter, but the latter cannot stand
a without
II whether he be christian or mere mora]lst looks
70 upon his reputation the first object of the laws
Va care and projections and it should be the glory az
1t Is the boast OF our laws, to equally defend all
10 our citizens, high and low, rich and poor-as well
the character Of the most humble poor man as that
" OF him who occupies the most lofty station. But
o. when the character of him who is without stain.
m and whose position in society is such as to merit
s. the mostl lofty official position that man can hold by
it the Tree surages of twenty miionsof free people,
A. can be assaiied with the bightig and witber-
y, ing SANDER with mpunity, what seclrity can the
,r honest man in the humble walks of liz hone for 2
If When talsehood and detraction can spot with the
o. reputation OF the most reputable with sut wanton-
III ness and fearless etfontery, who is it thacan con-
is slider his reputation has a moments secuny If
bo age, the most lofty position, the most unpetted
character, and life devoted to the highest nerests
% oflts country, can find security from the ptson-
bo ed shafts of caumny, where is the inducemen to
in virtue and patriotism? One of the strongest maks
m OF the freedom of our institutions is tire freedomf
o the press; but was it ever contemplated by thos
or who made the freedom of the press a Fundamental
~ principle Of our republican institutions that
q should be used to defame and blacken the reputa
b tlcn Of those whom it mig choose to make its vic
tins by gloundless falsehood. The press, whel
he directed to the public good is the greatest blessing
of that free or enslaved people can enjoy !; Blu
tb when perverted to the base purposes of SANDER
falsehood, it is the most blighting curse that ca
he afiict nation. The press is lever that can NOV
an the moral and political world, either for good
nj for evil 1t shake and totcr the despos throne
he or ii can bring to slavery and chains free people
mel 1t can break the crosler or imprison the soul at
Re. will. All this it has done, and can do again.
All this country, can perpetuate republican inst
&C. tutlons, and spead human liberty still wider or
ion can overthrow both. Vi hen welded for good thel
MS is no despcts to arrest its progress. If vie
ion ded for evil it meet with no restraint but tn
en- dlsapprobatlon of the good and even those VIII
do express that Misrepresentation however exalted the
mo station, may be made to quail before 1t by rept
tltlon Gifts abused power. The newspaper Joa
on mails were formerly the medium through which u
60 lessons of morality virtue, and patriotism wei
9nJ taught to the people, and SO long as they were
vi voted to such holy purposes, they were held in
leir M ,hs,, 49, aa
cA the rules of faith in molals and patriotism b.
lse ', how changed They now feared as the reel
elai less and abandoned slanderer, and hated as ii
~ pander of falsehood ard detration. The press th
~ could lend itself for so base purpose the pub
on ~ "a 'io e.i"iSo oii ooohei o'N' 'isii,
ow. nooi ~ Il no' JFee nor can It's Eu.HcdAonS
ian regarded freedom of the press II is the has
me bought uinion of corrupt master; and such ha'
- been most of the federal presses since the pc
ia pie of this country commenced shaking of Il
IS trammels which the banks and other incorporation
:. If and monopoizing institutions had woven aronr
MD them. Freedom Of the press has almost become