Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-10-15
The Estrny Laws.

MEssRs. EDIToRs From certain notices which
have lately appeared in your paper it appears that
some OF your brother editors feel sore at the list of
estrays being advertised in the State Sentinel in pre-
ference to their papers, to their being distributed
through all the papers in the State. Whence does
this soreness arise From all the consideration that
have been able to give to the subject it can arise
from no other feeling than that Of envy. They ina
CINE that you derive profit from the advertise
ment, and they envy you that profit. They must be
aware that if that particular advertising were to be
distributed among the papers of the State, scarcely
perceptible gain would accrue to any one from it.;
but they meanly begrudge the accumulated profit
which in the course of year may arise to any ind-
vidual, however small it may be, and their envy is
excited in consequence.
These grumbling gentlemen (for gentlemen they
call themselves, however little of gentlemany feel
ing they possess) do themselves but little honor by
this exhibition Of their discomfort and would hum
bly, recommend it to them, for their own good for
their own responsibility in society, to be content with
such patronage as they obtain, and to cease to
encourage that worst of human passions, envy Lord
Bacon says of envy 1t is also the yilest affection and
the most depraved for which cause il is the proper
attribute of the devil" a ~ tf 2
/ do not know who these grumbling gentlemen
are, do wish 10 be at all acquainted with them
but would venture an even wager of glass of cold
water on warm day, of something stronger If
you like, that there is not among them who does
not according to his professions labor most tremen-
dousy for the public veal. The interest of the dear
people is all that he cares about or thinks oe For
their interest he gives up his time, his exertions his
talent %. For their sake he sits porting over his ex
change papers from sunset to cock-crowing in the
morning, and goes through such an amount Of labor
as would cause Hercules himself to quail. Now
would ask each Of these very patriotic gentlemen
whether in his opinion the publication of the esays
ordered by law for the benefit of newspaper pro-
prietors, for the public goodthe good of that pub
lie whose interest they profess have so much at
heart! If it intended for the benefit of propr-
etors of newspapers, their complaint is r;ght-they
ought to grumble, because some of them might clear
much by the advertisements in year would
supply them with tobacco for week, provided they
chew moderately; but if it is intended for the public
good, it must be evident to every (he above
toned grumblers excepted) that such an advertise
ment ought always to appear in the same paper
and ought always to be continued in the same paper
whatever its politics, under all changes of the admin
istration.
My horse strays. 1t seldom occurs, believe, when
horse chooses to go from home aone that he leaves
word which way he has gone; and where am | to
look for him, In open country like this he may
wander through several counties before he be
taken up. If then The estrays are advertised in a
paper which is published in the county wherein they
are taken up, may look in vain in my own county
paper to find him, and may have small trouble in
seeking the advertisement And if the whole list be
advertised in rotation in each paper in the State the
difficulty would not be diminished. go, but" the
grumblers will say, copy of the paper containing
the list is always to the county clerks and can
always be seen at their Offices" True, gcntemen and
whilst l either subscribe to the paper appointed by
law to advertise estrays, know of one of my
neighbors who subscribes to it, so that can have i'm
mediate access to the list by the constant transition
of the advertisement from paper another, am
to be treated to ride or walk of it may be some
fifty sixty miles, in order find it at the clerks
u.fce.
Let these grumbling envious gentlemen be con-
vinced that the law is with regard to the estray
list it is best; and let them be advised not to nure
their characters for beralify and patriotism more
than they have done, by exhibiting mean, sordid and
pitiful spirit of envy in the strife to obtain what if
they enjoyed it on their terms, would merely
bring them profit scarcely palPabe.
BOB LOGIC.