The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-20
A WARNING TO woRD-cATcHERs

WARNlNG III Wohb-Sh ASi'H''
The CouHHIEH DIES ErArs UHs has lately come out
strongly against our government and in favor oil
Mexico, Considering that the Courier is a foreign
journal, published in foreign language, and pro
fsssedly the organ Of foreign population this re-
suit is perhaps Natural. In view Of all the facts
we can indeed, hardly consider il as altogether IN
good taste. But we make no quarrel on this point
Within the last few days, however, the Coui't''
has taken to criticism and tells It's readers not o"P
that Mr.. Polk is an injudcious statesman Out 'Ha'
he has suddenly become bad writer Of Ehs"Sn' ="
well. The late Mexican message, ana eSPecioiiy
the Proclamation Of war, by no means Sa'sty the
Courrier's fasiidious taste in English style!
This is humorous. Sir Edward Sugden said of
Lord Brougham-whose encyclopedia requirements
are well known-"it is pity the Lord Chancellor
Ace, not know RnLs ehmesry lao, for then he
would have anailsing Of everything" Ii is to be
regretted that in the Office Of the Courier they do
not know little Of our language for then we could
saw of them, in TRUTH that they had sraitsrtng of
,v,rvthng .9,nsrieaa Not but what the Courier
makes sad blunders quite often--as when, for in
stance, after the nomination Of Mr. Dallas as Vice
President, it told It's readers that the democratic
marty had selected historical name to nscribe on
their banner in thus nominating for the second
Office in the country Commodore Dallas NOT
withstanding this, however, and several s'muar
biundsrs, the Courier does manage TO pick up
knowledge Of current political events, which is
quite credtabIe 10 French journal. But when
the Courier, on the strength of this, sets II
self up for a critic on the style Of our official doc
uments, the thing is a little too absurd
The Courier is less proficient in its English than
we had supposed When it shall have taken
few more lessons, it will be able to see that the
late Mexican message is, in a merely literary
point of view, perhaps the most carefully
finished official document which the President has
submitted to Congress. As to the Proclamation, the
Courier is still more unfortunate. In It's Judgment
Of this document it not only shows an ignorance OF
English style, which may, under the circumstances,
be hardened but il shows, at the same time, an igno-
rance of important passages in the history of our
government which is almost objectionable in the
editor of public journal. The Presidents Procla-
nation was designedly made almost an exact copy
Of the famous proclamation by Mr.. Madison, under
similar circumstances, upon the declaration OF
war in 1922 In our judgment, the model
was eminently well chosen, both IN literary and a
political point Of view. Unquesonsbly the Cour-
rsr does know something of Mr.. Madison's rePu,a-
ton as a statesman, (though it did not know that
our present Vice President had been the minister to
Rus,ia) and We now inform that journal that, as
an elegant and accomplished scholar, Mr.. Madison
would have been distinguished at any court IN Eu-
rope; as a master Of English style, he has len in
this country no superior. Ii is his proclamation
which is not well-written enough to satisfy the
Courier! The proclamation sufficiently answered
It's purpose in one war with England and we do not
very well see why this pure and admirable docu-
ment may not equally answer in our war with
Mexico.
We leave that journal to the modification of its
double blunder Its editor is not the first man who
has mistaken his walk, and been laughed at for
his palms. Sir William Temple would write
book about ancient learning, when he could not
cons,rue a line of Greek Sir Isaac Newton
would leave his astronomy to write about the
prophecies, when he knew nothing about bib-
cal learning. We all know what wretchedly poor
verses Cardinal Richelieu perpetrated and how bad
a hand Voltare made Of it when he tried to be an
ambassador. So, let the Courier be consoled
in its mistake, and avoid such attempts for the fu
ture We by no means intend this as disparage-
ment of the Courrier's general ability. 1t is only
ridiculous when it takes the airs Of critic in a mat
ter Of which it knows nothing and is expected to
know nothing. The next time, therefore, that the
Courier makes itself the old phrase, "aueeps sya-
barum !" and goes out oord-catchng, we advise it to
make the French language, and not the English, its
hunting ground.