Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-01-14
VERMONT PHOENIX.


Sm--Thc people of Putncy have for long
time suffered the scandal of the conduct of The
l"Pcrfectionsts," until at length, il grew beyond
endurance. They took mild measures, and BY a
public meeting requested them TO stop their dis.
graceful proceedings, gave us no satisfac.
tory answer, and we determined to let the com.
munity know that we did not Justify such con
duct For this purpose we requested the pa-
pers in the county to publish our proceedings,
and we were much surprised that you hesitated
The reasons you assigned for not doing so
were perhaps sufficient, but we thought the OBJ
ject of the resolutions and the names signed to
them ought to have ensured their insertion
We thought you ought TO have believed our
story and not waited for further information,
and OF course, there was considerable dssatis-
faction Mt your course, with myself as well as
Others. But feel bound after the trouble YOU
have taken to examine and publish the princi.
pies and conduct Of the Pcrfectionists to say
that your course entities you to the thanks of the
people of the county, and also those Of
PUTNEY
FI' We publish the above communication, for
the purpose of making few comments, espe-
oially as there are others in Putney besides our
correspondent, who seem TO have his ideas as to
the relations Of an Editor and his subscribers.
We make il a rule---and il is one from which the
Editor of this journal will not knowingly depart
never to publish anything of personal, often
sive character, emanating from any source, with
out being himself satisfied not only that the facts
are true, but that their publication is necessary,
to effect some justifable and proper object a
L.. Al.
cannot be, used as mirror, to reflect merely
the faces, figures or opinions of those who come
to it, An Editor has an individual and distinct
responsibility for what he publishes.
The proceedings of public meeting, ike those
of Putncy, alluded to, have limited circulation,
and are soon forgotten; but the record of them
in public newspaper, scatters them abroad
through the world, in form to be preserved
and remembered. Now to apply this rule to the
case in hand When the proceedings of the
meeting in Putney came to us, we knew nothing
Of the peculiar doctrines of the Perfectionists,
nor of Tire character or contents of their paper,
which we had not then seen. We only knew,
from reports that some individuals had avowcd.
and were in the practice of licentious principles,
in the village of Putney. We were 50 informed
by the resolutions of the meeting; but VIC also
learned, that after the meeting was held, the
principal offender had fed that most of the 9th
ers had left, and that in fact, the evil complain
ed Of was almost, if not entirely suppressed. We
also learned that the friends Of the persons i'm
plcated were making active exertions, to effect
the same object, which were likely to be imme-
dately successful.
With these facts before us, and supposing that
the only purpose Of the meeting was the sup
preston Of the practices complained Of we saw
no object in publishing the proceedings, except
to injure the feelings Of those connected with
the parties, and resolved to postpone the publ
cation until better informed. We acted, in the |
matter, precisely as we should act again, under |
similar circumstances. To he sure, if We had |
known that these infamous doctrines had been
openly promulgated through newspaper for ten
ycars-that RIGHTEOUSNESS was a mandatory art- |
Gle Of the " Perfectionists" through this |
paper, they were spreading their pernicious
principles in other places, and making the Asso-
citation at Putney the pattern for all others, we
should have published the proceedings without
hesitation. These things we did not know, and
without ocular demonstration should have been
slow to believe their existence possible.
Knowing, as we now do, the aggravated con-
duct and pernicious example of these misguided
people, we do not wonder at the excitement ex-
hibited by the inhabitants of Putney, and can
readily excuse the six or eight individuals, who,
without waiting even to hear us, manifested their
displeasure by formal and spitefnl order to
" Stop neir paper" This they had perfect
right to do, and we do not complain. On the
contrary, il we have any other subscribers who
expect us to act upon any different principle
than we have avowed-who expect us to publish
for individuals or public meetings, any thing of
personal nature, without being ourselves salts
fed, as well of the necessity of the publication.
for useful purpose, as of the truth of the state
mcnts, we hope they will at once transfer their
patronage, where it will be valued.