The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1849-09-29
For The Cecil w hig.
s L A n u c R.


reproach, calumny. 1t certainly is one of
the greatest vices to which human being
can become addicted. It's victims are not
limited to the guilty and deprayed, but the
innocent and respectable are also IN immi-
nent danger OF being the subjects for slam
derous tongue. An individual who is as
sailed by the slandcrous, whether he is in
nocent or guilty, is certain to receive a
stain upon his Character. He may tlv to
foreign lands or retire from the gaze Of the
woiId, but the reflection that he is the Sub
iect at caumnics among his friends and
that his name, when mentioned, is men-
toned VITA scorn and contempt, continu-
ally harass him. There are not few in
the world who lower themselves to the
level Of the irutes by breathing the foul
breath Of SANDER. The slanderer is benea. h
the assassin, who, Tor the sake OF lucre takes
the life OF fellow being. We admit that
this is great crime, but the victim goes to
the grave with an unstaincd character.
The slanderer may not take lie nol money,
but he takes that which it far more valu-
able, reputation. All are subject to be-
come the victims of the slandercr. He is
ds'oveIed Prying into all societies seeking
some one upon whom he may wreak bis
vengeance. He sees a point upon which
he may commence the work of destruc-
ton, he nagniirs i before too frequent
" credulous people. 1t is taken for truth
and spread from ear TO ear until it is i'm
possible to trace it to its origin. We can
not be too careful in giving sanction to
common reports ss society is filled with
persons who seem to make it the sole aim
OF their lives to tradnce the character OF
their neighhors. We may be accessory in
booming person to wretchrdness and
despair. We may unwillngIy give our
aid in branding his reputation forever and
dragging him to the grave in sorrow, who
may be an innocent person. Under these
circumstances we are countenancing the
criminal and prosecuting the victim. One
idle word might be made the ruin of an in
dlvidua whom it concerns, when the per-
son who uttered it never dreamed of its
inu-ing any one. How careful should
we be in giving utterance TO word winch
may detame the name of another. This
idea /, finely illustrated in the following
lines:
Full manv shaft atrandon sent,
! Funds mark the archer little meant,
And many word nj random spoken,
| May aou;he OF wound heart that's broken.
BY this we see that we may be uncon-
scious Of doing wrong, and at the SINE
time, be plunsing dagger into the heart
of the innocent. When a person once
becomes dlsgraced IN the eyes of the COM
munity by the slanderer, he can scarcely
ever succeed in clearing his character from
the STAN which the wretch has placed up
on it. Years pass by and it becomes more
deeply fixed. The victim may think it
forgotten, but his enemies il he has any,
never forget the thing by which they may
successfully supplant the object Of their
hatred. Such is the principle fsome per-
sons whom we consider our friends, that
the moment we are BUNDLED by the SLAM
derer, they immediateIy vanish and become
our inveterate enemies and scruple not to
show their uncharitable disposition by be-
lieving the report. Imagine yourselves
assalled and stricken down by the SANDER
er's tongue, when at the same moment you
are innocent, and surrounded with happl-
ness and a large circle of friends. What
would you think of that individual who
could without any provocation be 50 base
as to attempt to destroy your reputation
and do all in his power to have the finger
of scorn pointed at you! You would I'M
medlately designate him as one of the Vi
lest and most cowardly beings in existence.
The slanderer is confined to no particular
society but is the enemy OF all. He is
conscious Of his own depravity and gener-
ally tries to injure those whom he knows
tn be above him, because he can not injure
those who are on an equality with him
self. We are not censuring all who may
in an unguarded moment utter word
against an innocent person, but those who