Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-09-05
Personal.

T0GSV1koAs
There is a communication in the last De-
mocrat, which comes out directly in its attack
upon the editor of this prper-in want of argu-
ment to combat an article that we published in
reference to Col, P. o. Hebert-and not know
ing what else that is low and defaming to cast
upon our name, says that We are q loccfoco and
act from mercenary views. "All Round My
Hat best knows whether locofocos are merce-
nary, or not. The word, according to a die
tionary before US, means "a hirei ng, one retain
ed or SERVING for pay" Now, we admit that
we work hard, both with our head and hands,
and when we send a person our paper we ex-
pect to be paid for it-and when we insert an
advertisement, we likewise expect to be remu-
nerated according to our terms. But we would
ask the editor Of the Democrat if there are any
number of wings who subscribe to any fund, ex-
elusive of their subscription, that our fire may
be kept up for the space of "three years." That
would be something like a "hireling." Will he
deny that he is thus tauored? Who then is the
mercenary, the whig editor Or the democratic
editor! We will say, though the charge and
the attack is scarcely worth the trouble, that we
have ever been influenced by liberal feelings
towards all men and all parties, and that per-
sonally we say very little about men Or their
opinions. Although now thirty-four years of
age, we have never voted but once, and then in
New Orleans, and for Claiborne, for Sheriff.
Thirteen years of our life since 1881 have been
spent in Mexico and in the naval services of this
country and Texas. And when, in the fall Of
al, we entered the political career that is at
tached to our present vocation, as the editor of
the New Orleans National, in support of Gen.
Taylor for the Presidency, we did what our
conscience approved, and we have ever since
been proud that the promptings of a mind free
from prejudice or ~antipathy, so decided, and
thereby saved Us from belonging to the press
of a party which seeks to crush its opponents
by low personal ribaldry and abuse. For aught
we care personally, the editor of the Democrat
or his delectable correspondents can call us
what they please. W. opine that personally
the public think very little about either of us.
The feelings Of our contemporary-and of
all men-Ws have, in our editorial course and
out of ii, ever respected; courtesy and gentle
manly conduct demanded it. Had we not been
thus Influenced, we should have published a
communication, which was handed Us some
time since, and previously read to one or two
citizens, intmating pretty broadly that the edi-
tor of the Democrat possessed principles which
the people of the South consider of a much
darker hue than what legitimately belongs to To-
cofocoism.
We have been deferred this length of time
from noticing the attacks of the Democrat for
two reasons-frst, because we are opposed to
editors bringing their own personal feelings
before the public; and secondly, for the reason,
that when once an editor so far forgets himself
and his responsible station, as to lose all delica-
cy of sentiment, and descend to low personal
yituperation, if encouraged by replies there is
no Islander or falsehood at which he would halt
at in his downward and worthless career. This
much has now been said through the repeated
solicitations of our friends here, and which has
just been reiterated by a friend and subscriber
at Bayou Goula. In the passage of mans life,
there are serpents to be met, who rise up with
their hissings and their fangs, to frighten or to
sting. THIS is not the first one that we have
met, nor do we expect it to be the last.