Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-04-09

is promptly caught up and earnestly repea.
ted, can for a moment doubt. 1t is a
strange infrmity of human nature, to ex-
pect and exact exemption from the res
possibility of errors and vices, not to say
crimes, to which the indignant and the er-
ring are sadly addicted themselves In 9th
er words, it is singular to observe how
excited and infameda veteran and practised
slanderer becomes, when some falsehood,
in relation to his own habits and character,
is wantonly concocted and widely circula-
ted. He appears to regard it as privilege,
if not duty, to assail others, and to claim
as right, exemption for himself
We can conceive of no character more
atrocious, none that is the source of more
anxiety and anguish, than A DELIBERATE
sLANDERER-One who appears to envy ev-
erything that is good and pure, and who
therefore delights in aspe rising and viliify-
ing the truly virtuous, upright and honor
able. No member Of society is more dan.
gerous. The very atmosphere in which
such creatures move and breathe, may be
said to be tainted. An expression of frank
ness and confidence uttered in such pre-
sence, is distorted and perverted, while
character is darkened and stained by .'a
significant shrug" or distorted statement
The infrmity, too, is not confined to the
sterner sex. Woman, "gentle woman"
sometimes becomes ga party" to this vile
habit, and is thus at once a source of anx-
iety, misrepresentation, and suspicion.
We have heard-who has not of some
sad cases-cases in which rash speeches
have been tortured into fearful offences,
and mere indiscretions have been magnifed
into almost objectionable sins. When at
last the suffering parties, goaded into dcs-
peration, were compelled to seek out the
authors of the calumny in vindication of
themselves, the falsifers, as in the instance
of the habitual SANDER already noticed,
abashcd and overwhelmed by confusion,
were ready to make any apology, to "eat
up" their foul words, and take back all
they had uttered. Nevertheless, to GER
tain extent the injury was irreparable The
malignant story has been circulated by a
thousand tonges, and retraction, however
full, could not therefore be made to reach
and neutralize every quarter lnro "hi,i. .l.v
libel had penetrated. Many too, (such is
human nature are more disposed to be-
lieve scandal than commendation, and
even when assured of the falsity of the
former, they still express doubts, and init
mate that "the story could not have origi-
mated in nothing" And in this consists
the fearful character and consequences of
SANDER 1t travels with the rapidity, and
it scathes with the power, Of lightning,
while the retraction, however full, creeps
along with slow pace, comparatively spea-
king, and can never fully eradicate the in
jury that has been done. We believe that
many life has been sacrificed through the
agency Of scandal that many sensitive
spirit, writhing under the power Of calum-
ny, and imagining that the prospect in
this world was blasted at blow, has com.
mitted self-murder and plunged into an
carly grave. How fearful then, this crime
how awful its consequences
1t sometimes happens, too, that SANDER
ers themselves, those who are in the habit
of constantly indulging in vile and violent
and charges, are nevertheless
quite sensitive. An instance of this kind
recently passed under our notice A young,
ardent and gifted friend had in the course
Of a very severe criticism upon recently
published work, travelled somewhat "out
of the record" and INDUCED in one or two
harsh and unfounded charges and improp-
sr personalities against the author The
notice was admirably written, full of point
and pith-but SO keen and caustic, that it
,ut like razor. We had the privilege of
'eading it in advance of its publication,
md yentured to object to its tone. Our
riend laughed at our scruplcs, said that
lie meant no harm," that it was call fair, {
hat it would bring the author into notice, i
md help to sell his bookw But the as :
allied took very different view Of the ,
ase. Stung to the quick, annoyed, irrita- &
ed, and indignant, he sought an early op-
to reply, and such reply! No ,
hing more excoriating ever came under '
ur observation. Familiar with the weak ]
less and errors of our critic, he made them ,
'old and palpable, lashed them with the
Utmost severity, and at the same time in ]
mated that he "would as soon pick I
ocket as indulge in personahties-that '
ew, indeed, unless their principles were s
hose Of pickpockets, would resort to such I
lean, low, and unworthy devices" The i,
,bles we're completely turned-the critic :,