The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-02-04
I.egislators ana Editors.

/ representatives, MT. beckel TOOK OCcn-
sion tospeak in affected contempt Of the.
censures Of the Press, which. hs said,
neither affected him ION that floor or at
homes" and after reading an article from
the Cincinnati Enquirer in which his
legislative action appears TO have been
condemned, secure Of his privilege Of
protection as member, he with sxcu.
tiaiing and classic severity, concludes
that that "paper is a very small potato"
If the publication Of tho Enquirer
should be stopped in consequence Of this
terrible denunciation Of the honorable
genileman--he will have reason 10 regret
his precipiiancy and The TOO great iniens.
ily of his wrath. Blu, possibly that paper
may survive the blow, and We notice the
remarks Of Mr.. Beckel with other views
than TO interrupt his interchange Of legis.
laiive civiiiiies with the Cincinnati Press.
The Press developes and forms the
staple Of public opinion; il is the great
book Of the People of OUT Republic; II
gives the current history Of the Time;
the living measure ofpubic men; and is
their censor and judge. lie judgmcn,
may bo perverted from prejudice, or
miSled from weakness, but lis general
sentiment is seldom false, or wrong. To
most men it gves their only hisiory,bal cen
ever be written, for their lives are fruitful
in nothing which can projcc, them Before
posteriiy. And to such it is Of import
ance that there be not sucl.a discrepancy
between their profession and action that
The Press, TO be just 10 its high calling,
must condemn them, and point the
| finger OF dersion at their inconsisten ncy
and want oe principle. Such men may
affect to deride and scorn the Press, but
they assault Power greater than them
selves, and though the accidents Of
wealth, or The chances Of position, may
sustain them for time, there is but one
final result for such men, thai, at last,
they will be weighed at their true
Standard; and estimated at their true.
worth; and that is the most severe con.
demnaiion that can be visited upon them.
Legislators and other public officers are,
wien censured, apt to charge to person
aliiy or prejudice the censures visited on
them. That this 10 sometimes the case
is true. But il is fat ofiener that con-
ductore Of the Press know little, and care
less, personally, for the men,, who in
accidental stations, fret and abuse !heir
brief h0dr upon the political stage
They besiow praise and censurS, eulogy
and denunciaiion, with very much the
same Indifference to the object, as they
chronicle the rise or fall Of some distant
dynasty in a foreign and alien land.-
And while a Free Press exists, whatever
assaled Legislators may say, they can
never safely dare to deny its power or
depreciaie is condemnation
The majority Of Legislators, especially
State Legislators, arc generally nothing
more than very respectable business men,
or we'll informed and sometimes fairly
educated citizens, who are seldom chosen
from the claim Of commanding talents
but from their possession, more thorough
.ly than others, Of the faculty of express
ing the general sentiment Of :heir COM
stluencies, and wiring aud forming il
where necessary, into practical laws
Theirs is a high and an honorable func.
,ion; theirs is airust of no mean magni-
aude. A trust, however, not 10 be exer-
cised with licenlious indifference to The
principles lhey profess, ,,or with disregard
Of the public opinion they ate only there
tn represent. When this is the case
'hey deserve and should meet the severest
reproba'ion. and the Press would i'll dis
charge its duty il il permitted the
trai.Or 10 principle to 80 unwhipi of|
Justice. But, unfortunately for the inieg.
rity of Legislators, and p'her public
servants, ihe Press is generally too
lenienl 10 their faults, and far more dis.
posed TO pass them over in silence than
to mete ou, TO delinquency mcrited
exposure. d anuae aar dril
There are class Of men, large minded
relofmers, and statesmen whose views
and whoseIin,ellect are either ahead of
their time or1,ower above the reach Of
the general mind. to whom the Press is
often slow TO do justice. But such men
are seldom lond in their complaint Of
contemporary assaults. They have conf
dence in their own integrity, and in an
ultimate SUCCESS for the principles aud
measures they promulgate commensurate
with their truth. And even to such the
severe and often unjust criticisms Of the
Press are of tho creates. service, II
aids aihem to correct deformities of
opinion, and mistaken plans, and aids
them even by its severity to that peifec.
tion of purpose, which can alone give