The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-04-14
Westerly, April IA, 1883.
Our Position Defined.

Inere Is no maAln Hoi0 luz 'h"h
the one which says that, the dog that
pursues two hares will be very likely to
catch neither We have often read in
political papers the statement that "facts
are stubborn things" though how they
should know any thing about facts, we
really do not know. But be that as it
may, the most stubborn of all facts is
one which says he who tries to please
every body will be pretty sure to please
nobody. This we know to be fact
from experience. The man who at
tempts 10 edit neutral paper-or, more
properly, an independent paper, for we
do not exactly like the term neutral
will often find himself in most unpleas-
ant fix )" for he is very sure to offend
some of his magnanimous patrons who
think the paper should contain just what
they wish to see and nothing else. If
the editor, in giving an item of religious
intelligence, should happen to speak a
favorable word respecting certain
denomination of Christians and should
neglect to do so in regard to another, the
cry is at once raised-Sectarian, Sec
tartan paper; We'll have nothing to do
with it. And if the editor-luckless
wight-should attempt to furnish an
item of political intelligence, he must
keep his pen treble guarded or some
unfortunte paragraph will slip from him
and some defeated candidate will writhe
beneath the unintentional stroke, while
the editor is hopelessly damned, unless
he have an unusual class of readers.
These few remarks have been called
out by an occurrence which took place
last week, though that is not the only
instance of similar character which we
have experienced. In publishing the
election returns for this town we stated
that Charles Maxson received certain
number of votes, and had no opposition.
OF course if he had no opposition he was
voted for by all who exercised that light,
Of all parties. But that was not salts
factory for our paper had been issued
but a few hours, before in stalkcd a
free soiler. "Well," said he, "we
don't think you have fairly represented
our party in your statement of the vote
for Mr.. Maxson. Mr.. NJ. is free
soiler, and you should have said So"
Now, our partner having been absent a
great part of the week, and the devil
(our devil, we mean having left us,
we had been obliged to work some
eighteen or twenty hours day in order
to keep the work of the Office along, and
of course it would not be in accordance
with human nature that we should fee
particularly pleasant under the circum-
stances-being completely jaded out
but we endeavored to assume as pleasant
an aspect as the nature of the case would
admit of, and attempted to reason the
case with him. What folly! The idea
of reasoning with politician! We are
wiser now than we were then lie left.
but had not been gone long before Q
politician Of another stripe entered
"Why didn't you state Mr.. Maxson'.
politics ? The wings voted for him, ant
of course he is a whig. We are no
fuirly represented. A pretty neutra
paper you publish J" Of course W
didn't attempt to reason the case wit
him but permitted him tp have hi
way. Now, the fact Of the case is jus
this-Mr Ma1son was voted for by a
parties, democrats, wings, and free sol
ers, and we, in our ignorance, suppose
he was elected by the people withou
regard to political parties, and so state
it without comment. What Mr.. NJ. E.
principles really are is his own affair
or those of his constituents at all event
it is nothing to US, editorially. W
simply stated the fact Of the number
votes cast for him. 1t is not our bus
ness to define his position, for we pr
sumo he is capable of doing it for hin
self.