Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-11-12
Q he utt-5Iourrp Bualr
Salem, Ohio, November Ia, 1883.
THE PRoFLIGAcY OF THE PRESS.

Nothing can possibly exceed the pronigate, reck-
less mcndacity Of great majority of the political
and religious presses Of this country. They show
an utter want of truth, honor fairness and decen-
cy in their contests with each other. OF course,
therefore, unpopular reforms and reformers have
no right to expect either justice or mercy at their
hands. So far possible, the people are kept in
ignorance Of tic facts on which The rcfurms arc
basod, aud the most unscrupulous misreprescnta-
tons and bold iaschoods are published and repeat
ed week after week, in regard to their objects,
principles and measures. The private character
Of the advocates Of reform is assaied, and the vii
est and most incredible ISLANDERS are solemnly re.
peatcd, until the community at first incredulous,
are at length forced to believe in their truth, at
least to think that there must be some foundation
for 80 many and so astonishing rumors Thus is
tho personal influence of ant-slavery men and
women, successfully assailcd by men who know
they cannot grapple with their arguments, or resist
the potency Of their facts.
If character be more valuable than life, and
honorable men 50 esteem it, then these relentless
assassins Of character arc more yainous than the
besottod assassins of our groggeries If character
men more worthy of punishment than the burglar
Or the common thief.
Tic who steals my purse steals trash
Twas miue tits his, and 'tas been slave t.
thousands.
But he who Iilches from me my coed name
Takes that which not enriches him, Lut make,
me poor indeed.
Especially arc these men to be deemed
worse than these the law holds guilty. when We
consider that it is not to enrich themselves but tc
blast the reputation Of the philanthropist, that the
victims Of oppression may 60 unredrcssed. These
same men are Observation-Disclosures friends Of
liberty--and yet to perpetuate slavery. they will
publish the basest ISLANDERS against the most hon.
oraLls Of mon, and the most heroic and pure
minded women. Thus does the proAigate press oi
this country make it true now as Of old, that "He
who depareth from evil maketh himself a prey,
and he who w uld seek to establish the principles
Of justice, must, by the press Of this land, be made
Of no reputation--bc made like apostles of old
the filth and off securing of all flesh And by the
way, here is one reason why there are so few out
spoken faithful abolitionists. People will not con
sent to submit their reputation to the hands o
these public wholesale slanderers. Hence they
stand all the day IDLE III the great hcld oil liberty
and reform, or amusc and beguile themselves will
unimportant issues or with assaulting some Of th'
incidents or adjuncts of slavery. Thus do thcs'
recreant editors do an Elective work for slavery
Next to the church and pulpit and in many in
stances even eyond it in influence a:c they its eff
cicnt friends.
| The press at the East has long been familia
with these tactics, and has employed them dill
gently and successfully. Now that yigorou
effort s made at the West, the same instrumental
ity is on hand and for the same purpose and witt
the same means. We have heretofore spoken 0
the course Of the daily press Of Detroit and givcl
our readers a specimen Of its style and purpose
On the outside Of our sheet to-day, will be ioun
some further dcvcloremcnts of the pro-slavcr
press If Michigan.