The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-01-10
For the Camden Journal.
w. II. Taber, .Br.


sumed to be innocent until his guilt Is proven.
Such presumption is humane and just. A
contrary principle would work evil only. To
prove an individual guilty there must be cvi
dencc, aud the evidence must be satisfactory,
such us to leave no reasonable doubt it is
clear that there can be no just conviction on
any other ground; any conclusion come to
without these elements Of proof arc unreI t,n,
and can only he rejudced views in any given
case 4 striking instance Of what appears to
be an unjust condemnation of an individual,
has lately occurred, in relation to Mr. W. r.
Taber, Jr., Of Charleston. This gentleman, it
appears, delivered an address lat, ", in Colnm
ba, on tile subject of Education One ritter,
(B. f. Perry) and one only, as far as have
sen, condemned the address in unmcasureL
terms, attrbuting to the anthor sentiments
such as no sane man would at this day, pre-
sumo to put forth. Mr. Perry's criticisms con.
tanned no prouf as far us | could see, Of any
thing to subStanliate his assertions, and should,
therefore, have failed to carry conviction to any
reasonable mind, ,hat the criticism was any.
thing else but Il prcjudced view Of the matter.
1t appears to me that i Mr.. Pcrrys remarks
prove anything, they prove too much-they
prove Mr.. Taber '''aon cOmpis mentis." Now,
am not acquainted with the gentleman, but
take it that he is like the generality Of edu
Gated young men, ambitious Of honorable DIS
tnclion, desiring to stand well in public rs
,imation and, feeling such aspirations, it is
not reasonable to suppose, that he w"nId dc
liver an address before his classmates and olh
tnin ,,I, .b ,F
ordinary sense and observation must have
known would prejudice him in the estimation
IF that very public to which he looked t" graf
ily his honorable desire for reputation the
thing looks absurd it would be an act of sui
eide, of which 10 one, save Il fool or Il mad
man would be guilty. From these con>idera-
tons, | come inevitably to the conclusion, that
Mr.. Perry's notice of the address is Il mi>con.
ceplion, if nothing worse. Now it is undeul
bic, that Mr.. Taber, Or any ore else, has IL
perfect right to declare his views upon any
subject, whether those views accord with the
public opinion or not provided they have not
an immoral tendency, or arc not otherwise de-
trmcntal to the public peace, or we'll. .bei'g of
society and no man, or set ofmcn, have any
right TO meet those views in any other way
than by argument, to disprove them. The
manifestation of ccnsure as exhibited towards
Mr.. Il. is no arymnent against him it does
prove, however, that there are times when it is
easy to get up an excitement from very triv
ial cau>e--b behold how great matter il little
fire kiudeth. Communities are like individu.
als-thry are at times hasty-they act first aud
think afterwards, as it seems to me has been
the case in this instance and trust that one
"sober second thought" will render Justice to
the injured. at any rate, this is not the day, S.
Carolina is not the State, nor is old Charleston
the place, where freedom Of speech is to be
slitled and | trust there is Independence
enough in the public press to dcnouncr, from
the seaboard to the mountains this attempt to
put down citizen by exhibitions unworthy Of
Christian community, suPpoSing, even, the i'll.
dividuaI to be guilty of the offence charged. -
In this enlightened day, there is but one way
of meeting error, and that. such as becomes Il
civilized, enlightened, and refined people; @rong
opinions must only be combatted by the in.
irculcaion of riyht views-lhere is no other
way left for all intelligent people to combat er.
ror.
have thus simply attempted to vindicatc
the rights of Mr.. Taber, as citizen. have
not read his address when shall have peruS-
ed it, may give You my views on the subject
L.