New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-20

and faithful reporters, to scour the worst parts
of this City for every detail OF crime and ru66an-
ism which has lately seemed to be reducing this
City, srd ct no slow pace, to the level Of Roms
during the decline Of the Empire. This We hold
10 be our duty to the public, whose confidence We
trj ard BY whose influence we are sustained;
aud ttat duty we have sought to perform, even
though the truth night be repuIsive and revolving
in isself If the ignorance and concealmelt slvO-
Gated by The Independent were to be the rule,
where could tie remedy be applied orwbo would
believe that remedy waa necessary II was not
the late authorities, in tie language of the Grand
jury "deaf to remcnstrsnce, aid insensble TO
shame, which led to the hopeful and growing
reforms we see around US. 1. wss the Press
which did its duty and aroused the people to do
theirs. Just so, ia regard to tie late develop
ments, our aim has been 10 probe the hdeOus
evil to the core, and to lay bare ts utmost de-
formities. AID io spite OF The Independents con.
DEM alton, We must still feel that this was the
only wise and right course. We humbly believe,
for instance tina. in none Of the churches on Sue.
day old any congregation listen to a more useful
ard Wholesome sermon than wss contained 10 our
late account of the iufisn gangs Of this metropo.
lis. Certainly, that shocking exposure was not
written with the cambria dimi.y generalizstions
in which the Rev. Cream Cheese greatly sxcelled,
and to which the distinguished Mrs Potiph1
was wont to lend complacent attention; but it
tore TIE veil from startling actualilies benesth
The smooth, smiling crust of society with whi,h
al arrest men cannot too ,oon or TOO thoroughly
be acquainted.
The hdsytndent seems to conceive that news
paper should be written for children, and contain
DO illusions or facts which transcend the limits
OF the inisntils mind. There are such publica-
tiors and very excellent aud commendsble too,
they are: but ii ia not our ambition 10 acquire
for The TRIBUNE place in that category. We
address ourselves to the great thinking aud con-
scien.iOus public; 10 men AID women who would
lIow the world as it is, and intelligenily dis
charge it's du.ies, in whitever sphere. If the
weli-n Gaming gentlemen who conduct The IN
Geptndsnt fancy they csn better perform their
parts IN lie without such kno Rledge; if they re-
gard public ignorance as a good means of public
reformation; or il they desire to hear only
prophets OF smo0.h things, and to see only pic
lures Of peace and virtue, ard celestial purity,
We can but regret that 60 faic desire must be
postponed to distant fruision, and that THE
TRIBUNE nust 30 often suffer under their dis.
pleasure.
But justice requires US to add that all the
writers-nor the beet writers-wbose contribu-
tons give value to The Independent, do not share
the opinions on this subject laid down In its lead
ing columns. For instance, in the same paper
which thus passes condemnation upon ourselves,
We find bn article .gned BY Henry Ward Beecher,
deucuncng the late anti.temperance visit of
members Of the Assembly to shis City This,
while quoting from our columns, the writer con-
siders TO be "ole of the events which disgrace
"the City more thsn hundsed such cruel mur-
"ders such Sc that Of Bill Poole that being
"enacsed by professed pugilists." The facts to
which Mr.. Beecher thus applies the correcting
last, he learned from tae columns Of this jouras,
,bvugb, according TO the theory Of The Iade-
pend,nt itself, we ought rather to have KEEP. them
secret az d unIebuked.