The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-03
OemoraHZiug.

DemoraHzing.
The secular newspaper press, whilst
spreading abroad light, and in many
respects exerting powerful and whole
some influence, we fear not unfequently
becomes an instrument of evil. The
craving for news, and the desire Of rival
journals to excel each other in minister
ing to this morbid appetite, bring into
newspaper columns, and through them
into tens of thousands of families, much
that had better never been known. The
details of crime, in some recent cases,
laid In all their loathsome minuteness be-
fore the public at large, can hardly have
failed to exert a demoralizing influence.
The testimony of witnesses, however In
dispensable in courts of justice, is not
always the best reading for the sons and
daughters of virtuous families. 1t is not
for the moral health of the young, nor,
indeed, of those of mature years, to be
rendered familiar with the records of
crime, to be informed as to methods for
vicious indulgence, and to have placed
under their eyes incentives to passion.
What visitor would dare speak from his
lips what the morning paper reports from
its eagerly read columns, in the family
circle? Conductors of public journals,
whose ability and general merits render
them an almost indispensable part of the
household comforts, have no right to take
advantage of their position to inject poi
son into the minds of their readers
Newspapers are a great moral power, and
the stronger the hold they have gained on
the public mind, the more widespread
and certain the mischief they may accom-
plish, if in any degree perverted to evil.
The advertising columns alone, In some
of the most widely circulated journals,
are prolific feeders of vice. The plea that
newspapers are, in some sense, open to
the public, and that the compensation paid
by the advertiser gives him right to in
sert what best pleases him, and that he is
to be held responsible, and not the editor,
is poor excuse for the wreck of morals
and happiness which ensues. Conduct
ors Of journals can control their own COL
umns, whether for advertisements or other
matter; and for the good or evil done,
whatever part others may act as subordi-
nate, they will be held chiefly response
BILE by a discerning public. 1t would be
well for those who give publicity to such
matter, to ask themselves whether they
would like their own sons and daughters
habitually to read it.
Drunken Doctors,
Whether of law, divinity, or medicine,
should be regarded as unworthy men,
and under no circumstances should they
be entrusted with that which strictly be-
longs to their respective callings. But
of the three professions, medicine is the
most important, for the law only deals
with your money, and this is all that can
be affected, even if your attorney be a
drunkard and neglect your business. The
minister of the gospel can only advise
and counsel, while the whole matter is
between you and your God, minister or
no minister while, with the physician,
if he be drunk, and make a fatal mistake,
as all such do necessarily, single failure
is certain death. This puts the question
at once beyond the reach OF counsel of
either lawyer or preacher.
No community should ever think of
supporting a physician who is drunk
ard !; for even with all the lights of medi-
cal science, with cool and careful judg-
ment, physicians are poorly prepared to
meet disease in the various ways by
which it attacks the human family; and
even those who have spent lifetime in
cultivating their profession, in practicing
under the most favorable circumstances,
even fear and tremble many times when
called to discharge its responsible duty.
1t may be said, however, that as the
drunkard has or knows no responsibility,
his position is the most desirable to such
as throw this around them as shield
We will say that no such pretext will ever
and finally relievea condemnation
from a conviction of having done wrong.
What parent can look upon such ply
sician with any degree of respect, when
he may have caused the death of some
lovely child by such habits ?
We have often referred to this aubject,
but circumstances make it necessary for
us to continue our opposition to this great
evil.
A few days since, physician was Wis
iting patient of our acquaintance, while
he was so drunk that he could not stand
without supporting himself upon some
furniture in the room and even after he
had made his prescription and dealt out
his medicine, he could not remember five
minutes afterwards what he had done,
and went to work and made out another
potion of medicine. The patient did not
take it, but at once dismissed the drunk
ard, and called another physician whom
he knew to be sober man.
Let the community look out for this
class of physicians. Pass all such by
as you would the worst culprit in the
world, for he is not fit to eli any position
in life, so long as he continues such hab-
its; he is death to his patients, a terror
to his family, disgrace to community,
and nothing on earth or heaven can save
him but the loving kindness and mercy
of his God.-Dr. Nesaton's Express.
Slang.
The use of slang phrases, to which SC
many in this country are addicted, is, i
not an invariable mark of vulgarity, indi.
cative of low associations at some period
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