Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-04-26
WEBSTER'S DICTIONARIES.

GDO LIN 1ONA
EDITORS OF THE TRAVELLER:
In vonr paper Of The 7,b inst. appears Q
ces,er's Dictionaries, made up very much
of extracts dispsraeing to Dr.. Wehsier's
works. II were Easy. perhaps. 10 indicate
The motives which prompted the structures
originally mos, Of which have no relevancy
to Dr.. Webe,er's Dictionary in their pres
en-, form bn, we deem il sufficient to ssv,
that pointed to an Others defects in lea Of be-
ing able TO sueges, ones own excellencics.
would seem I" indicate conscious weak ness
or perverted taste, and q desire TO difec,
attention from facts and The true points of
issue
Dr.. Webster devoted 80 years in the vi
gor Of his life to severe aud unremi,ling toll,
10 the preparation Of The american Diction
arg Of English Languages. During that
long period he derived no, one cen, Of IN
come from his yet uncompleled wok, bu,
supported his family bv c"pvrigh, Of five
mills on each copy Of bis Spelling Book
His large work was Of Iite or no pecunia-
~ advantage to him, we believe, to 'he end
of his life. He left as his inheritance TO
his children such reputation as bis literary
Iabors might (sirlv have earned. the pecunis-
ry sdvsDlsee to some OF them their sole sup
porL 10 te derived from their sale, and,
lastly and more than ell. a character IN
suIlied by stain or repfoach as man and q
Christian.
1t would not seem 10 Us in accordance
-iHiaa 'igi'' frrirug to --vh-su deprive rtrrrn
unjuslIv Of these legscies, especially from
those greatly indebted as is every modern
English photographer, to Dr.. Webs!er's
pro,racied labors.
Professor Stowe, we'll known through
this country and in Europe, a. ripe scbol.
ar, and by residence Of ,he Eas. and the
West, and extensive travel al home and a.
broad, having unusual qualifications to Judge
the case, in q letter addressed, not to- our
selves, bu, to q Boston publishing house 10
whom he was wiring, few months since,
took occasion TO remark as follows:
~ en- decidedly in favor Of Webster for
the following reasons, to wit:
IL. Webster is the mos, uniformly anslo,
gicsl and self-consisten,
e. His system falls in mos, completely
with the tendencies Of the language and if
IN anything he goes beyond presen, usage
it is in the rIgh, direction, and The usage
will soon orver.ske him.
SO. lie has present possession Of the
ground more thsn any other one. IN the
United States he is the authority every
where, excep. Boston; and even there.
more than any other one. In Eng land he
has more authority Than any other one, and
is constantly gaining.
"a. II is the gres. american philozogist.
the most learned and devoted scholar in his
special department, lhs. The Eng glIsh language
knows; and for this reason, other things
being equal, he deserves the preference.
''If we would have uniformity, we mus,
adop. Webster, for he canno. be displaced !;
bu. others may be-"
Professor Stowe, it will he remarked in
s'i'u'es no individious comparison with
any other work, slIudes tn no other lexico-
grapher. as Johnson, Walker, Worcester or
others; but expresses his approval Of Web
s'er, and his opinion ,ha. it is to be gene
rally recognized as a standard. For this
expression he is violently denounced and
assa''ed, as un,ru.hful, Sc, 10 The commu-
nicstions in your columns. Can it be hoped
by such assaults to deter gentlemen from
expressing their opinions on literary ques-
ton? Do they moi, rather, subec, The par
~ making them 10 the suspicion Of in.eres-
ted motives, and so lose any power:
In regsrd to the opinion Of Professor S.,
Is, IS ab"ve) ss 10 the authority Of Web.
s'er in Boston, which is s,renuously denied,
we take pleasure in presenting the follow
ing from The Boston Mercantile Library Re-
porter OF the present month, the oresn of
the Boston Mercantile Library Association.
i was entirely unsolicited by us-wi,h the
editor we have no acquaintance, and so ia
an unbiased s,a,eme0. of facts, and the un.
pfeJudiced expression of The view of On in
'elIIgen' gentleman, Of liberal educs,ion. a
fesiden, Of Boston, and from his connection
with The Mercantile Library Association full
ly competent 10 judge.
The public may be assured that no pains
or expense will be spared TO continue ia
Dr.. Webs,er's Dictionaries that pr pIe-eminen . /,
superiority which they now hold, by The
employment OF thoroughly eompe,sn, liter