Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-11-06


feeling will come over us; it is as if the pool
sounds of Time-those hammerings of tired
Labor on his anvil, those voices of simple
men, had become awful and supernatural
as if, in listening, We could hear them ming
ling with the everpealing tones of old Etern'
ity In such moments, the secrets of life ap'
pear opener to us; mysterious things fiirt
over the soul; life itself, seems holier, won.
derful and fearful How much more, when
our sunset was ola living sun, whose bright
countenance and shining will return to us,
not on the morrow, but no more again, at all
forever. In such scene, silence, as over
the mysterious great, is to him who has some
feeling thereof, the fttest mood"
And yet we should fain say word con-
cerning the cause and the principles in sup
port ofwhich this gallant Southern fell. He
died in defence of the rights and privileges
of his order. AS member of the press he
supported the dignity of his calling, and for
this his memory deserves the grateful respect
of every Independent Southern journalist
the facts of the case are too familiar to be
given in ertenso, but we can easily condense
them into few words. A series of COM
munications appeared in the Mercury, re-
fecting upon the political pretensions of
Judge Magrath, candidate for Congress
from one of the districts of the State, the
authorship of which was avowed by a MIR.
Rhett, in a note addressed to the party ag-
grieved. The brother of Mr.. Magrath, a
chivalous gentleman, apparently, to whom
no blame can attach, Immediately sent a
peremptory challenge to the editors of the
Mercury, mentioning Mr.. Taber by name
We have said that no blame could attach to
the challenger, but We must modify that as
sertion, and add, except in his mistaking the
proper parties to be challenged. Mr.. Taber
was clearly not responsible for the opinions
of every correspondent who addsessed poll
tical communication to his paper and avow-
ed the authorship of the same. As reasona-
bly, light he be held to account for printing
in his columns some advertisement of pa
tent medicine which, instead of curinga GER
tain old woman or teething child, may have
resulted in their death. Thequack, and not
the editor, is clearly the party at fault. But
Mr.. Taber considered the conduct of Mr.
Magrath an Infringement of the rights of the
press, and waving all other considerations,
as a member of that body, he consented to
meet his assailant on his own terms. The re-
suit was the loss to South Carolina of gal
liant and gifted son. Hefell after the third
fire, mortally wounded, leaving behind him
a reputation which has been increased and
irradiatcd by his last and crowning act of
self-sacrifce. As Southern journalists VIC
are proud of his conduct, and believe mon
ument should be erected to his memory.
Our views on this subject are fully axpress-
ed in the following resolutions recently a.
dopted in South Carolina. They put for
ward true idea Of the status of the press in
modern society, and should be carefully stud
led and weighed by the people of other States
who are accustomed to treat its character and
privileges in flippant and thoughtless man.
ner. They run as follows:
Resolved, That the people of this parish
have heard with equal surprise, indignation
and sorrow, of the scene lately enacted in the
parishes of St. Philip and St. Michel, which
resulted in the death of VIM. r. Taber, Jr.,
one of the editors of the Charleston Mercury;
and as citizens of the same State, and equal
ly interested in maintaining the principle
for which he fell, deem it our duty to protest
earnestly against its violation.
Resolved, That the Constitutions of South
Carolina and the United States alike guaran-
tee the liberty of the Press, and the right of
free speech, aad forbid the enactment of any
law restraining either; and that those instru-
ments are virtually nulifed in that respect,
if by "higher law the editor ola public
journal can be held responsible, at the mouth
of the pistol, for the publication of articles
from correspondents, commenting upon the
political conduct of public men.
Resolved, That the political opinions and
acts of office-holders and candidates for the
same, in the gift of the State, or the people,
are proper subject for comment and criti-
cism in the newspapers of the day; and that
the only conditions which have been hitherto
imposed upon such criticising in our State,
are, that they be couched in the phraseology
customary among gentlemen, and have truth
for their basis, and the author responsible for
the same.
Resolved, That when these conditions are
violated, the party assailed has ample means
of redress, in first himself resorting to the
public press, to vindicate the slandered char
acter, and then to such means as are open
to every good citizen and upright man.
Resolved, That although in yielding his
better judgment to the customs of society,
our young friend did more than could be re-
quired of him by any code of honor; his no.
BILE letter should be inscribed in characters
of gold on the Capitol of the State, and his
memory cherished with lively emotions of
gratitude, as martyr in the sacred cause of
a free press and free speech, the cornerstone
of Auglo-Saxon liberty.
Resolved, That the late attempt to re-
strain it, and to compel Mr.. Taber to stultify
himself, and to say that he regretted the per-