The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-29
From the Sumter Watchman,
MuzZ!ing the Press.

"ti">G !"&S s:!e can III supply, has carried
Sfiei to many Il hear: aud home. We
can scarcely yet at this distance of time,
realize the fact that tic warm hearted and
gifiei young Taber has been laid low in
his grave. The Grief which follows him
[" 'he tomb Is deep, heart felt and wide
spread. lhe tongues Of men are mute
ana powerlcSs to express the strong emo,
tons which that meIancholly even, has
excited. Men are silent with sorrow AZ
the Joss Of one who VAS So true to his
State aud who So nohly indicated and dc
tended her policy. He WAS a devoted
Waterman upon her highest tower and
'2S fallen IN discharge Of his highest du.
Il is no. however bv Tie inmolatior Of
one man that 'he cause Of truth is to be
crushed. The corrupt, the vcnaI, and the
iime-Serving may wrap themselves up in
tne!r ianc'cd security, but lc, them no,
lay tie Hattrriug rNcl;on TO their sonis,
that the;E mlslceds shall be j ddrn :rrm
the light OF day, amd words of honest ir-
digna'ion he'd III abevancc 10y the tcrrors
81 The pistol. One watchman upon the
walls may be stricken down, but
Truth crushed to earth will rise again
The eternal years Of Gcd are hers.
While Error, wounded, writhcs in pain
And dies amid her woshippers."
The position Of an Et.I,or. cspeciullv Of
one who controls The columns OF a WIDELY
circulated newspaper, carries with :,
grave responsibilities, and stern dp,ies -
1t is a post ur the highest Responsibility in
which weakness, injustice or timiJi,v nr.
faults that approximate 10 crimes
While the private characters or mon
are not proper subjects of his cr;,;.;sr,
and while every consideration of Justice
aud propriety turbids him to drar III. M.
r4Ie conduct of men before the nulIic. ve,
viii. man'~ pubic acts and nvowcd ~.
l,l;caI principles, he NOT only ru,v L,,
IN mauy instances he must deal wuh
boiiness and The utmos, latitude.
The pubic good demands such freedom
Of discussion and especially, mus, il, ...y-
else 5e claimed where the friends Of ~ in
dlSiduai bring him, before the public, in
SO pompous and confideu, "A manner as tn
invite scrutiny, and for one of lhc hichssi
offices in the gift OF The people, IF ante.
cedents have been unfortunate, il he hns
been very feather waited hither ON the
p"pnisr breath, II he has rushed from,
chang" to change, ckcsslv ana with an
aacrty that tegets suspicion, either of his
W!'dom or his honesty, shall threa, OF the
pistol drown temperate and calm but ear
nest discussion OF his claims or his wo,thi
ness for public office. Shall ucr,onal
issue superccde the public discussion. and
the pubic issue, to which incautious and
inconSderato tieHdS, have too c. ccniden,Iy
appealed!
These are Questions which the press Of
tbe State and Of the whole coLu,ry must
decide now and forever. Every pcntIc-
man who occupies the post f"a watch
man upon tho walls" has assumed grave
responsibilities which lie must fulfil, at all
hazards. No right u more sacred and
in'ioIahle, u = flee republic, than that OF
onvassiug, with dccency. but W ia fres.
dom, L he clt!ms OF every gentleman who
comes before the people for office. II his
course has been one OF unfortunate chan
geS-ii his political doctrines are inconsis-
''N'' ~''N' N'tS'' VI iiit'llCdi 10 tue III
terests OF those whom he would repre- sent t
or u from The hlas OF his intellect or NOR.
al nature he Is incompetent Or unworthy
'sp'esen' Ihe'h' Tie journalist aas q
LIZ, @ ~. WIZ ?- 10 'na" may ga'nsay' to. ex'
,mo,;,s @ y" n;' ;',pe''ec''ohS ana 10 discuss las
80, - ""' i"t''ude winch has no
IGI"n " ,.'tI, Wv, +" N'' URGENCY ana Scy respect.
,a,, >,st' Vp severe a"d "a'ntu', c' AL
"a !, ,,"s w "' I,,, ,", ""s P:osoheo a"o ena"eng'
or. ~ ~ InS ;i,' 'lo , ''"st l'sn' 10 complain. In
"I onI ,a""L ""I ~u' p'i''''G men may oe honest
,m", " Io',%S' To I9,o anu 'na' tie incompetent
y oe "e'e''cu 'ro" seeking o'ilce' Ia
;a"1n,,;'' ." ."'! n.'e TO rght 10 aspire the
a;i" J"u'.'''"'' must ana should exercise his
t"r,, m"ege .H ana ana rsht--nay' he must per
81 % "aoH;J 'iJ u"'y--o' oanSasslng the claims
-, ''e' 'o' Po't,c"l oihces. 10 our