Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-04-18
A Great Evil that Requires COrrect,ou.

A Great Evil that Requires Correction,
Anxious to preserve with the press general.
ly, kindly and courteous relations, due alike tn
them as gentlemen and to the press itself as a
professlon-reations, that it were better. III
they were cultivated and sought after by us
all, and at all times and on all occasions-we.
nave at times almost felt disposed 10 withdraw
from the field OF offensive argument, when we
found that argument could not be maintained
without eliciting personal feeling; following
the Old maxim of "lettiDg alone contention, be-
tore it was meddled with" However we NAV
differ as to our views Of policy, or our con.
structlon of political doctrine, the great object
of the press is the same; and it disYobss itself
OF It's just influence as a compact, operative
body in the State, when aught but the kinds
ness CONSTANT with a manly and positive as
sertion and defense of opinions, chaEacterizea
the assertion.
We can, in the cultivation of kind and hone
orabIe friends hip and esprit du corps among
the members of our own influential profession
be enabled to elicit more truth, and to defend
that truth and attack opposing error, with q
frmer hand, BY reason of the confidence thaS
our own self-respeet and the respect Of our "a.
~sociates give us.-NGtche- Courier.
Our able contemporary, says the Bulletin,
has touched upon a great evil, one that is not
only fraught with much mischief TO society,
but which lowers to a very great extent the
responsibility Of the press and cripples it's pow.
er to do good. 1t is an evil too which lies
mainly with the press itself to correct, and
which ought 10 be corrected. 1t is due to its
standing that it should be. Abuse is producs
tive of evil and only evil TO the press and to ito
readers. 1t is belitting to its conductors. Is
lowers the standard of Journalism. It begess
ill"will, and ~scatters far and near the seeds Of
lasting enmity between those who ought to
be friends and to act constantly in concert. IL
is injurious to the community. It creates o
taste for bilIingsgate and cultivates all the dee
basing passions of the human heart. II fire..
quentIy ends in vulgar encounters and blood
shed; and sometimes clothes families and
friends in sack cloth, filling the hearts of the
innocent with inexpressibIe anguish, and de-.
priying the community Of valuable members
of society. In all cases, we think, it lowers
the character Of the paper which INDUCES in il
and cDrtails its influence and ;ts usefulnesa.-
We know very well that with the ignorent n
strong, abusive article, full OF personalities and
vile ~epithets, frequently, perhaps generally:
passes for talent. Nothing, however, is easier
than to write such articles. They are, in fact,
the easiest sort Of articles that can be written.
The veriest yngabond can be ~insolent and use
coarse language. 1t is his very nature 10 do
so. With intelligent readers this is pretty well
understood, and By such, these preparations
are almost universally condemned, ~iacitly and
if not openly and publicly. An editor
who so fur forgets his position and what he
owes to the public as to descend 10 scnrrillEy
is unworthy OF his vocation. His proper treat.
ment is profound silence. No cause is promo,
ted by such a course. On the contrary, it is
When one loses his temper and be-
gins TO abuse his opponent, it is n strong
ground for suspicion that he feels himself cor
nered, and, like the cutie fish, he disturbs the
in order to escape from his position or
direct attention 10 other objects. This may
not always be the case, because abuse, vulgar
ty and detraction-are the natural elements in
some people exist, and consequently
they cast up "mire and dirt" they only
net out their governing instincts.