Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-04-17
The MLeading Sachem.n

spirit than those ebullitions of private re-
sentiment in which certain vulgar minds
seem to revel, 50 in journalism nothing
tends more effectually to derogate from
the dignity and impair the usefulness of
public print. than such indulgence in
personal scandal as characterizes the
conduct of certain diminutive sheets that
are disgrace to the profession.
Guided by the light of this truth, the
Sentinel" has hitherto most sedulously
eschewed the publication of anything sa-
voring in the least of personal detrac-
ton or crimination-nor can it now, or
ever ner eater, be driven from the pro-
priety of its course by any attempt on the
part of friend or foe to provoke it to
lower the standard it has erected for it.
self 1t will, therefore, be an error to
suspect that any feeling of private pique
or personal dislike mingles with the mo-
tives which impel us to arraign the LEAD
ing Sachem" of the Know-nothing order
and press of this county before the peo-
pie thereof With the individual, we
have no relations of any character. For
the man, we care nothing one way or the
other. Neither his private habits, nor
his social status, is the subject of our
structures. But we do think, before he
undertook obliquely to aspersc the 'char-
acter," and publicly to call in question
the honesty of his political opponents,
he should carefully have reviewed his
own record, and certified himself that it
stood unblemished. 1t is the legitimate
function of the press to criticise individ-
uals only in their public character; and
no infamy of private character, no mat
ter how provocative of indignant denun-
citation, shall tempt us to stoop to any
censure of mans personal vices. But,
when he throws off all refined restraints,
and INDUCES in license of criticism, for
which no excuse can be found in the
usage of the genteel press, he exposes
himself to the animadversion of every
person who chooses to comment on his
course.
1t will equally be an error to suppose
that we attach any consequence to the
d" Leading Sachem's" mental exclama-
tions," SO far as concerns their impression
upon the people of this county. Never
was an individual more utterly destitute
of political consideration and influence
in his own community. For this want
of respect, nc doubt, he will console him
self with the example of the prophet,
who was not without honor except in his
own country-choosing to forget that
other characters forfeit the respect of
their associates by the inordinateness of
their ambition and the means resorted to
for its qualification. As politician, the
Leading Sachem" is utterly void of prin-
ciple his heart knows no impulse of pa
triotism he is so passionately and exclu-
sively intent on the qualification of his
sordid appetite for place and power, that
he can discern no merit for Office beyond
the confines of his own corporal constitu-
ton
The Leading Sachem" is shocked be-
yond measure at the thickening of the
plot" as he terms it, between the De-
mocrats and old-line Wings of this county.
His nerves are vastly disturbed to find
that the Democrats of Montgomery are
disposed to repose confidence in gentle
men who figured prominently as Wings
10 es=4 sss Ht patty Nsss drss0fvod,
and as friends of the Constitution and
Union, could not feel themselves at home
with those who went of after niggerism
and Know-nothingism. Who wonders
that the jaundiced sectional eyes of the
Sachem" were uplifted in holyhorror,
and the dramatic and ominous mental
exclamation, A" More Richmonds in the
field" involuntarily broke from his per-
turbed bosom, when he beheld national
party ready to honor national Wings,
who having witnessed the death and last
funeral rites of the old Wing party, and
regarding all parties now (save the one
which they were wont to battle in days
gone by) as hybrids, and degenerate'
from all that is honest, true, just, con-
servative, and patriotic, have united
heart and hand with the Democracy Of
the nation to preserve the fundamental
principles Of our government from Know
nothing spoliation
We feel under no obligation to the
sapient Z" Sachem" for an admission o.
what was before generally known, name
ly, that the Know-nothing party was the
"most abominable ofall political parties.
1t is to be hoped, however, that this can.
did declaration of the " Sachem" viii
open the eyes of the smaller Sachems t.
the absurdity of the abuse heaped b,