The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1857-06-20
Lawrence. saturday, Jane %. 1851.
cIaaueTs.

Ol14ues1s
In q former number we endeayored TO
describe the stage and stump ciaquers, OF
the ciapping and stamping class. There
is however another class, who are claquers
in reality. although they do not make
use of the same manual exercise to bring
their faSorites into notice. We now re-
fer to those known in Europe as penny
a-liners," and in this country as report
ers.' or special correspondents. our
assertion may appear rather sweeping, but
il will be borne in mind that we take
them as class as we have found them in
this country.
1t is the duty of the claquer of this
class to furnish. reports of meetings OF
public interest-give the general news,
and make observations on passing events.
e he is in the employ of a partizan jour
nal. he must magnify the sins of the OPP
position, AID draw the curtain over the
vices of Sour party AZ public assem-
blages of aour party" he, in Imagination,
uses magnifying glass when speaking
of the numbers in attendance, and at
meetings of the opposite party the mag
mary instrument is reversed, reducing
these as much in proportion as the former
were magnifed. Such an institution"
as conscience is unknown to him, and
whenever an opportunity occurs he al
lows his "imaginatior" full scope. and an
Irish shindy becomes a civil war and a
drunken row the precursor ola reYolu-
ton.
He is well aware that the dear, guilt
bic public eagerly devour spicy" arti-
cles, and to supply that morbid appetite,
which pays him well, he visits the haunts
of crime where vice riots in its most dis
gushing form, and brings to light the
beastliness of Five Points-seenes over
which humanity weeps, and would cast
the veil of oblivion, but which furnish
food to the craving, perverted appetite
of large portion OF the people. which
corrupt the morals of the young, by famil-
iarizing them with vice in all its deform-
ity, and assisting those dens Of iniquity,
by making them known.
His profession, therefore, renders him
iinprineipled. and fit tool for the ends
of designing demagogues. Let US illus
trate this point:
The aspiring, INSCRIPTIONS politician.
the selfish denagogue with more ambi-
ton than brains-niu.e low cunning than
intelligence, sees in the man we have de-
scribed fit instrument to advance HIM
self in public favor and patronage. BY
the use Of the all-potent and all-powerful
instrumentality, gold, .'our special CORE
spondent'' becomes a protege of the lit
tie great mana lickspittle tool. If his
master talks slang to a dozen bar room
loafers, tour own correspondent trans
forms it into Thoughts that breathe and
words that burn'' - thunder-toned elo-
suence to an enthusiastic multitude. One
would suppose from reading the reports,
that there had been a general outpouring
Of the peoples AN upheaying of the masses
By such an account he accomplishes his
object Interesting letter., to the
journal and his duty to his master. Read
ers at a distance are led to believe that
the Honorable, General, Doctor, or SIM
ply Mr., So-and-so (although as gen
eral thing the aspirer is titled is really
popular man, and his name, through the
oft-repeated exertions of the claquer, be-
comes familiar to the people, and by tax
ing advantage of a popular tide he may
ride into coveted seat of honor. 1t is
wonderful to see with what ease and dex-
terity the claquer of this class will con-
form to the changing tastes of his politi-
cal guardian. The little great man blows
hot-the claquer tempers his breath to
the same degree; anon ne blows cold, and
the frigid breeze comes from ''our own
correspondent"
Kansas has large supply of this species
of claquers-much larger. than is neces-
sary for public benefit. And We mustsay
that the system is here carried to perfec-
ton. The peculiar state of affairs in this
Territory has made it fatteHing place for
these v1ltures. Public attention has been
directed to this quarter by the exciting
events which have transpired, and swarm
of mercenary scribblers have fioeked here
and have found abundant opportunity to
gorge themselves to their satisfaction. AS
"our special correspondents and the will
ling tools of ambitious demagogues, they
have made their business pay largely
Being removed to great extent from
public observation, they find it an easy
matter to throw halo of glory around
their patrons, and the distance lends en-
chantment to the view. "How are the
mighty fallen is the exclamation of
many an honest man upon acquaintance
with the newspaper-made heroes of Kan
sas, they fall so far below his precon-
ceived opinions
We might pursue this subject farther,
bnt time and space will not permit. We
have become thoroughly sick of this cor
respondencc business. Ii has been so
numerically abused that we cannot place
any general reliance on it. In this coun-
try it is with few exceptions in the hands
of claquers, and we warn our eastern read
crs not to be too eager TO deyor all ''our
Kansas correspondents" may write.
We are well aware that we are not in
ereasing the love of the letter writers for
us by writing thus, but if the public will
examine the facts for themselves they will
find that we have SPOKEN nothing but
truth, and by tina. we viii stand or fall