Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-01-08

vigilance be the price of liberty, it is not on
ly within the legitimate province of the press
but it is one of its highest and most sacred
duties, to arrest the triumphant demagosue
in his career-to expose his hollow hearted
ness and selfshness-aud to point out the
danger to pubic liberty by the elevation Of
such an one to my Office of trust within the
gift of the people. From this duty, fortun.
ately for us connected with the press of this
State, We are comparatively exempt. There
appears to be noble guiding and ruling
principle in the nature and composition Of
the men whom the people of Carolina honor
with their confidence, that prevents them
from becoming amenable to the structures of
free but conservative press. The public
records Of the State and of the country will
bear me out in this eulosium on the general
rectitude and fidelity of the public officers
and statesmen of South Carolina
But if a mans public acts, or-the manner
in which he discharges the duties he assumes,
be legitimate subjects of editorial supervis-
ion, We must never forget that his private
character and reputation are exclusively his
own. They cannot be made the theme for
newspaper gossip, or be dragged forth to
serve political purposes, without the prosti-
tuition Of that great instrumentality placed
under our control. The publication that
makes its columns the medium through
which the prcjudices, spleen, or revengeful
feelings of its conductor may be gratifed,
must soon become a wholesale slanderer-
Such print should be stricken from the
roll of honorable journalism as unworthy of
recognition by its compecrs or co.enporaries.
1t is true that editors are men Of like pas
sions and feelings as others around them, but
those of us who have had any experience,
know that one of the highest and most cs-
scntial qualifications for the profession is the
ability to control them when truth, honor
or virtue is required to be sacrificed. The
man who cannot absolutely govern himself
in this respect, is always liable TO desccrate
one of the highest and noblest vocatoDs,
and should never undertake to conduct
journal in civilized community. The in
dividual who rcchicssiy enters this profess
sion, most worully mistakes his calling and
will eventually be compelled to retire from
a field of labor for which he is neither men
tally or morally fitted or qualified,
There is another duty dcvoving upon those
who conduct the press, which should justly
claim our attention. In endeavoring to dis.
charge it properly, we should be governed
by the same general rule already mentioned,
viz that the public good and welfare of So
ciety should be placed above all other con-
sideratious The duty to which refer is
the exercise of a wise discrimination in the
publication of articles from anonymous cor
respondents Indeed no correspondent should
be unknown to the editor. do not regard
public Journal as a sort of omnibus, where
all who pay or contribute to its support have
u right to jump in and ride, without any re-
ference whatever to the welfare, comfort or
happiness of others. | hold that no cores
pondent, even should he be my staunchest
personal and political friend, and subscribe
for hundreds of copies of my paper, has
thereby any preemption claim to the use of
its columns for the indulgence of private
animosity or personal abuse, and I cannot
think that one who thoroughly understands
the duties and responsibilities of his position,
as the manager Of public journal, would
ever consent to sell his columns, be the price
what it may, to any writer who has no high
er objects in view than those just mention
ed.
In times Of high political excitement this
evil iu the management of a paper creeps in
unawares, escaping the vigilance of the most
experienced editor; but when the boisterous
claims of party do not dim his usual clear
sightedncss, and when the public good can
not be subscrved BY the free use of the pen
of pungency, satire, or ridicule, he ought
never to permit writer to wantonly assail
an opponent, or to tear him from the retire
ment and endcarments of social and domes.
tic life-to hold up to the rude gaze of a
censorious world his foibles and weaknesses,
that private malice may be gratifed, or the
petty triumph of a party or clique secured.
1t is proper to remark, however, that just
discrimination between the advocacy of po-
litical princiip|e, and the mere brawling for
party ascendency, should always be exercis-
ed. The public good is involved in the le-
gitimate discussion of principles; but the
disputes Of party have seldom any higher aim
than the elevation of its members to office or
power-they are generally mere squabbles
for the spoils, Pri~cipfcs can be freely,
firmly and thoroughly discussed without af-
fectiug the private character Or reputation of
those who hold them, while the wrangling
over the trumpery issues Of mere party soon
degenerate iuto personal abuse and scurrility
between the opposing factions or cliques.
No press that has any respect for its own
character, or which fully appreciates the
dignity Of its high position, can lend its in
Auence, at the expense of truth and deccn-
cy, to aid in the elevation of any man or set
of men who can thus prostitute principle
and talent.
There are many bright spots, and there
are very many pleasant associations, found
in editorial life, and we could earnestly de-
sire that it was all made up of friendly cour-
tesies and kind reciprocations, both among
its conductors and their readers. But we
regret to say it is not always thus. A few