The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-05-14
Communications.
,, ~, EJi,or Of tbe Ncira-

of ugly, strong scented epithets and
caused him to appeal for sympathy to
all "candid and enlightened minds,
on account Of their mercilcss innic-
tions. Let us, in order to understand
the occasion and exciting cause of
this profuse overflow of editorial YER
biage, enquire what your contributors
have done which is so naughty as to
merit this Editors special wrath, man
ifested with such virulence as appears
in this article
So far as 1 can perceive from pc |
rusal of the contributions which | sup |
pose he refers to, they have presumed
to question the infallibility Of this Dan
iel-they have had the "cowardly' |
and "mean" impertinence to contro-
vert the truth of some of his editorial
statements, and have ventured to at
tempt to show by the production of |
facts and arguments, that some of his
editorial charges and inferences were
not sustained by facts Surely, both
publisher and contributors had a right
to presume that the statements of the
editor of a journal, and the opinions
he advanced, constituted Legitimate
topics of discussion and animadversion.
How else shall the public ever get at
the truth? If an editor who through
his journal addresses his readers, gar
bles or misstates the truth, what other
corrective or antidote to the diffusion
of the poison which is in all error,
have we, but to meet the misstatc-
ments and brand them as false coin,
= ,onn,,y,liuhoIo Thia l.
what l understand to be the use and
end of a free press Error will be
overthrown if truth be left free to COM
bat it,
The columns of this editor have
been appealed to, his statements quo
ted, and the attempt made to demon
strate their incorrectness All this is
certainly within the limits of legiti-
mate political discussion. But the edi-
tor asks for sympathy on the ground
of persecution and anonymous per-
sonal assaults. His personal character
has been no further assailed than as
his public conduct may be a reflection
of it. His self-assuming and dictato-
rial course as the conductor of pub
lie journal, has naturally led to the
enquiry, who is this who plays such
fantastic tricks? "Upon what meat
does this our Caesar feed, that he hath
grown so great?" He uses his
editorial claymore with vindictive in
difference to the feelings of those who
presumes to differ with him in senti-
ment about important issues He
charges corruption upon a whole par
ty, because of the dereliction of two or
three individuals. He characterizes
the Legislature of the great State of
Ohio, whom the people have clothed
with their power for the time being, as
set of asses and fools, and by conse-
quence, the people who sent them there
,as their representatives, are placed in
the same category. Hepursues, through
his columns, with untiring malevolonce,
every one who crosses the path of his
ambition, or thwarts his schemes of ad-
vancement. He speaks fippantly Of
his neighbors and fellow citizens as
"hypocrites," and "traitors" to every
honest, manly, and honorable principle,
and yet, when these things are referred
to, and the truth, justice and propriety
oof his editorial statements and deanci-
ations are arraigned at the bar of public
opinion, by your correspondents, he cries
out, in the language Of persecution
."nedn and col0drdy assaults" &c.
The question then is, between the edi-
tor and the public, have the comments
of your contributors on his editorial
course, been just-are they borne out
by the documentary facts-has he
represented Republican men and meas
ures correctly? Has he published the
whole truth? has he given true repre-
sentations of the state of parties in
Congress? has he been careful to give
full and impartial history of the trou-
bles in Kansas, that his readers may not
be misled, but well-informed on all these
points? This is the issue to be met
1t is an immaterial point as to who your
contributors are. They are doubtless
men of like passions with himself, with
faults and failings. If they have sta
ted anything untrue; if he can show
that they have been unjust and unchari-
table in their comments and conclusions.
he commands the means of pointing out
and exposing any falslications or mys-
tl6cations they may have used. Let him
not resort to the poor subterfuge that he
does not know his adversaries. The pro-
duction of names would perhaps lead only
to war of personalities, while the i'm
portant principles at issue would be lost
sight of. In contest of mere person
alities he could no doubt acquit himself
well, as no other document than the "dic-
tionary" would be necessary. 1t would
doubtless be refreshing change and va
riety in his columns to see important
questions discussed in n logical, argu-
mentative way, with all the epithets
thrown out, and facts and arguments
alone relied upon to establish his points.
A mere personal war, or bandying of
epithets, would neither edify his readers,
nor advance the cause of truth, which
all honest and unselfsh editors should
have in view. The mission of the
press is not to deceive or mislead, but
to enlighten and guide in the path of
true progress. If all editors were hon
est and truthful, and always careful to
give the truth, instead of their own
partisan and one-sided representations.
the press would be real boon to the
people, instead of becoming, In the