The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-07-31
col SMITH AND HIS ORGAN AGAIN.

tainstae following paragraph:
1.-THE, editor of the Athens Post is still
grumbling about Mr. Smith voting for the
! Compensation Bill. We think II he knew
how little it was effecting' Mr.. Smith that he
would quit this contemplate mode OF cleo
/ pioneering, aud pursue different course that
would eomport more with the dignity OF the
| press. Two years ago he pursued a similar
course is regard to the Franking Privilege.
which amounted to nothing-it will he the
same way with the Compensation Bill"
! o So far as the Banner itself is concerned
weattach but little Importance TO its savings
,spon political or other subjects, characterized
as they usually are by want Of thought
and honesty which render them harmless;
but itsis a sort Of organ Of the democratic
party in the District, aud rs snch it oeca-
sionally merits a more serious notice than it
would otherwise be entitled 10. From the
tone and spirit pefvading the paragraph quo
ted above, it would seem that the public or
Official acts of democratic ofice-holder are
not legitimate subjects of newspaper com
ment, and any attempt to hold mp such acts
for pubic investigation and honest criticism,
is coptemptible and not 10 be tolerated.
This is the spirit inculcatcd by the Banners
paragraph quoted above There is no de-
fence oft act committed and upon which
we,have heretofore commented; but reck-
Fless and defiant effor: to stfle investigation
and silence vcriticism. Butthe Banner is ma
teTiallysmistaken in its estimate. In France
the press is muzzled and the oppressers and
plunderers of the people find protection be-
hind the bayonets of the Emperor's soldiery;
in Austria, where all power is lodged in the
monarch and the very atmosphere is odorous
of tyranny and despotism, the Office holder
is beyond the reach of public investigation.
But it is quite different In this country
Here the public officer is the servant-not the
master-of the people, and his public or of
fetal acts are to be- submitted TO them for
their approval or condemnation. And how is
this to be done-how are the people to learn
of his acts-eIcept through the columns of
the opposition press? How many of the
voters-yea, the democratic voters-of this
Congressional Distric. would have ever learn
ed through the columns Of the Cleveland
Banner that Col. Smith even voted for the
Compensation Bill, much less that he claims
to have been present and performed the part
of midwife at its birth? How many Of his
constituents, numbers of whom labor and
tot. fU less than dollar day and whose
incessnt efforts will hardly procure comfor-
table food and raiment for their families,
wont have ever learned through the Banner
thot their representative in the last Congress
had voted himself three thousand dollars Il
year, while they were grooming and sweating
under heavy ard oppressive taxation! What
has taat paper, which claims to be one of the
watcll-dogs of the public nlerests-a senti-
mel or the walls of The political Zion, who
should cry aloud, and spare not either friend
or loe--what has it ever SAID on the subject
of the Compensation Bib Has it even pub
Iished the vote upon it, thntits readers might
see whether their representative stood record
ed for or against il! Has the Banner ever
told its readers that Col. Smith was mainly
instrumental in electng Banks Speaker of the
House Of Representatives, thus throwing one
Of the most important offices in the govern
ment into the hands of the Black Republic
cans! Col. Smith is democrat--the Banner
Processes TO be democratic print, the organ
Of the party in the District. 1t was the duty
of that paper to place the record Of its candI-
date before his party-if it believed that
record good, to have defended il; is wrong,
course? Not at ALL II has attempted no de-
fence, because none could be made-it knows
the act was wrong, and it seeks to avoid the
consequence of the wrong by cuncealing il
from the public gaze. And the same unjus-
fable course has been pursued by the other
democratic print in the District. II is thus
the whole burthen Of showing up MI. Smiths
Congressional career is thrown upon us. The
duty was not pleasant one, for we would
always rather find cause for praise than cen
sure, even IN an opponent-hut il was duty;
we have discharged it, and, as lar as the cir
cudiion of our paper extends, have made the
people acquainted with what we conceived TO
he the ostimpoltani features of Mr. Smiths
Congressional record, taking care not TO ira
vel outside his public nets. Thus FAR it "com-
ports with the dignity of the press" TO &c,
and no farther; and it now remains for the
people to approve or condemn. In their pri-
vate relations and personal character, Col
Smith, and all other public men, are as sa-
cre1 from the assaults Of our pen as the an
gels in heaven. But their official acts are pub
lie property, and the journalist who, when he
deems such acts wrong, fails to hold them up
to public scrutiny falls immeasurably below
the duties of his position, whether he dwells
amid the vice and corruptions of great city,
or breathes the purer atmosphere Of the rural
districts.
The Banner pretends to sneer at our efforts
and says that they will result as did the ex
posure of Col. Smiths abuse of the Frank
ing Privilege two years ago, and that that
gentleman is not effected" by them in the
least. Possibly not. But so much the more
shame!-notto us, but to those who shall