Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-03-10
Tnp ITsrs Am AnrsEs o. TIE ANGIE CoNsIn-


THE UsEs AND ABUSES OF THE ARGUS CoSsIn-
Esrp.-The argus of Monday evening took a
text from the Washington Union, and launched
off into one of its characteristic Trades of
abuse and villification of the elements OPP
posed to the Lecompton Constitution. It is
pleased to style these elements, "aconglomerate
composed mainly of negrosm."
We are not so fool, h as to attempt to follow
up each particular fling of the Argus. That
would lock too much like elevating its article
into tissue of arguments, instead of consider
ing and trenting it just as it il, conglomerate
of rank partisanis,n. The Argus has always
been on the side of potser. which may be con-
sidered quite fortunate indeed. As the powers
that be move, so moves the argus Poonius
did not more Sedulously or completely re-echo
the corjectures and speculation Of the moon
struck Hamlet, than does orthodox neigh
Dor the ultraisms of PO,rer. Our readers have
all heard more or less of that famous echo of
Louis Napoleon's called the "Moniteur" When
Louis Napoleon takes pinch of snuff the
"Moniteur" sneezes. Its editorials are the well
siftcd gleanings of Louis meditatons-indubi-
tated all as scientifically as the mystic
double entendres of the Delphic oracle.
Louis Napoleon allows no opinions to his or any
other papers. He suspended the Prose- for Just
attempt to do some thinking for itself Not
a whit behind Louis is the party despotis,n
which the Argus maintains and in its own way
seeks to propagate. Messrs. Douglas, Walker
Forney and others conceive that as honorable
men. they cannot do so and so. The Admins
tration says they must, or else lose their places
in the ranks. This edict having gone forth, the
big Court Organ at the seat of Government,
and the provincial Organs, like the Argus, set
up an onslaught on these men-heaping on them
such names as tend to take away their social
caste and place them under the ban of dainty
orthodoxy. Because man opposes Lecompton
he is ''negrophilist'- is a "wooly head
a confrere of Fred. Douglas, and all that sort of
opprobrium. And thus he is hunted down,
day in and day out, as butt for social stigma.
But the student of history knows, and it is
his consolation, too, that always, in all ages,
has POWER and its fuglemen and myrnidons
hunted down, ridiculed and branded dissenters.
Almost every step of progress is bought by
sufferings, losses and sacrifices. Mythology,
Christianity the historyof Empires, ofrevoutions
abound with such evidences; in the religion
va VI 1tAS N''AiiSSSb All 1Ihb'1
in that of Osiris and Isis on the Nile-those
who have taken the initiative against orthodoxy
who have superinduced even slight change
towards pmrer social state, have paid tie pen
atty. Ceres suffers after having instructed men
in the culture of grains; Prometheus for having
brought the divine fire to earth; Hercules who
rids the earth of monsters, perishcs at the
stake; DioniSyus is torn by the Bacchantes, and
Romuus falls by the fury of his beneficiaries.
The man who has faith in the existence and
activity of great progressive principle, al
ways has been under the frown Of orthodoxy:
for orthodoxy is an insatiate bloody monster
just as Moloch or Juggernaut were; and history
through centuries gone notes the martyrdom
of millions to every foot of progress that has
been wrung from this same orthodoxy.
And now, this very identical crushing ont
and whipping in spirit of the Argus, which
would make,its tripod faint where it touches,
by affxing unapplicable and desocializing cpl
thets upon those who withhold their adherence
from its party ultr asms, is just the old Jugger-
naut intolerance, newly submated diluted,
to suit the difference between dark ages and
ages not SO dark; accordingly, when anything is
said at home here not down in the Agurs creed
it. turtleiike, draws itself up under its she'll of
Eastern Virginianism, and snaps at heresy-
claiming all the while that all such stuff is a test
OF loyalty. The blood-suckers who hunted up
presidents for the prerogative claims of the
Stewart dynasty, were just such exemplars of
loyalty as the argus.
Bur perhaps such counseIs and counsel
lors as the Argus, may answer some good,
although inscrutable, purpose in our community.
We would not assert dogmatically that they are
acurse. We know that philosophers tell US that
in Nature there a cis inertia which answers
useful purpose We presume some such dor
mant use has been allotted to the labors of the
Argus.
Two Mystical CHARAcrERs-'s7he Nan ,06o
soishes TO hear The 7ruth"-"7ze Nan ,rhO has
no Nonsense about him. article in the last
number of BIaek7rood's Magazine has served
greatly to interest few snatches of leisure