Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-19
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

SOUND VIEWS OF TIE DUTY OF AN INDIE
PENDENT PREss.-Yesterday,w we took occasion |
to comment, briefly, upon the infamous act Of
the Baltimore american in pandering to the
ruff anism Of the hour Tin Baltimore) for the
qualification ofits own jealousy of the Erehangs
of that city; for no other cause could be poten-
tal enough to work it up to the point of justify
ing the outrages committed by members of the
partizan police of that city, and their shoulder
hitting cronies, upon the Exchange newspaper
office and its employees. The identity of the
police Of that city with its rowdy rufians have
served to render its name a by-word of reproach
throughout the country. Its municipal author
tiles appointing the police, and its local courts
elected by and in good part through the politi-
cal labors of the police and their rowdy ascot
ates, are but screeners of and apologists for
any and all usurpations of authority and vIo-
lations of law or private rights which policemen
may essay there. So, as q matter of course,
there is as little chance for those having SUBJ
stantial cause Of complaint against the Balti.
more police to obtain justice, as elsewhere,
where facility in using boot-heels and brickbats
on election day, or at primary meetings, is
about the best recommendation to secure police
appointments, which is the case in every Amer.
can city wherein policemen are appointed on
account of their political services, we care not
by what party.
Nevertheless, We hope that the Baltimore
Exchange will persevere in its exposure of the
shortcomings of the rowdy p olice of that city,
and those higher in authority who aid and abet
their misdeeds by seeking to screen them, until
- ~
munity of that most terrible tyranny of modern
times-the irresponsible government of brutal
rowdies who, under pretence of conserving tho
public peace, and the rights of the individual,
habitually violate both for the qualification of
their own passions and prejudices and those Of
their blackguard companions
The EEehange, in following up its so praise
worthy labors in this matter, takes occasion to
utter the following manly and truly conserva-
tive sentiments:
g Extricating, as we best can, the points OF the
Americans article Of yesterday from the Bunsby-
like complications In which, natu a ly or by de-
sign, they are imbedded - their Significance,
seems to be this-tbat in the exposure of public
evils and abuses. We have assailsd the private
characters OF persons In official stations and have
confined our independence to y posi- no the errors
Of conduct Of our political opponents By so
freedom OF the press in violation of Law, and
sh,'ud not escape our share of responsi biIity,-
the 'viol-nte which provokes' being not less
lePrehens1ole than the violence which assails
Our indepe ndence is further hinted to be only
that Of pr ess, indePen6 ent Of the laws of regard
sor facts
"lnreply to the last mentioned charge I'VE have
only to say, that the facts which we have given
to the pgoli C, from time to time throup our
columns, hsv e been obtained in the usual man
ler through porters upon whose integrity the re
III 4I,x
Durces upon which we have had reason TO reIv
w G have published every one of them upon our
Individual and Legal res responsibility, and with the
exception of the case Of Mr.. English, we have
never been called upon to correct them in any
essential particular, that we remember We
and are pre- Jared TO meet investiya-
ion, judicial otherwise, into the truth of any
md every published st, Itement to which we have
q ven our sanction.
That we have attac ked the private charac.
err Of any pubic officer, except In far as such
private characoer' may have formed a part or the
essence Of his official unntness delinquency. is
disreputable irsinuatioD, for which we DEFY the
production OF the most remote spmblance of
proof TX an ''fdcial Is ignorant, or drunken, or
incompetent. o. worthless, or corrupt, surely il
$ no improper assault upon his private charac-
err to say so. II he is devoured by his own van
ty, perverted by his ambition, or has his head
turned by his elevation, and Is but an empty, or
windy demaQOg ne, where he should Re a faith
'ul and laborious ubic servant, surely his vanity
md his ambition !, I'd his demagoyery are public
", lndeDen-
lent press is false to itself and its duties, il II
Dauses to SWIVEL ove. them private secrets in
tead of boldly expo wing them, with downright |
,utspoken truth. Il, here has been too much OF |
uch Difference for apl arently respectable impos.
ure-too much of SUCH tolerance for what ought |
rot to be tolerated-too much drowsy association
md humanity silence am ong us
- Our contemporary OIL the American has been
he high priest in such servile Tninistrations 4
md has preached and pr acticed In their spirit |
during its long career Of time serving cOmpro-
mise, until the community which il influences
has almost grown to forget hat truth is a living
hing and the press the Twin x minister Of truth
We have not the folly to bel ieve that il Is for us
20 reform the world-but we have resolved at
east to repay the confidence with which the
public has already hOnoTed us, and to deserve
hat which we shall ask from il hereafter In our
humble sphere, by saying the truth, we hon.
sstly believe IL, of public men and measures
We have erred, no doubt as other men err, and
Il may be we shall do so again, but while we
shall always be prepared to set right the wrong
which we inadvertently may do, we shall cease
10 ask the patronage OF the community the instant
hat we grow afraid to expose a public servant
who has done a public wrong. Thus far have
we gone already. We DENY that we have zone
further, and we repel the charge that have
assdufed private character, or violated the sane
Iity OF private life, libel which we could
not duly characterize, without losing our self
respect"
LIST OF PAfEsTs.-The following is tho list
Patents issued from the United States Patent
Office for the week ending August H. 1855
each bearing that date
Calvin Adams, of Pittsburgh, Pa-For i'm
provement IN corn shelters
David Allan. Of st. Louis, Mo For improved
washing machine.
James 3 Appleton, Of White River Junction,
VT For improved churn.
John +. Armstrong, of Jacksontown, Ohio
For improved cross cut saving machin
James NJ. Baird, Of w heeling, va.-For i'm
provement in railroad car seats.
Charles l.. Barnes, of New York. N. Y.-For
improved method Of securing the cutters to the
spindles Of augers
Thomas Nj Bedgood, of Cleveland, Ind For
improvement in corn planters.
Lyman Bickford, Of Macedon, N. Y.-For i'm
provement in machine for sowing fertilizers
VIM Black, of Manchester, Pa.-For improve
ment in ploughs.
Joseph s. Bonney, of Hanson, Mass. and Chas
w. Willard, Of Brdgewater, Mass.-For i'm
provement In operating steam trip hammers
Jacob p. Brady, Of Mount Joy, Pa.-For i'm
provement in mill pick holders.
Henry 6. Bulkley, Of Kalamazoo, Mich.-For
improved steam heating apparatus.