The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-12-09
SANDER.

! SANDER.
N- Among the many subjects upon
which thought has been spent, and much
written and detained, few have receiy.
ed more frequent consideration, or have
called forth more earnest words of con
domination, thanthe topic of SANDER. Ell
oquent tongues and able pens have set
forth its most hideous characteristics. and
portrayed its malevolent lineaments. But
the vice seems not the less prevalent, and
still does its wounding, still carries on
its system of defamation. It is a stand
ing vice, like intemperance and hypocri-
cy,. that requires constantly recurring
denunciation. Every neighborhood, ev-
cry circle, is cursed with it. Our own
community is not more free from it than
others. Here, as elsewhere, g back
wounding calumny' is dispensed from
mouths which make loud and long assev-
erations. of their own excellencies and yir-
tues. We have a bevy Of envious, con-
temptible beings among us. whose in
stincts prompt always to the tearing down
rather than to the up-building of charac-
ter, and who follow with rancorous hate
all who scorn 10 become their tools. and
appreciate them too well to become their
dupes. They reek and revel in lies, with
which they clothe themselves, cas- with
a garment" and in name OF morality
commit outrages against justice and HUI
mainly which common thief would
scorn to be guilty Of
1t is not easy to find character more
despicable than that of slanderer, or a
vice which causes more disturbance in
society. The slanderer is always watch
ing for some unguarded expression, some
unstudied action he is spy, seeking
some light jest. which, by exaggeration,
may be turned to the disadvantage of the
unsuspecting and innocent author. 1t
matters not how worthy, how yirtuous,
an individual may be--a conscious integ-
rity is not proof against this social pest.
A moral blood hound of this description
will dog the steps of the purest, and tear
them with his venomous fangs.
Against the crafty wiles of the swind-
Ter we may guard; against the depreda-
tons OF the thief we may fence against
the murderer we NAV arm.bnt AGAINST
the vile slanderer there is no security.
He stalks abroad at monday, and poisons
wherever he goes by the venom of his
breath. Trivial errors he views with
microscopic eyes, and they become to
him enormous crimes. Even virtues, to
him, are but vices, and every effect he
traces to disgraceful cause.
If there were but one kind of SANDER
ers--if they were all actuated by the
same motives, there might, at least, be a
chance of escaping their attacks; there
might be found some covert of defence
some shield against their arrows; but
there is no such security. If one is wise,
they envy; if yirtqous. they hate; if in
favor, they are jealous; the high. the
low, the rich, the poor, the old, the
young-all are subject to their attacks
Nor can time, distance, absence, or obs
curity, protect from the venom of the
slanderer. Human nature, it seems de-
creed. must everywhere, and under near
ly all circumstances, bear this curse
sometimes the worst of all its woes.
These slanderers are of different SEX
es. and in different stations. They are
sometimes in the form Of meddlesome
amazons and censorious gossips, setting
themselves up as Decreases, spinning
street-yarn, tattling from house to house,
and discussing tea and scandal at the
same time. Sometimes as solemn hypo-
critics, giving sanctimonious and nasal
twang to their lies. Sometimes in the
guise Of pert, bombastic. brawling, con-
ceited mixture Of the horse jockey. the
huckster, and the monkey, grinning,
chattering, and Boosting. Sometimes as
the mysterious confidant, who imparts
his scandal as secret, and makes others
the dirty distributors of his falsehoods.
Sometimes as the spiteful censor, whose
ire is kindled by his own petty dislikes,
and who wishes to make his own rancor
public matter. And sometimes as
clerical scandal monger, who prostitutes
his calling, and takes advantage of his
position to deal out SANDERS even from
the pulpit. All these varieties Of SIAN
derers are frequently found in one place
all NAV be found in Independence