Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-03-24


beyond price, and more precious to
heal the wounded heart and make the
weighed down spirit glad, than all the
other blessings earth can give.
Public Scandal and the Duty of
Newspapers.
From the n. Y. independently
Our national Capital stands in our
affairs like some fretful crater, which,
boiling and seething for ever within,
every now and then shakes the land
with some terrible eruption, and belch-
es forth its furious contents. Bad as
the border States are, and unrestrained
as are the passions of men who herd
together there, it can scarcely be said
that morals and conduct are so de-
based and brutal as at Washington.
We do not doubt that the resident
population, not connected with the
Government, present a worthy con-
trast to the mere sojournerS there.
But thither flock, every session, hou-
sands of men whom no principle con-
trolls, no shame restrains, and no fear
daunts. They are corrupt, and for
ever seeking corruption. Nor are they
merely the loose and floating fellows
that abound in all large cities. Rogues
are sent there on public errands. Men
are there by official commissions who
have eluded courts and cheated jails.
That this Sodom has many more
Lots than its prototype we firmly be-
lieve; but that old Sodom and Co.
morrah had, for their day, as many
men as bad, and, compared with the
civilized condition of the community,
half as bad, we do not believe Cor
ruption and corruptibility, bribery and
venality, brutal passions and auda-
cious violence, In the street, In the
halls of legislation, in offices, in every
post and passage of Government, are
known to exist We do not believe
that ever before was there SO little
sensibility to charges Of most ruinous
wickedness. Not only is there the
most depraved wickedncss, but there
seems very little sensibility to it when
exposed. The extremity of the evil,
we believe, will work remedy. We
hope that we are near the bottom, and
that any change will be for the better.
When jobs are SO many and lucra-
tive; when the treasury is assailable
on every side, and boring avarice may
grow rich by scarcely disguised rob-
berry; when just claims are withheld
and public debts dishonorably deferred
for a creditors whole lifetime, but
money is poured out like water upon
managing rogues and unconvicted po-
litical felons-it can scarcely be but
that crowds of evil men will haunt the
purlieus of national legislation and
batten upon plunder. When before
did rumor, almost without periphrasis
or innuendo, but by open threat, charge
home upon the highest members of
Government the disgrace Of personal
corruption and official venality?
Out of this boiling and uneasy era
ter, just now comes fiery flash, rain
of mud; and black clouds, full Of
sound and bolts, hang about it. Pride
has reached forth hand Of lust, and
Vanity has clasped it. Then comes
Assassination to destroy the guilty
plight. The papers are loaded down
with the matter. There is not ham
let or rarche on the continent in which
this sore of depravity is not about to
drop its iclor.
Is it to be taken as a thing settled,
then, that our great daily journals of
news, and all our weekly papers, and
all moral and religious newspapers.
are TO report the whole news Of the
criminal calendar, and all the shame
of corrupt society? What end is
gained by long and minute disclo-
sure of the secrets of iniquity? II
would seem as if the rivalry of papers
| was not a sufficient reason for making
them the common sewers of human
eepravity. The prurient details ot
divorce cases at disgusting length,
repetitious columns of news from the
prize-fghters' ring, the police-courl
. reports, the details OF salacious scan
, dsl, and the hateful histories Of dissi
a pated life. in which men that are rich