The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-03-29
From the Independent. March 18th.
Henry Ward Beceber on Anonymous Let.

tcIts
There are many wrong things which
persons DO from want Of reflection, or from
lack Of experience, and writing anonymous
letters is one Of them. Asa general rule
it is safe TO say that no person should ad
dress to another any message which Le is
unwilling TO put lis name to.
The only cases in which the name is Of
little Importance are those in which there
can be no objection to its use. Ii ono is
compiling work, one may send him msto
risls, or preferences, or hints OF facts and
books, anonymously. But what earthly
reason has the informant for Withholding
bis name! 49,.
We receive great many, and the his.
tory of some Of taem will convey our views
better than general statements.
One writes to say that A. B. is suffering
great dcsttution, is very worthy, ought
to be rolieved--apd no signature. Our i'm.
preston is thai the person who wrote the
letter and thecn mentioned therein, are
one and the sa'ne, aud that the whole is
an attempt TO beg BY means Of lie.
Another sends u letter signed "a mem
ben Of your church," in which various crit
icisms are freely indulged We do not be.
lieve a word about tho membership, and
il we did, should say that tares were yet
mingled with the wheat. No person has
any business TO express an opinion OF public
Affairs that is not willing to put his name
TO it.
Another person writes about third par
ty urfayorably, and the moment that We
get the drift Of the letter we look to see If
there is a responsible name If there is
none, we pitch the lettor into the fire, and
fear the, tho writer will follow, IN due
tiue, unless he rcponts of tho inefatle
meauess of writing evil Of fellow, and
hiding his mans. This is an attempt at
assassination. A man that will by annoy
nous letters injure aHother, would commit
any crime to which bis cature addicted him,
provided there was mttivc aud impuni
ty.
Very different arc communication; IN
which the writes reveal their own exper-
ience. We think this TO be case, it there
can be any, which justifes Withholding to
mono. Aud yet we have in mind two ca
ses, both of which show that it would
have been better to have given the name.
In one, piteous history Of wrong, suffer
ing, repentance, almost despair, waa re-
vealed. Had the person given US a per.
sonal interview, or tho means Of it, we
were Of opinion at the time that wo could
have prevented almost fatal mistakes, and
secured great good. But it was by the
mercst chance months afterwards that we
found out the writer. And then it was
too late to do any good
In anothercasc, personfrom Troy in this
State, gave very affecting account Of her
experience, but left her name out We
believe thst one hours conversation might
have set her free whom Satan had bound
for years. But we wero cut of from COM
muuication. And when few weeks Ia
ter, We visited Troy, we would chcerfally
have gone 10 any inconvenience to relieve
one suffering much and necdlcssly, but We
had 10 clue.
If ones case Is worth writing at all,
it is not once in thousand times times
that tho name should b, left unwitteu.
Even If tho confession be Of crime. or OF
dishonorable conduct, il is better to select
one who can be conf !od in, and then
make frank and full and personal expla-
nation. Repentance behind mask is
suspicious.
We disdain TO consider the cas-, Of hose
miscreauts who seek 20 make mischief in
families, in usighborhoods, or between
friends, by anonymous information, wbeth.
er false or true. y man who, under cover
of darkness, would stab anothcr'S name
or hopes, is al own child OF the Devil, and
is about his masters business with an in.
fernal fidelity.
If you wish to warn "a person Of danger,
or apprizo him Of any evil, go to him OF 20
to some friend who will, or write with
your signature. But if you will not du
that, DO nothing. If You are unwilling to
bear for another the risk Of writing your
name, you are not friend enough 20 enti.
Ito YOU to meddle with his affairs at ALL
We are largely in receipt Of letters from
anonymous persons asking for small loans
of money, and with only initials for super.
scription, Agance detects such lyumpery,
and very slight turn o: tho wrist converts
them to ashes.
A mans name is meant 70 be n safe.
guard. Where man is known, he i 81
lently restr lined from thousand inciden-
tal temptations which would assal him il
be were consciously unkuowp. y man't
name on paper is the representative of his
person. II will be strong inducement to
care, honor truth and propriety. The
want OF name 10 letter ID prcsumtiyc
evidence that man has been doing some
thing of which ho is ashamed. Aud al
honest men ought to make it rule, to
burn up without reading, anonymous com
municatons. This is our rule. Ii is only
now ana then that We begin TO read with.
out knowing that tho letter is nameIess -
But usually, a letter without a signature
goes iu an instant into the fire, or into
strips for the ind to play with.
BURNED TO DEATn-We learn from
Hon Isaao Gala nf Dappinntor. a., tI,;a