The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-01-26
The Courtesies of High Places

2ttGnuOHs
The C0urtestes Of High Places.
The poor, degraded denizens of that
sink of iniquity and degradation the Five
Points, in New York little dream of the
fact that they are furnishing ideas and
language for the men in "high Places
when they get in their wranglss and jars
and make use of all the vulgar and OBJ
scene epithets their rum-heated imagina-
tons can conjure up to apply to each
other. But so it is; the worst language
that can be furnished from that delecta-
BILE locality is the choice of our leading
public men, to vent their spleen against
each other; and it appears the higher the
position of the parties the lower in the
depths Of degradation do they descend to
gather up the "mud" to bespatter their
adversaries with. What a commentary
upon our boasted enlightened age. The
inebriated Tar, who makes use of Ian
guage Of similar character in some out
of the way locality, is forthwith dragged
off to the lookup" and fined for the Of
fence, whilst his patron in "high-life' is
lauded to the skies for following his ex-
ample in the decent circles Of society,"
We give below a few extracts from a
"spat" between the Hon. Roger A. Pry-
or, of Virginia, and James Gordon Ben
nett, Editor of the New York Herald
They are both prominent, leading men,
and as we are not taking political view
of their "failings," we will not stop to in
quire to which political party they be-
long. One is member of the House OF
Representatives of the United States, and
the other is an Editor of one of the lead
Ing journals of the day. But here are
the extracts:
In speech in the House on Friday, the
Goth inst, Mr.. Pryor said: 81 wish to pro.
test at once, however, that own no obliga-
ton to respond to anything that issues from
the pen or the inspiration Of James Gordon
Bennett. should disparage the dignity Of
my position, and affront the feelings of no
norable members, if were to admit the pro-
priety or the necessity Of recognizing any
utterance from that notorious individual-a
man who ia conspicuous by the persistent
and fragrant violation of all the rights and
virtuoas instincts of humanity; who has sup
fxvskk tho &c
a pernicious influence by extorting contribu.
tions from the fears of innocence, and levy.
ing subsidies upon the gratitude of sympa-
thetic and confederate villany; wretch who
bears upon his back the scars OF many me-
rited chastisement, and upon his soul the
faint of every conceivable abominatien; a
miscreant who, in consenting to the disho-
nor of his own family and the PROCLAMATION of
the most sacred relation OF life, has commit
ted crime for which no language furnishes
q commensurate term of scorn and detesta-
ton; foul aad filthy creature, whose name
is the execration of both continents, and
from whose contact truth and virtue shrink
as from the touch of leprosy; tiend who,
denied the privileges Of human fellowship
sRd exiied from the courtesies and charities
of the social circle, is condemned to wear
out the small remnant of a guilty and mise
rable existence in q solitude for which the
wages OF q prostitute press can purchase no
relief and no consolation. / repeat to the
House, that would not obtrude upon their
presence the image of an individual VIII ose
uHutterable and unapproachable infamy d is-
tinguishes and stigmatizes him as the shame
and the opprobrium Of humanity"
For which piece of excoriatins, it is
said that James Gordon Bennett, Jr.. in
tends to call Mr.. Pryor out whilst the
Herald, in Its Wednesdays issue, has
interspersed through its Congr essional
proceedings and its editorial columns
short and pithy paragraphs, samples O
which we annex:
"Roger A. Pryor.. the shameless 3 liar ant
.oAlanaiator Of the good Old Dominion die
"Roger A. Pryor, the beastly liar and Sian
.derer OF the benign Mother Of PRESIDENT
didn't say word"
"Roger A. Pryor, the brutal liar and Ii
heller OF the generous land of chivalry, die
not speak"
"Roger A. Pryor, the base liar aud ca
lumnistar of the home of Washington, said
nothing"
"Roger A. Pryor, the liar and calumnia
tor of Virginia made NO speech to-day"
HRoger A. Pryor, the filthy liar and ca
iumuistor OF Virginia, made no remark"