Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-06-15
publican Nominations,
TIC the Public.

IC the PUBLIC.
When stranger introduces great enter
prise, universal custom, based upon the law of
humanity. requires that he should give to his
new acquaintances token of recognition
More especially is. this demanded Of an editor,
whose journal must necessarily WELD an inau-
ence in extent and Importance second to scarce
any other human instrumentdlity. An editor
weekly engrosses considerable share of the
time and attention of his thousands of readers
as they peruse the thoughts which he has
selected or penned he has an almost unlimited
opportunity to mould their affections, and
either greatly benefit or injure them. Whether
he realizes it not his responsibility is pro-
portonate to the extent of the power of the
instrumcntality committed to his trust.
Of all men, an editor should possess strict
integrity of character, and high moral principle.
H g position requires great versatility of talent,
strength of intellect, and mental cultivation; but
these valuable traits are second to the moral
qualities of high purpose, devotion to the
welfare of the country, and courage to utter
whatever he believes essential to the public
good
There also certain rules of order (some-
what similar to those which govern deliberative
bodes), by which he should regulate his edito-
rial career, and upon strict observance or
neglect of which, it seems to us, success or
failure must ultimately depend. Of these rnles
we would mention, first : An editor must be
tolerant-he should allow other men the same
liberty of thought, of speech and of conscience
which he himself assumes and exercises; other
wise he becomes a kind Of petty tyraut, more
suited to the base purposes of an European or
Asiatic despot than the elevation of the human
race, or the advancement of free institutions
In applying this obvious rule, we regard our
sheet as not so much the medium and instru-
ment of our humble self ,as ofthe community: and
more especially of those who are engaged with
us in political professions and purposes Free
dom of speech, freedom Of the press, and free
dom of conscience, are that healthful influence
which is to extrpate error from the world, Just
as autumnal frosts expel malaria, or the free
winds of heaven drive away noxious vapors, and
thus render the atmosphere favorable 70 the
promotion of physical health. What if winds
do sometimes destroy human lives and prop
Do they not also, to hundred fold degree,
contribute to the highest beneficial results
So it is with freedom-the liberty of all men to
use the press, within the same orderly limits
which should be observed by an editor himself;
although sometimes minor evils may result
from it, yet there is consequent upon it hun
dred fold more good, which cannot be produced
sn any other soil We therefore wish it under
stood, that our paper is public, party
organ, through which the public and the party
may communicate, and spread their thoughts
before the community This rule etfectually
prevents press being controlled by any exclu-
sive number of individuals, of either party or
community. If error creeps in on one side,
such freedom holds open door through which
the advocates of truth may enter and success
fully combat it.
Anotherrule of order of primary Importance,
is never to invade the sanctity of private life
We shall neither indulge in offensive personali--
ties, nor allow others to do it. Should anything
Of the kind happen through inadvertance, we
hope we may always be found ready to make
the dn,e,de honorable to justly offended parties
Nor have editors any more moral right to intro
duce into their columns vulgar personalities
towards each other, than they have to allow
their correspondents to abuse each other in
their articles While editors almost uniformly
exclude from their columns unmannerly arti-
eles, written by others, they thereby obviously
pronounce unqualified condemnation of their
own articles of the same character. &c Evil
communications corrupt good manners - there
fore such Communications should never be
made; much less should they be spread before
the public eye through the press While we
may vindicate our own cause. and say what we
believe to be true to expose the errors of
others, we hope we may ever do this in q
courteous and proper manner.
As its name indicates, our paper VIII be Repub-
hoan in principle, and the organ of the Repub IL
cans in this section, through which they are
specially invited to express their sentiments and
WELD thepower of the press for the removal of the
great evils which afIiict the country Our plat
form is that adopted by the Republican Conven-
ton at Chicago; our candidates are the Hon
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, and the Hon HANNIBAL
HAMLIS, and for the PRONUNCIATION of this excel
lent platform, and the elevation of these noble
possess; and we respectfully ask al who
aro of our persuasion to do the same
Space allows to add here only, that we
firmly believe that the most vital civil and
religious interests of the people, and of the
country, are imminently involved in the present
struggle; that while the highest good will
result from the success of our party, correspond
ingly dire evils cannot but flow from its defeat
We therefore claim the right to use the utmost
plainness and pungeney of speech, such as arc
demanded by the present emergency, and must
proceed from the heart and pen Of any man who
fully appreciates the great issues involved in
the approaching campaign Let no one be dis
appointed or .surpriseds if we utter dur unre-
strained thoughts upon all the points in
controversy between the pro-slavery party
and the Republican party. not excepting slavery
itself, the extension of which is the great matter
at issue. we must, and we shall, declare orr