The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-09-02


wart all the money We an raise here for New
York state, which we are going 10 cave trom
the black republicans, tee aHd We advise tie
Pennsylvania politicians to 60 home aud
squeeze their own purses To the New York
ers We say, save your powder, We are hardly
getting into the beginning CT til fight Jet, aud
you viii have chances to blaze away to some
purpose before it is over.
The Press and the Peopie-Tke Modern
Vent for Grievances.
The patriarchal picture Of the kings Of anti
guilty sitting at the gates CT their palaces or In
their audience chambers, to hear the complaints
and to receive the petitions Of their subjects
always commends itself even to the minds Of Us
moderns as a beautiful Illustration Of the aim
plcity and love Of justice which are supposed to
have fourished in those days. There was then
direct accountability from the subordinate to
the superior. A fraudulent tax gatherer or an
oppressive underling was quickly brought TO
his senses under the summary mode Of prooe
dure which obtained before civilization Sue
ceeded in complicating forms and making JUS
tice inaccessible. How inestimable would be
those primitive aud simple modes Of treatment
in these days Of venal Legislatures and thieving
city fathers. When we think Of the Japanese
swindle and city railroad franchises, we almost
regret that we have so far outlived the customs
which prevailed
In the golden prime
OF good Haroun Alrasohid.
But though the Caliph no longer sits at the
az. az ,,ret xu;t
equal hand, or starts in disguise on nightly ex
peditions through the streets Of Bagdad with
bis cute vizier to hear what bis people say Of
him and his acts, we have, even in this in
tensely civilized age, an institution which
responds, in many respects, to the same needs
The Independent press stands day and night in
the most public place hearing complaints, lis
tening to suggestions and correcting abuses
Initiating the impartiality Of the caliphs, it
makes no distinction High and low rich and
poor, ignorant and enlightened come alike to
this modern judgment seat to make known their
grievances, or gain attention to their sugges
tons; and the intelligent reporters Of the press
make, themselves unknown, those daily and
nightly rounds Of investigation that used to
form the evening amusements Of the Caliph and
his vizier, and make them, too, with more
effect.
The Independent press OF the country thus
fills the void which onr departure from these
habits of antiquity made. Whatever grievance
of public nature exists is denounced to us by
scores Of pens. Whatever ideas Of q practical
or philanthropic nature illumine the minds Of
any members Of the community are immediate
ly communicated. Nothing of public interest
is allowed to escape our attention. We live in
the full sunlight Of events, and no public func-
ionary betrays his trusts or neglects his duty
without our being informed Of it. And
though we cannot bsstinado the trans
gressor, or visit him with any Of
those exemplary modes Of punishment
which were in vogue In the days We refer to-
we have mode Of our own, which ia, probably,
on the whole, quite as eaicacious. We can pill
Tory the offenders by holding them up to public
reprobation, as We have done in the case Of our
very honest and worthy Legislators, Aldermen
and Councilmen and il the people place them
again In Offices OF public trust, the people de-
serve to be again victimized and plundered.
The national Congress has ceased 10 be a body
for practical legislation State Legislatures are
invariably rotten and corrupt and as for mu-
nicipal councils, they have long been given over
to the hands Of the rowdy and thieving portions
Of the population. The people, then, find that
the only honest and impartial Judgment seat is
in the Independent press. They therefore come
to us with THEN complaints, their grievances and
their suggestions and we administer impartial
justice to ali. The press i universal congress,
sitting en- permnnmcc and having jurisdiction
Of all subjects. The summary OF communica.
tons and petitions received BY Us ia the space
OF day or two and which we publish else
where. gives an idea Of the amount Of business
we have to do in this line. The people know
where TO apply for a redress Of grievances; and
instead OF going to corrupt legislative bodies
or stupid officials, they come 10 the independent
press. Let It be ever 40. and let The press never
cease to prove itself worthy Of this higA honor
and trust