Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-07
Some Plain Truths.

| There are many grumblers at the press.
| persons who assume that it is the duty OF
editors to take every responsibility connect
ed with the exposure of fraud, and publish
everything sent to them in abuse of indivl-
dnals. companies or classes. One of these,
with the anonymous signature of "Repub-
! licus" having written to the New York Times
complaining that the press is nowhere indie
pendent, that if it were, the names of parties
&C., would have been published, and alleg-
ing that he could furnish the names Of the
schief Williams, &C., the New York Times
replies:-
The writer belongs evidently to class
of persons, quite numerous in the communi-
! ty, who suppose that no newspaper is inde-
| pendent or honest which will not perform,
at it its own risk and expense, whatever
defamation they may think the public good
requires "Republicus" would gladly "fur-
nish the press, q name or two of the chief vii
lain" if it would publish them. Suppose he
sets the press an example of independence in
this particular. Let him publish, under his
own proper name and upon his own respon-
sibilty. moral and pecuniary, whatever
charge he has to make against the chief
williams" with whose operations he processes
to be SO familiar He is citizen and u
patriot;-he would probably scorn the impu-
tation that he lacked independence, or could
not afford the luxury of telling the truth.
! Let him show the world that if "there is not
such thing as an Independent press" there
| is at least one independent citizen.
| IF era ri
as masked batteries, from which they must
be permitted to fire upon all who happen to
offend them. 1t is really amusing to hear
the complaints which they frequently make
of the press, when they find that they can
not use it. One man wishes to denounce
| the landlord who raises rent;-anOther, the
tenant who converts his parlor into pig-stye.
One invokes the thunders of the press against
| a bank which refuses to cash his check when
his account has been overdrawn, another
claims the use of his columns to vilify, anon
ymously, some monster of depravity who
stands in the way of some pet project of his
own. The press has been thought up" as
matter Of course, by the opposite party
There is no such thing as independence, or
regard for ustice, in its conduct. Ii they
only had control of newspaper, all things
that are wrong should be forthwith set right;
villaiuy should be exposed, and every scoun-
drel held up by name to the execration OF So
| ciety.
Yet if these very men should ever be in
| trusted with the responsibility OF editing IA
public journal, they would speedily learn to
be cautious in dealing with names and with
personal character. 1t is only while they are
to write without being known-while edi-
tors are to be responsible for their offences
while they Can crafty their personal NAL
ice without being accountable either to the
law, or to public sentiment, that they are such
valiant champions of independence and free
dom of speech Ask them to face the res
possibility of their charges, and they sud-
denly discover that prudence is a virtue, and
That discretion has good deal to do with
valor."
Every editor of daily newspaper knows
that these remarks are just, and not whit
exaggerated.
NOTES OF A JoURNEY.-We have passed
through the fertile and beautiful counties of
| Shenandoah and Rockingham, and portion
Of Augusta the lands are fine and the lands
capes picturesque: the Manassas road is pro-
crossing well under the excellent manage
ment of Mr.. Marshall the road is now at
Mt. Jackson and will reach HarrisOnburg
in about year and half; Harrsonburg is
growing with unprecedented rapidity the
people there show remarkable signs of pro-
gress; the houses which were not long since
plain and inexpensive are now costly and
fine a bank has been established which
renders very scarce, money which has been
very abundant the money was heretofore
in the pockets of the people but is now in the
| hands of managers: the back traffirks and
trades on the money and sends 1t out of the
neighborhood without any regard to :lle IN
terest of the community; the community are
IL totally changed one from these clrcumstan-
ceS Of artliiciality, and are lar less comfort
able; Of the improvements might be also NO.
ted the great growth Of the Rockingham
Register now circulating 2OOO copies an
other improvement is the excellent hotel
kept by Mr.. Hill, which for country house
can hardly he surpassed for neatness, fresh
ness, purity and excellence; the Messy
Greek Paper Mill is an object of great inter
est--the complicated process Of paper-ma-
king: that the machinery takes the place
of human hands almost entirely. The per-
ccntrage on paper-making is very heavy;
that the raw material costs only 3 to 81 cents
and the manufactured article sells for 10 TO
II; the gentlemen proprietors are very wor-
thy and honest; it is to our interest to encour-
age home products when it can be done
| Clarke JDurnai.
The LICENSE LAw.-The Revenue Laws
of Virginia against pedlars and sample
sellers" are very severe as will be seen by
the following extract: without first obtain
ing State license 50 to do, no one shall
SELL or contract to sell, or offer to sell, goods,
wares and Misunderstanding books,
maps prints, provisions, agricultural COM
mrditeS, fruit trees and strawberries, the
growth production or manufacture of this
State, or any of the United States, or any
foreign country, either by sample card or
otherwise. Offenders against this law may
be fined not less than $50 nor more than
| $500"
Under this law the Courts of Richmond
are becoming lively, as we find nearly 4