, 1862-06-28
masbinoton Statesman.
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 20, 1862
Rant versus Cant.

Rant versus Cant.
There are agitators in every community.
We have a genus or two of this description
in this community. They are generally
composed of men who are excessively or
thodox, and extremists and always en-
tertain very comfortable opinion of them
selves so much so that they imagine the
community, without the Illuminating light
their superior intelligence sheds over it.,
would be in almost total darkness. Hence
they often assume to direct, dictate, and
prescribe. They are men, too, who fatter
themselves that they WELD an immense in
fluence; invariably take to themselves all
the creditif the domestic affairs of the com
munity are wisely directed, and in case they
are not in their estimation, they are prone
to say, "you had better have taken my
advice" or like the old woman, triumph
antly exclaim, 'I told you so = In the
Americanized sense of the term, they are
"buzzers." Ordinarily they must have
something to say; but when movement
beyond the everyday channel is proposed,
then they buzz the community, and deem
it of vast Importance to the proper direc-
ton of the proposed movement that they
should have great deal to say They gen
orally talk fippantly- practice has
made them adopts in the use Of the tongue,
but they are supposed not to possess any
more sense than the " common folks and
not unfrequently they forcibly illustrate
this fact themselves. They are generally
also very knowing people you can't
tell them anything about this, that, or the
other thing they know it all To say
they are generally impudent and presump-
tuous, would be supererogation. Their
style of reasoning is consistent only with
their insane zeal and in forming their con-
clusions about men and things, they arrive
at them by process similar to the follow
ing A is a good Union man, that fact is
clear to everybody but his business rela-
tions have brought him in contact with Sc
cessionists g he won't do" B don't en-
dorse secession, ergo he's an abolitionist
she won't do published an article in
which he complained of a certain candidate
for not coming out square on the Union
question, the candidate being only in favor
of sustaining the administration in all legal
and constitutional measures he's a seces-
sienist by a marvellous transformation, /" he
won't do" D belongs to the clique che
won't do" E considers the marching of
an armed force upon our town an outrage
without provocation; he's a secessionist,
undeniably. These illustrations are suffi-
cient to show the injustice of the judgment
pronounced by this class of reasoners.
From this source we have been charged
with being secessionists, and on the other
hand abolitionists. We refer to these
charges simply to say, in order that none
may be misled by this ' buzzing" infu-
ence, that we are now what we have ever
been since the firing upon Sumter gave oc-
casion for emphatic action on the part of
the American people, uncOmpromisingly in
favor of sustaining the Federal Government
in suppressing the present rebellion and
we have sufficient faith in the consistency
of our course up to this time, to challenge
proof to the contrary of this statement
We are not, however, in favor of abolition
izing scheme es by the Federal congress, nor
of Wholesale proclamations for the freedom
of slaves; and coming nearer at home, we
are entirely opposed to an armed military
marching through our streets in hostile
bearing, to enforce its peculiar ipSe dirit.
In the conduct of the STATESMAN we
have endeavored to make it a readable
newspaper. 1t was not established for the
purpose of ranting secessionism nor aboli-
tionism, and we do not suppose its publica
ton has been of any particular consequence
or interest to violent extremists, Nor
would we have it so being satisfied that
it has thus far met the appreciation of the
loyal people of this county. Without res
pect to either of these factions, we shall
continue to employ our abilities to make
the paper acceptable to the reading public
as a news journal.
A GOOD PLATFURM-The committee on reso-
lutions, appointed by the mass Convention last