The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-11-26
Truth a Century Old.

| Among u OnDSOn'S papeIo III Iuo IIeT, we
fud one bearing date of N November IL, 1853
which we might we'll believe was written
yesterday, instead of over a century ago, so
truthfully does it depict the occurrences OF
to-day, and so exactly is it adapted to our
present circu instances. Who that reads the
following will fail to discover the fidelity OF
the picture the great writer has bequeath ed
to posterity, or be at loss to apply his
criticisms with justice to our own people
and our own sensation news writer's?
To write news in its perfection requires
such a combination of qualities, that a man
completely fitted for the task is not always
to be found. In Sir Henry Wotton's joeu-
lar definition: An ambassador is said to be a
man Of virtue sent abroad to tell lies tor the ad
Uantdge of has country; q nel0s -tOriter as a
man loithout Ujrtue toho writes lies at home for
has oa0n profit. To their composition is re-
quired neither genius nor knowledge, nei-
ther industry nor sprghtliness; but con-
tempt of shame, and Indifference to truth,
are absolutely necessary. He who by a
long familiarity with infamy has obtained
these qualities, may confidently tell to-day
what he intends to contradict tomorrow;
he may affirm fearlessy what he knows be
shall be obliged to recant, and write letters
from Amsterdam or Dresden to himself.
In a time of war the nation is always of
one mind, eager to hear som ethDg good Of
themselves, and i'll of the enemy. At this
time the task Of news writing is easy; they
have nothing to do but to tell that the bat
tie is expected, and afterwards that battle
has been fought, in which we and our
friends whether conquering or conquered,
did all, and our enemies did nothing.
Scarcely anything awakens attention like
a tale of cruelty. The writer of news new
er fails in the intermission of action to tell
how the enemy murdered children and raw
ished virgins; and if the scene of action be
somewhat istaut, scalps half the inhabit-
ants of province.
Among the calamities of war may be
justly numbered the diminutior of the love
of truth, by the falsehoods which interest
dictates, and credulity encourages. peace
will equally level the warriors and relator
of wars destitute of employment; and [
know not whether more is to be dreaded
from streets filled with soldiers accustomed
to plunder, or from garrets filled with
scribblers accustomed to lie.
PROPOSED SALE OF THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION The original Proclamation
of Emancipation is now in this city. 1t is
to be sold by the managers of the North
Western Fair, for the benefit of the sick
and wounded soldiers. There is dramatic
Justice in such an appropriation of it, albeit
the relief it will afford will be but as the
staunchiDg Of single wound in comparison
with the torrents of blood it has caused to
flow. For every letter in its com mposition
a thousand lives have been offered. For
every sentence, there is to-day desolation
in countless homes scattered across a CONT
nent- Every declaration it EN- bodies is
record of perjury against its author. Every
pledge it contains is a pledge against the
life of the nation. aud a defiant insult to
the memories. sacrifices, and statesmauship
of the illustrious dead who founded the
Government. "Steno's lie couched in these
worthless lines periled Venice when she
was Queen of the Adriatic, ,"aud centuries
Of victory and successful commerce had
filed her palaces with wealth and consoli-
dated her power. A vulgar jester, as
brain!ess, if not as unprincipled. as Steno,
has perpetrated slander in this proclama-
tion upon the memories of dead more no.
and pure AID placed in jeopardy by the act
Republic with a history more resplendent
aud hopes more glorious than ever opened
before the imagination of the most daring
and ambitions Venitian, Then bid for the
proclamation! Bid high! 1t should at
least bring as much as the household goods
of the late famed Magdalen wheE exposed
for sale in London. Notoriety is fame, and
the unparalleled infamy of the Proclamation
has at least made it notorious.- Chicago
Times