Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-10-24

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while bad men have held the truth iu
righteousness; and what has been will be.
But while no two saints or sages have pre-
cisely similar conceptions as to the nature
and manifestations of Virtue, no true man
ever doubted its existence And that pub.
lie instructor who habitually sncers at Vir-
tue ms an illusion or pretense, is poison.
or Of public morals, aud should as such be
sbuuucd and reprobated.
There is 6ippaut and fashionable mode
OF journalism whereof the drift Is as follows:
All men are libertines, only awaiting op
portuuity; all women nre lewd in thought
If not in act; piety is still hunt for place
and pelf; the banker and the gambler use
different dice, but play for identical stakes !;
the merchant cheats in cloth; the grocer in
weight aud by adul,eration; the counter.
feiler by false coin and spurious notes-but
all alike aIe rogues in gain. only some are
crafty, sly, and respectable, while others
are bold reckless, and reprobate; but the
difference is wholly superficial Such
teaching is directly and powerfully cacu.
lated to corrupt aud deprave its pupils aud
though it is currently said tAat nobody puts
any faith in the duly iuculcaticns of those
who thus write, it is certain that continual
dropping will wear away the frmest rock,
aud that men are Influenced by teachings
which they profess aud ought to despise =
III they regarded such inculcatons as they
ought, would they habitually read them?
That newspaper personalities are grossly
iudecorous and imper,inent, the public is
we'll aware. Here is journal which pro-
pounds sone doctrine, maintains some
theory, or advocates some policy, which is
calculated to affect for good or evil the
well being Of mankind. Now nothing eau
be- more fit aud audsble than the effort Of
another j)urnal to detect aud expose any
error in that doctriue, flaw in the theory,
or public peril in the policy, thus commend.
ed. II il be immoral unjust or peruiciouS,
lei that, by all means, he shown: if it be
propped up by suphistry or direct falsehood,
do not mince the matter, but proclaim the
naked verify. But what concern have you
or the public with the personality of the
propounder or champion Suppose him
to have wry ucck, squirt eye, bald
head, stammering tongue, short leg q
limpirg gait, what has that to do with the
merits Of the case in band? Are you not
aware ,hat any allusion to that circum'
stance reduces You ut once TO the level Of a
black guard? Do you not realize that it is
virtually confession and avoidance, '-au
admission that you have no solid g, ound to
stand upon, aud no belief in your own abil
ity TO maintain your position by direct, per
tiueh,, mau'y argument! .....r
The introduction of the name of an edi
tor or contributor into controversy i
rarely justfaLle. When he gives tha
uame 10 the public iu connection with hi
essay, saying in effect, THIS is my view o.
the matter-regard it and treat it accord
ingly, lit may be proper to distinguish il
as his, and discuss it as such. But your
business is still with the doctrine, not the
propouuder with the considerations by
which it is su,ta ned. not the individual by
whom they are urged Refute the logic,
aud the ,ogiciun ialls with it; but proving
him otherwise rogue. a fool. a cripple, q
huuchback, does rot Get you ahead au inch
1t rather teuds 10 convict you Of fond
uess for low company aud en- adaptation to
it.
If the reading public would but realize
and accept its duty in the premlses-if il
would but consider the inevitably peslilent
influence of foul and scurrilJus sheet on
the minds Of its habitual readers, especially
of the youug--a great reform would soou
be effected A scofiiug, vile, scurrilous
journal has no right to exist; yet it does
continue to exist through the partiali,y aud
indulgence Of readers who laugh when they
should frowD, aud extend an easy toleratol
to that which tLey should s,ernly reprobate
If ndilferently good men would systemati
caly refuse to take or buy iudisputably bat
newspapers, the class would soon cease te
exist. Require of your journals the pro
preties, the courtsies, that you demand o
your daily assocates-admit no jIurual tc
your fceside which haJitually iudulgcs il
language that you would not permit to b'
uttered in the presence of your tamily--au'
the foul mouthed press will soou be desert
ed aud delunct nuisance. So much 20;
owe 10 the education of your caildren an'
the moral health, tho social decorum o
The community. Pardon casual bu
sterny repel aud repress every attempt t
win popularity by systematic reckleSsnes
Of propriety aud decency.