The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-09-23
personal

ihto l"AC utptN ~ S"iuH "'i"'N'N ~
fic press in Oregon chan BY any others
We have known. Yet, we are glad To
state also, that at the present time there
are only one or two journals which engage
in aud continue the vicious practice.
Generally, nowadays, OPPOSING papers
discuss questions Mt issue with something
like fairness, and with the proper cour-
tesy which should be observed in those
whose occupation doyolvca upon them
the discussion or treatment of public mat
tiers, with each other, 1t is with no small
pride that We bear testimony to the cour-
tcsy AND good feeling with which the
principal journalists of the Opposition in
this State have exchanged their very An
%tagonistic views aud arguments with Dmn
%ocratic contemporaries lately, aud we trust
this course shall be- adhered To 10y them.
as il will be. We feel confident, on the
part Of the Democratic press. 1t Is Ger
tainly more gratifying tn the dispntants
themselves thus to encounter each other
than todescend tobitter personal abuse and
vituperation, aud SO it is more pleasing
and edifying to their readers. II men
who conduct newspapers can respond 10
the arguments Of a political adversary in
no other way than by totally ~disrcearding
the subject at issue, and resortiug "a sour
rility and filthy calumnies of solely per-
snnal nature against his individual. purely
personal character or acts, his kin or kith.
then are they entirely unworthy longer
ia continue at their stations. Readers
care more 10 be informed upon subjects
Of public interest than of the individual
characteristics, private transactions, quar-
Ircls cT wrangliags, or social affairs, of
editors even. II men who set themselves
mp as debaters. critics, or reviewers of
subjects of public import, when unable
To answer the arguments al an adversary.
To comment upon the condact of men in
any public light. aud to review u given
subject. turn from those performances.
aud apply themselves simply and only to
bedaubing, or slandcring, or tearing down
the persoaal reputation of their opponents.
or the author of the views presented, in
what are they any better than the low
BLACKBOARD who stands on the street cor
ner aad hurls his abusive, slanderous,
scurriious billingsgate, at the respectable
passer who deigns no notice Of him?
Most men who take papers in Oregon
have families at home. They want the
paper which comes to them of such Il
character that it can be read in the fam
lily without injury to the morals of any in
that sanctuary without causing a blush
to tinge the checks of their daughters.
without %cerrupting the healthful tone al
their sons home-breeding. They want a
paper which viii present to them new
lights aud impart better information IL
all who constitute the household, in the
subjects offered. If the views of an nd.
|versary an this question or that are no
ticed, they expect and have a right tc
find that, in their paper, fair counter.
vieys or arguments are presented, and
that the subject Mt issue is at least mt.
tempted to he answered. Ii, on the con.
trary, they find no further attempt at re-
Spouse except that which a blackguard
would essay, they must beget a contempt
iblc opinion of the ability of the editor
as a writer, and also learn to dcspise hin
as a man. The party or sect or faitl
which has only such men as It's cham
pions, must fall as they fall, into disgrace
and contempt, in the course of time. A
public which supports such a champion
and encourages him in such disrcputablt
practices, has well-nigh descended int,
barbarism, and become lost to the better
higher, nobler attributes of mans God
given nature.
Ut what more consequence to the pub
lie are the private matters of editors thar
of men in other occupations2 None what
ever The conductor of a paper has nj
more right to parade in his columns any
thing pertaining to himself PERSONAL,
than he has to devote the paper to tn,
mere personal affairs of other men. Hi
patrons do not pay him so much per an
mum for a paper which shall tell them 0
himself, or his acts or grievances, as al
individual. And for an editor to tax,
advantage of his own columns to assail O.
malign the conduct or character of on,
who has not a paper at his command, i
as cowardly and base an act as can be de
|seribed. Ii an editors duty leads him t
review or criticize the public conduct o
a public man, let him do so, and do i
with respect to his public career or be
hayior; but he ought never to drag il
also acts or anything else which pertain
to his subject solely as an individual. T
l do SO is on a par with that most bas
thing which some resort to-the publica
ton of entirely private letters which ma,
have passed when the parties were ex
changing views and ideas with each othe
| in perfectly friendly and confidential cor
respondence. The petty larceny thief i
a model of manly honor in comparison
with the creature who does this.
The editor who will indulge in thi
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