The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-05-03
Editors TeLegrapb /:

Editors Telegraph
| noticed in your issue of the 10th of last
month, communication from your Madi-
son correspondent, the Hon. James Ross.
| also noticed that a portion of the commu-
nication was devoted to an attack on the
NOTICES of the Hon. James r. Doolittle and
A. w. Randall, in the course they have ia
ken i'll their respective positions during tho
last few months. had hoped some one of
their personal and political friends here
would have some word to say in their win.
dication, especially of Mr.. Doolittle, as some
of them at least, are indebted to him for the
official positions they now occupy. have
hoped in vain, and avail myself of your
kindness to say few words suggested by
that communication, and in my opinion Mr..
Ross has in this matter only moved as ne
A., has been moved upon, that he is acting a
part assigned him by portion of the radi-
cal members Of our recent legislature. 1t
is part of their policy to destroy public
confidence in the integrity of Messrs Doc
little and Randall, and all public men who
think and act with them upon the great
questions that now divide public opinion
Nor is any one, from the President down to
private citizens exempt from this mode of
attack.
If there is one feature of the American
press at the present time more to be depre-
Gated than another, it is the reckless
and indiscriminate manner III which it deals
with private opinions and personal motives.
A large portion of our editors indulge in
constant appeals to popular passion and
prejudice. No patriotism nor position is ex.
allied enough, no motive pure enough, and
no sacrifice great enough, to atone for q
mere disagreement with the radical ideas o.
ia party majority. They seem to forget
that there may be wise and good men in e
minority as well as majority, ard that such
have not unfrequently been found even up
on the wrong, as well as upon the righ
side of questions of the first magnitude t.
society. Is it not true sometimes, tina
those who advocate the admitted right sidt
even, are not inspired by purer principles
than those who advocate error Said Ham
ilton, ambition, avarice personal animos
ity, party opposition, and many other mo
tives not more laudable than these, are APP
to operate as well upon those who supper
as upon those who oppose the right side of
, question" | believe that Mr.. Doolittl
stands in the Senate, an honest man, acting
with that small minority 'forlorn hope,
performing with them the grandest servic
f for this unhappy country. THANK Senate
Doolittle, in my humble way, for the firm
intelligent, and l believe, honest stand b
, has taken upon the side of reason, law ant
D right. How easy would it have been 70
him, with a ''Pecksniffian breast and wit
''Pecksniffian' principles to have flowe
along with that large majority in the Sen
ate and to have obeyed the known wishe
of party Legislature, that in 1859 passe
! strong Estate Rights" copperhead resolu
= tions. Who honestly doubts that MIR. Doc
little was as competent to judge of the cor
! stitutionality and wisdom of the Civ
Rights bill as the majority of our legisls
ture Who doubts that he as faithfully rel
resents the sentiments of his constituent
J as does Senator Howe, or the Congressma
from this district Who honestly believe
he took the stand he has in the Senate, a
f most alone in his own party. against pow
e erful, unforgiving Senatorial majority, an
l ''slighted the radical principles that CAV
; him power" and above all betrayed hin
self for the sake of some 'ofice prepared b
his master ?" No, whatever may be tn
? future political fate of Mr.. Doolittle, be
Iieve that when he cast his final vote upo
the Civil Rights bill, it was the most tryin
: and honest movement of his life. Tryin
because he knew that there was large ma
jority in the Senate and House in favor {
5 the bill, and that it would be passed owe
the Presidents veto. Trying because b
knew that majority of the Legislature {
r his State were in favor of the bill. Tryin
because it would prove eternal separation
between himself and some of the stronges
men of his party,if not from the party itself
And above all trying, because he kne,
that his motives would be misrepresente
and impeached by radical press and party
, And it was the most honest moment Of hi
life, because in spite of all these, he stoo
firm to a conviction. 1t was the grandes
day of his life. Loud defamation, bite
invective and torrents of malignant abuse
are the too popular instruments now mad
use of by many editors, too many, to evinc
the business of their opinions and the good
J ness of the cause they advocate. They ar
more expert in the use Of reason and argu
ment to disprove the truth of their opinions
The perpetuity Of this Republic, the libel
ties of the people, and the future achieve
ments of Christianity, all stand trembiin
between passion and reason, this hour
May they all find many as honest and abb
, defenders as Senator Doolittle.
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THE CUnIERA