Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-09-19

ought to relinquish the name Of the
Father of his country, and take instead
that Of the Father of Lies.
A little while since, it was reported,
with all necessary Enthusiastically OF
detail, that President DAVIS had visited
some town in Vermont, had been refused
admission to the grounds Of some n
who coarsely refused it, had been in
suited by the people and reviled by some
female who had lost 3 son in the civil
war. In a little while 1t appears that
the whole tale was a fabrication. It was
reported that Generals BEAURBGARD
and MAGRUDER were Kissed at the ex-
change, in the city of New York. Cen
eral MAeRUDER was never in the ex-
change. These are but samples Of the
daily ~fabricatiOns of ingenious m~slignity.
Who has ever known a speech made on
n side to be fairly, honestly and truth
fully reported by the journals on the
other2 Who has ever known a partizsn
journal voluntarily retract q Islander
published upon q political opponent?
Is it not possible for the press to ini-
tiate a reform, and to sbate to some ex-
| tent this scandalous and abominable
vice, this disease which is eating out the
very vitals Of the nation, and, like an
old English Attainder, working corrup-
ton Of blood ? So long as the law null
tiplies osths and ~afldsvits, false swear
ing will be common. We have wit
messed a thousand instances Of rank per-
Jury in the courts. 1t is the rarest OF
things to read an honest and strictly
truthful answer in chancery. We have
known lawyers in successful practice,
who were regular suborners Of perjury,
in the matter of answers in chsncery,
and afidavits for continuance. We have
seen men obtain changes Of venue, by
swearing what they themselves, and
every one else, knew to be false.
For these things there is perhaps no
remedy; but the Press is to a great ex-
tent, if not almost wholly, the cause of
political lying, and the Press can initiate
! a reform. Why should it not be deemed
dishonourable for q press to publish lies,
knowing them to be such? 1t is dishon-
Durable among gentlemen. Are Editors
| no longer gentlemen? Do lies prove so
profitable that it is worth while, by re-
sorting to them, or buying them Of lying
correspondents, m~ercenaries sent out to
travel and report private conversations,
msngled and distorted so as to bear no
resemblance to the TRUTHS it worth
while, when lies are so common and
cheaply purchased as to have become Of
little value, by putting them in circula-
ton, to forfeit sll claims 70 honour and
common honesty?
1t is absurd to pirate Of higher civili-
cation or any civilization st all, to build
churches and pay divines and listen to
sermons, and pretend TO christianity,
when it can be truly said that the word
Of q fuIl-bloOded Muskaki or Shawnee
Indian is more TO be depended on as evil
dence than the oaths of white men ? 1t
is not true, as to this vice, that
Vice is q monster OF so hideOus mien.
As to be hated needs but 10 be seen -
for lying has ceased to be repulsive, and
has almost arisen to the dignity of an art.
For the sake Of common decency, and
for its " sake, the press ought to COM
mence a reform, and TO cease to lie and
to SANDER and libel men.