Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-12-23
"A Question Of Veracity.

FRIDAY, DEC. 23, 1870
A Question Of Veracity.
Some two or three weeks since we
made mention of the fact that the
Davenport Gazette, upon very slight
provocation, had opened up the dis
cussion of the Senatorial question,
and had declared in favor of Mr..
Harlan as against Mr.. Allison, who
it assumed would be the opposing
candidate. We ventured to depre-
cate such premature agitation of the
subject, but expressed hope, if the
discussion was deemed necessary
in the Gazette's plans, that at least
it would avoid the personal villifi-
cation of Mr.. Allison which disgra-
ccd its pages in the last Senatorial
campaign. To this suggestion the
Gazette made the following ungra-
cious response:
1.-THE Buchanan County Bulkrtin is unquestiona-
hly right in deprecating early an opening of the
Senatorial question; but It Is as clearly wrong,
not to sav dishonest. in credting that unnecessa-
~ openin. to the GAZETTE instead of to the Mar
shal Times and Dubuque Times. 1t was not un-
I'll both Of those Journals had editorially assailed
ship. On the score of decency.' II the B"Hffn
knows what that is. our Independence cotempora-
ry should compel its types to tell the truth or say
nothing"
In the above paragraph the Ga
zette makes the deliberate charge
that we lied in stating that it open
Cd the Senatorial discussion. For
tunately the Gazette itself has fur
nished us with the means Of throw
ing little light upon this question
of veracity. The Dubuque Times
took early notice of the endeavor to
shift the responsibility on to its
shoulders, and in a few calm SEN
fences showed that it had not edito-
rally or otherwise alluded to the
Senatorial question, until after the
appearance of the foolish editorial
of columns length on the same
subject in the Davenport Gazette.
This created a terrible squirming
on the part of the Gazette, and in its
response it was forced to admit that
in stating that the Times had "edi-
torially" opened the Senatorial qucs-
ton it was technically inexact,"
which We suppose is the polite def
milton for lying.
But determined at every hazard
to rid itself Of the responsibility Of
starting the unnecessary and unwise
agitation of the Senatorial question,
the Gazette renews its charge against
the Times in another form. 1t says:
1.-THE Times would not need to be told that our
reply to the Independence bulletin was exactly |
correct in spirit. although made technically mex
act BY the misuse of single word. The MARSHALL
town Times certainly did open the Senatorial |
question 'editorially;' and the Dubuque Times,
through Marshalltown letter in its columns. be-
fore the GAZETTE had said word on the subject.
Now let the very smart qu-drirer at Dubuque
reserve his Of the term deliberate lying for
home application"
Now read this crushing rejoinder
by the Times, and then say wheth-
er it does not settle the point Of YER
acity:
There, if an entrapped animal ever attempted
to crawl out Of a smaller hole than that, W, have
never yet heard of the incident. But it won't do,
Mr.. GI-ette. No Marshalltown letter that appear
ed in our columns ever contained word about the
Senatorial question. 1t is true that letter writ
zen from rama City by Gentleman who has oc,
a few lines concerning the SenatOrship, but the
GHsst'> editor had not seen it when he wrote his
aished on the s9th day of November. the dan qf'er
the etitor Of the Gazette Wrote his dricte. So the
new dodge wont work, Mr. crete and you you must
where about here"
That settles the matter so far as
the Times is concerned. The arti-
Gle in the Marshalltown paper to
which the Gazette refers, was if we
mistake not, mere sqib of few
lines, but it was made by the Ga
zette the opportunity for a studied
and formal pronounciamento in ia
vor of Mr.. Harlan, designed with
out doubt to place that paper at the
head of the front rank of that gen
tleman's supporters, and in the way
Of receiving his choicest favors if
elected to be his own successor. In
the peculiar circumstances of the
case we know no advice more APP
plicable to our respected cotempo-
rary than it's own: it "should com
pei its types to tell the truth or say
nothing" ...