Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-17
A DEfENsE.
" Oh wad some power the glftic gle US,
To see ourselves AS others see US"


ing IN their papers of two weeks ago, ir.
respective OF 1t. tendencies | would re.
spectmlly say to those men "who are wiser
in their own conceit than ten men who can
render reason" that make no prrten.
slons OF literary merit, consequently my
article is not open for critics; neither is
my knowledge of the wants of tie people
universally accepted as being perfect yet
nevertheless, am willing to derive all the
profit can from your criticism, not ac-
ccptng as the opinion of the people.
am extremely sorry that your Editorships
failed to discover the worthlessness of
my article before you printed it, Iappea
to you, and to the people in the name Of
common sense if it s not the better part
of the duty of an editor to reject ANYTHING
he may think unsuitable to his paper than
to print IL. and afterwards censure the
author for writing? If they understand
their duties as editors, is it not apparent
that they censured me not because they
thought my article unfit for publication,
but more from the thought of awakening
some moral sentiments among their pat
rons. For my part, | cannot see how
ri.ht-minded public can grant approval to
actions begotten of such sentiments,
Perhaps, in my article, I was too un.
mindful of the wants Of the TaIBuNE and
people, if so | apologize. never want
any wrong act of mine to 60 unrcpaircd;
neither do accept our Editorirl censure
in anger, because it is art of my wisdom
to counsel malicious acts in kindness,
knowing that it is H,tmaau,,, est errare. the
lot of human to err You say | nattcred
Mr.. GAYLORD and his corps of teachers
Probably | have represented better than
they really are, this point peacefully sub.
NIT to your perfect judgments, so per-
feet that "you can divide, hair 'twixt
south and southwest side,") rcpretting
that had not retained some of my good
opinion to bcstow on my worthy critics
FOR they are really more deserving of it
than a common pedagogue. Regarding
your opinion on the points of Sense and
Rhetoric, must credit you with goody
degree OF oeriancy for you are no more fit
to judge on these points, than Calagula's
horse was for consulship. You also crit
icise us, saying we use "uncommon words
and phrases" How do you know this p
Their being uncommon to you does con.
vince us that they are uncommon Others
thnk used no words but what can be
found in Worcester's or Websters Dction.
ary Your Edltorships should have thought
little longer before you gave such intre.
pations 20 my words You remind me
Of
The enlres OF paper and foods OF Ink
That some men spoil who never thnk"
If said anything in my article you did
not understand or that you or any other
white man" cannot understand, come to
me and | will cndeayor to explain IT..
1t | cannot it then remains Tor you to
tell me so.
Lastly, You claim that If our article was
stripped of its verbiage it would be more
profitable. Here again, worthy Journalists.
our opin'cns are conflicting. You think
that the condensation Of literary matter
alone MAINTAINS It's cogency, and that com
preston Of expression should he the only
requirement. OF writer, Gentlemen, this
IS not my opinion Of what the man should
he who was born to "entertain these fsir
well-spokon dovs.' claim that if you rob
literature of its expansivcnesa. you take
from it its best points point. beneath
which on, can be found the shining steel
Of the tough shaft Of the lance Of logic. If
Won are willing to determine this question
by authority refer yon 10 these all.time
examples sci by william Shakespeare. Show
me one place where he has written in n
restrained or curtaied manner, aud | win
show you nine hundred and nncty,nine
where he bas shown US that tie logic Of
literature is not found in its condensation,
but IN its cxpansyeness. | will point YOU
to few more writer's who have luckily, or
unluckily, as the case may he, fallen into
your zone common error Writers who
have often violated the principles that a
common country editor thinks they ought
to strictly observe, by indulging in nhun.
dant and unrcstraned expressions Coo
dense the style of the opulcns Ruskn and
the inimitabe sterne or in other words,
strip their writings Of It's plumage and YER
biage, aud wha. have you left remaining to
give pleasure and profit to she readeF'--
Condcnse the long aru expansive expres.