The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-01

grieve to say, ended somewhat tragically, for
the city editor 1--WE are 10th to write it), mad
dened by the repartees of Mrs. Stielman, was
80 ungailant as to stab her with that instru-
ment of his vocation, "a penknife." For this
he was conducted to a dungeon; but soon
getting out again, he resumed at once the
business of speaking evil of Thespians, and
especially of man and maiden at the same
theatre. For this he was duly hogged ''by
two young men"upon the pavement, this time
with horsewhip;" and so the honor of the
young persons at the theatre may be con-
sidered as asserted and duly demonstrated.
This business of chastising is getting, it
seems to us, little stale and tedious. 1t
would be quite refreshing to hear of somebody
who, having been blown to great height in
the journalistic columns, did stoically deter
mine to regard his involuntary elevation with
profound contempt. Speaking for ourselves
personally, and as general thing, we had
rather be despised than caned, and anybody
who feels disposed is, by these presents, ao-
corded full liberty to regard us with the utmost
loathing and horror; to consider us as abso-
lutely beneath his notice, and especially to
treat us with that form of contempt which is
called and known as the silent In this mis-
cellaneous world we have never dilated
with the absurd ambition of trying to please
everybody. Spades are spades, and none the
leSb so JnOuBu we may uSSlSudI6
them as shovels. In the course of human
events, of which destiny has designated us as
annalists, it sometimes becomes necessary to
speak of human oblquities, and to speak of
them with reasonable degree of sharpness.
1t happens--of course at rare intervals-that
newspapers should sometimes speak the truth,
not merely of measures, but of men; and
sometimes to mitigate an offense against de-
cency is substantially to publish not ga lie"
(for that is word which it is never proper to
use), but let us say ''an untruth, which is
more comfortable expression. Therefore,
we may be obliged to call man sometimes
by hard name; but should we do SO, we
hereby permit, allow, and license that man
to consider us as caned or cowhided-to post
the fact, as if it were fact, in all bar-rooms,
exchanges, and other places where men most
| do congregate-to boast and brag and swag-
| ger up and down the town at our expenses
| and to publish, if he pleases in pamphlet,
| the particulars of our chastisement. He will
thus experience all the pleasures without the
| perils of heroic action, while it will be our
| own good luck to escape the pangs. For
| his consolation, we assure him that
he will find fools enough to be.
lieve him; to glory greatly in his valor and
| our own discontinue; to narrate the tale in
all companies to which they may gain admis-
sion with perfect CreSceBdO of circumstances;
and to consider us as thing to be pointed at,
ridiculed, and despised. He will thus acquire
immense reputation; our own will not be
materially hurt; everything will go on
serenely, without recourse TO the low anC
vulgar expedient of aogging, which is only
fit for the Five Points or for Donnybrook
Fair. Men beaten in the abstract feel nc
bruises, while the complacency of men who
so beat them is perfectly illimitable.
| To suppose that newspaper can be con
| Quoted without provoking the extreme wratt
of somebody, is the acme of absurdity. Part
and great part of the legitimate business o
| journalism is to give offense to those who ar,
deserving of public censure. When we are
all virtuous together this will be different; a
present the fact, however mortifying to tn,
pride of human nature, remains fixed. Thu
censor must do his duty, although he ma,
himself be very far from faultess To tn
honest public he is responsible for veraclt,
and fair intention; to those he may offend fo
the canipg-in the abstract.