Litchfield enquirer., 1870-06-09
Evil Speaking.

Evil Speaking.
 MT. Justice Mccarthy, in the last Gal- agy comments on the terrible vehemence and persistence of personal attack to which public men in America are subject ed. He says that nothing like it is known in England. Making some allowance for exaggeration of expression, this is certain ly the worst feature of our journalism. The overwhelming importance of ,our poli- tics for the last twenty years, will in part account for such peculiarity; but with the return of political quiet, there should certainly be some abatement of the asper- ities of war times. It can be said in our favor, indeed, that there is marked improvement on the manners of our older politics. The personal bitterness between Federalists and Republicans, or between Wings and Democrats, appears to have been more serious than any we have seen in our day. Public men had less faith in each others sincerity, then, than now, and really hated each other more generally, then, than they do now. Unfortunately, the improvement in the manners of the politi- cians of our time is more marked than that of our journalists. The reason for this is, we tbink, owing to the fact that whereas journalism was formerly only a business, it is now profession. Nc one thinks the worse of lawyer for being en- ployed to advocate cause in opposition to his personal convictions. It is becom- ing quite common for journalists, also, to take employment as the supporters of po- itical opinions to which they are personal ly opposed or indifferent. The notable tendency of such advocacy, however, is to an increased dependence on the tricks of the trade, especially upon that skill in the personal depreciation of opponents, which IS so prominent feature of the lawyers art. Discussion of great principles is avoided or conducted in that difident manner, and with that utter want of ori- ginality, always characteristic of the half hearted advocate. The impersonality of the modern city press, destroying the in- dividuality of its writers, offers every fa- cility for this species of work, and renders the editors character for sincerity of the smallest possible account. It is noticea- ble that of all the New York dailies, the Tribune is almost the only one whose in- huence at all depends upon the personal character of it's chief manager. Journals have principles, but not editors Any one can easily imagine Mr. Manton Marble writing republican editorial; or MT. Da- na, an eulogy of Grants administration :; but can any stretch of fancy picture Mr. Greeley writing Free Trade leader?
 How great difference there is between the sham adversary and the real adversa- ", can be readily seen in comparison between the common run of Democratic attacks on the President, with the estimate of him given by Mr. Alexander H. Ste- phens in his history of the late war which W0 AopEAuU Ou our urSG page MT. Stephens met Gen. Grant un- der circumstances calculated to show the kind of man he really is. There were matters of the greatest importance to be discussed, such as might change the whole future of the country. That Gen. Grant should have appeared to be " exceedingly quick in perception, and direct in purpose. with vast deal more command of brains than tongue, and that he should have inn pressed MT. Stephens with the very ex- traordinary combination of rare elements of character he exhibited" shows that he is strong at the right time, and in the right place That he appears very differ ently to the ofice-seeker and to the "in- terviewing" reporter, speaks almost equal ly strongly in his favor. The honest ex- pression of opinion which MT. Stephens vouchsafes regarding one from whom he has nothing to fear and nothing to hope, ought to put the Sun and the World to shame.
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