The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-10-12

The Press OF the South.

we do not think the services or th,
general integrity Of the press Of lh,
South is unanprccialeI bv the people
who are, however ignorant Of til,
temptations which mnnv ncwsparcr;
have put from tken,, and ignorant OF tic
extent OF The losses wllicl, such newspa
pers have sgstnlned on orcount OF theil
fidelity TO The people OF The South.
In this State aud in somc others,
military governors, or corrupt officials
acting un'lrr cover Of inqnitous laws
have made loyalty to dmy, opposition
to the extravaganza and corrupl,ous ol
lools and thieves in office, n crime to bc
punished and they have punished this
crime by forcing a portion of tho legiti
mate pa'ronrge OF newspaper, guilty OF
1t INTO other channels inadequate to
the service, thus robbng both the par.
lies in interest in all the maners en,hra.
ced patronage and tho newspapers also
LII this State, it would not be di(i-
cult to name civil officers who have
sold themselves TO party they ahhor
and parted with their selfrespcc, forev.
er for lcss than the advertising patronage
which tho local newspapers have spurn-
I'd rs the price of their ,hrcachery to
race people and name and kindred.
The public appreciate the fidelity and
the usefulness of the, press rbnt do not
know that the newspapers are faithful at a
cost which makes to many of their con.
ductors MI the difference bet ween allln-
ence and poverty; and, therefore, the
press ofthe South is not supported as it
should be, and in consequence OF in
deqnate support is far less po *erGul than
it might be.
Really, we think the Southern pco-
ple owe great deal to ,hcrnewspapers,
and that they are paying the debt grudg
ingly and little at a time.
On this snbj"ct, however, we have
said more than wo intend, the object
with which We commenced writing being
simbly to introduce the following trib.
ute to the Southern press from the COM
monwealth's report Of the address de.
livered at Marion last week by Mai.
j. G. Harris, the Democratic candidate
for congress in the Fourth District.
"lf there be one class Of citizens who
have felt more than anotl,.. the cruel
oppressson Of our relentlecsian,i vindic
tive enemies, 1t is composed OF the
editors of onr public journals. When
the Southern Star went down at Appo
mattox, shroud-d within The folds of the
Southern batlle-iiag. they, together with
all others, lost their source Of revenue.
Oppressed, down-lrodden. but not crush.
cd, they rose to the fui' measure of duty
in that dark hour. g1asped with firmer
hold the pen Of truth and patriotism,
and from that moment until the present
time have never for an instant erased to
assail the enemies i!our common liberties
in their stroneholds, exposing their out
RACES, denouncing their craft, and strip
ping the mask from their cunning
treacheries. The press Of the South
has been the e: gine-thc battering ram
by means Of which the dungeon walls
that were intended for our per.
petual imprisonment have been laveled
with the dust. 1t has destroyed the
bulwarks Of oppression, and, il we'll sus-
tained, will coon force our common cue.
mics to an unconditional surrender
therefore appeal to :he people in behalf
OF the press. entreat :hem to feed
clothe and educate the families of our
newspaper mer. for these have suffered
more and sacrificed more than all Others.
Their self-sacrificing spirit has rarely
been eqnalled in the history Of mankind.
When a word could have made their
fortunes, they scorned to speak it. be-.
cause it involved the surrender of your
Liberties and The loss o: their own peer
less horer. The result was that ruth.
less and nnprinciplrd legislature, acting
in violation Of the rights Of the people
and in contempt Of their interests,
robbed them of the public printing
and buried it IN unrcard and uncared
for newspapers hundred miles away.
The Southern Editors are the watchmen
on the ramparts Of Liberty, ever ready
to sound tho alarm at the approach OF
danger, or to encourage the people in
the hour OF peace and prosperity. Up.
hold their hands citizens, and
see to 1t that they fail not for want Of
yonr earnest and sympathetic support" !"
Selma (Am.) Argus.
n REBUKE FOR SHERIDAN, BUTTLER,
SHERRMAN. AND OTIER YANKEE GeNr.