The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-08-02
THE TRUE QUESTION.

The only effeetual way of mendipg a wrong
course is openly to forsake it. 1t is not good
plan, even if practicable, to t0ist out of it. The
Christian Observer made two attempts to defend
itself in a matter which we believe every disinter-
ested person in the General Assembly and out Of
it has regarded as very improper. They have both
failed, especially the second, in which side issues
formed so large part of the article. As if con-
sciOus Of this failure another effort is now made to
improve the situation by again obscuIing the true
question, and this time BY merging it in personal
tiles with which 1t has nothing to do. This will
not succeed any better. Our old neighbOr re-opens
quite budget of old complaints against the Cen
trail Presbyterian. These have been treasured up,
carried to Louisville, dates Tor what profess to be
6ates,) and all and are now produced in doleful
array against US. 1t is represented, in general,
that we have for long time past made gratuitous,
grievOus and periodical attacks, upon that
jOurnal-"iup potent efforts to hold up this paper
to public odium" In particular it is stated
l. That soon after the Observer resumed publ
cation in 1865, Reports were found to have been
circulated privately rejecting upon the character
Of the Senior Editor They were traced to their
source, which was discovered to be the Office of our
cOtempOrary, whose editor was understood to re
tract them rather than put them in tangible
form"
This allegation, so far as it bears against u.s. might
be a somewhat serious one if it had any foundation
in taet-of which it certainly has not PARTICLE
Now for complaint,
2. lon the 23d of January, 1867, we announced
a reduction in the price of the Christian Observer
The following week our cotemporary advised its
readers that the advertising columns of the o.
serca were Of so vile nature that it should not
be tolerated in their houses, but pitched into the
FIRE.
Let US see about that. It refers to some Skin.
mishing We had about advertising quack medi.
cines, including several kinds of "Bitters, of
which the Observer has seemed specially fond
that is Of the advertisements. To 90 oyer the
whole thing, including " Dr. Bloods O1ygeaized
Ar" Perry Daris' Pain Killer Hoofands
German B'ttes, - (Biters p aud that most edifyng
advertisement CoStqr's Rat ErterminatorS,
warranted to knock the breath out of rats, mice,
reaches, ants, &C.. quicker than we can write it,
would be "iafaRd0m reaOUare doloreno" upon our
old neighbOr. What is essential may be included
in a few particulars:
d. The Central Presbyterian, of January %, 1868,
contained brief editorial article on Patent Medi
eiaeS. Be it noted that the Observer was not
named, nor was it in the remOtest degree re
ferred to but it grew quite excited twas it on the
principle Of its own adage, "Qa capt, lie feet p
and immediately entered upon defense of its
medical humbugs, bitters and ALL We eudeavored
-, 4. II
In the very article at which ofFense was taken, it
was stated that it was "a subject we had long in
tended to notice. And when our Deighbor, for
some reason took the matter sorely to heart, that
is to say, to ITSELF We explicitly declared that 'the
whole article was written three months ago. except
the reference to DR.. Blood manifesto about o.
ygaaized ar, land that was very naturally intro
dueed, nasmueh as it was the last piece of quack-
cry for which our advertising columns had been
solicited" that not word more or less would
have been put in, bad no such paper" las the
ObseUTl been in existence"
(2l This all TOOK place one gear after the time
the Observer says it reduced the price of its paper
From these facts it is evident, first, that when
the Ob>eruer tries to establish close connection
between It's reduction Of price TO SO, aud our good
humOred, but determined assault on medical hum
bugs, it only does itself perpetrate another hum
bug as every intelligent reader must see 1t is the
post hoe. ergo prODter hoe, with a witness. 1t
is about equal to this; One day last year, an old
blind horse was sold in Richmond for So conse-
QueDty, twelve months after, the price of beef rose
in the market two cents a pound.
Further, when the Observer positively states that
We positively advised our readers that it ought to
be pitched into the fire. it gets as far away from
the record as might have been expected of some
man inflated with DR. Bloods Ocygenized AR, "
and who visit not what he was saying. 1t was an
Inference merely, for which the party drawing it is
responsible. "Q'6 capt., again. Does that jour
nal consider itself so standing towards Quack Med
icenes in the light Of foster father, that no one can
hit finger against them without being construed
as making personal attack?
Before dismisSing this momentous subject it may
not be inappropriate TO mento that not long after
the Observer was removed to Louisville Its fond
ness for this very Objectionable class of advertise
ments drew down uponit a scathing exposure from
one Of the most eminent physicians of this country
Prot. Richardson, Of the Medical University OF
New Orleans, who publicly called upon Dr. Stuart
Robinson to interpOse his influence, and save the
Church from the discredit, and Christian families
from the immoral influence of such matter. And
II Is due to our eOtempOrary to say that the effect
Of this handling by the distinguished Professor, as
also BY the South Hester Presbyterian, together,
no doubt, with inward calculations of its own, has
been sautary. For, whereas, in 1868, the Observer
contained a column and an half OF such stuff, it is
pleasing to observe not more than one column now
It Is easy to make the calculation that at this rate
1t viii be purged entirely clear of all of these impu
rites within about twenty years. But what
comes next2-
5. "On the 9th Of January, 1869, we offered |
handsome list of premiums for new subscribers |
and our cOtempOrary was again troubled about our
advertisements, and repeated its caution to its |
readers"
The first part of this statement may be true, for
the OJsaUer has certainly sometimes presented a
list Of premiums curious and fancifu for religious
newspaper, and such as has frequently and Justly |
been criticised in severe terms by some of the most
judieiouS journals Of the country. But as for the
other part, alas The reader might well ask what
connection would there be between these premiums
and our seizing hold Of the quaek advertisements?
None in the world and if the Observer did not
have these medical humbugs ION the brain, as
IN - L. 1