Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-17
Af. Boutwell, and the New York Tribune
and WOrlds

nave Deen IOr some time upon their
trial at the bar of public opinion.
That is a court whose judge cannot
be tampered with, and from whose
Judgment there is no appeal. The
recent uprising in that State has
demonstrated three facts, viz: 1st.
That the people are the source of
power; I'd. That they will exercise
it to put down robbery and corrup-
ton in high places; 81. That their
sense of public justice and honor
which demanded the punishment of
the stealers of money, and will
secure its inAiction, is equally strong
in denouncing the lack of honesty
in the press, and that the press is
being punished by an indignant
people in their own way at this
moment.
1t is a fashion of some Of the
guiltiest of the great dailies in New
York to boast of their enterprise
and influence. The former is their
own affair; the latter concerns the
people at large. Take the history
of events in the city of New York
for the past four months. The
most momentous interests were
never in greater peril than during
that period Where was the press
The Times struck blow for honesty
and purity which was felt through
out the Union. But The Herald
was silent Or denying the charges
against the Tammany ring; The
World, when it spoke, which was
not often, defended the ring rascals
as the noblest specimens of human
ity till forced to change its tune,
when it wept and threw itself on It's
character; and The Tribune labored
to stab the Administration and it's
friends, and'distribute weapons to
their enemies, to the great delight
of Mayor Oakley Hall, Sweeney, and
their fellow-conspirators in robbery,
who, escaping in the confusion with
slight harm, ran round to the office
with long columns of Tammany ad-
vertisement for insertion. Expressed
public sentiment pronounced upon
each of these papers, the charges
being lack of duty to the people in
a great crisis-wilful misrepresenta-
ton and misdirection of the public
thought-and, under the gaise of
virtue not possessed, Imaliciously
endeavoring to confuse the public
mind on public affairs. Those who
know the past career of The Tribune,
and are able to compare it with the
present, stand aghast. Time was
when it spoke with authority and
its utterances were hailed as of
public benefit. Now, it screams
like an angry, mumbling scold.
Great and good men may have oc-
cupied editorial chairs. Even phil
anthropists may have been editors.
But man at the close of a busy
life who assumes to defend his
knowledge of everything by meeting
those who differ from him with
"You lie, you villain; you lie r.
must have outlived his philanthropy
and embraced another creed. Is it
possible that he who becomes a
candidate for the Presidency must
perforce change into an enemy of
the Chief Magistrate of the Republic
he wishes to supplant, and of his
Administration and its supporters ?
Gen. Grant is slapped in the face"
by The Tribune over other mems
shoulders, which, though ungentle-
manly and unphilosophic, the Pres
ident survives. MIR. Boutwell,, a
friend of the President, has dis
pleased The Tribune in placing the
loan in Europe. Nothing, there
fore, that MIR. Boutwell, does or saws
in explanation, can pacify it's i'm
placable temper. And he, too, is
still living, and the country not
ruined.
Now comes Tho World, like an
airy sprite, to help attack Mr.. Bout
well in the same ring in which The
Tribune fghts-not lent for the oc-
casion, but because it had a right
to be there. The World as q bruiser
has little reputation. It's former
exploits are not in that direction. |