New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-23
FIGHTING EDITORS.

There is no situation IN which an editor APP
pears to less advantage than in that Of knock
ing down a subscriber. There are subscribers
doubtless, who deserve to be Knocked down,
but the administration of that desert ought In
no case to devolve upon the editor. In some
portions of the West, we believe 1t is customary
for newspapers to keep a familiar Colossus
lurking about the premises, to whom aggrleved
persons are politely referred by the advertls-
ing clerk. This is is judicious distribution
of the duties of the Office There is better
writing in the attic and better fighting on the
ground floor than il the editor in person as
sumed both branches of the service. 1t may be
wei enough for the editor now and then to
unbend his giant mind in a recreative set-tO
with an unusually small and pigeOn-chested
caller, but the professional assistant
should always stand by to resume his
function in case of suspension of the edi-
torial wind or the demonstration of unusual
science by the antagonist. A journalist who
has successfully bumped and sat upon his adj
versary does not forfeit such claim as he may
previously have possessed to guide and direct
the opinions of his readers. But who would
listen to the arguments of a pubcist with an
oyster in his eye-who had himself been badly
bumped and boosted7 Nobody but the oyster.
Othellos occupation would be gone, and till
he had redeemed his reputation by chastisDg
a parson, OF some similar exploit, nobody would
buy his paper.
The latest editorial collision to which ex-
tensve publicity has been given took place
in Cincinnati, and on this occasion the editor
was conspcuOusly victorious The victor was
Mr. Murat Halstead, an able and respectable
man, whom we are sorry to have to compll-
ment upon his muscle. The vanquished was
certain Mr.. Lavender. Him we cannot COM
pliment upon anything except his prompt and
sensible recognition of defeat Some
men don't know when they have got
enough. Lavender did. He appears to
unite the somewhat diverse functions
of keeping hardware store and
house of evil name. 1t was the rehearsal OF
this latter circumstance in the columns of Mr..
Halstead's paper which impelled Mr. Lavender
to call upon the editor and make remarks OF
n profane and boisterous character. lie said
in his haste that all men were liars, Mr.. Hal
stead included. Now Mr.. Halstead is not
liar. but very truthful and high-minded gen.
tleman, deseryedy esteemed not in Cincinnati
only, but everywhere else where ne Is known.
He said no word in reply, but abruptly
char ced the policy of his paper 1t had hith-
ert0 been opposed to assault and battery. lie
smote Lavender upon the weakest portion OF
bis constitution, and Lavender dropped.
The subsequent proceedings interested him
no more TIL he found himself in the
store of q neghbcring apothecary. Policemen
4 Al, o,1o. Il, r,tufr
him with the water which bears his name.
The apothecary, with his nose in the mortar
was thoughtfully compromising restorative.
Small boys hattened there noses against the
windows Business in the vicinity was gem
orally suspended. 1t was rumored that Lavender
had merely fallen back upon his base of sup
plies, and that the assault would be renewed.
But with the restoration of his faculties he
determined upon a flank movement. He could
not whip his antagonist, but he could sue HIM,
and he did. He fed TO a neghboring magls-
trate and sent abroad storm of writs,
summonses, and other coercive legal documents;
they descended about the chair of the great
Western editor as the SHOWS descend around
some giant pine of the Saskatchewan lie
obeyed their mandates, went to the court, lol-
lowed by an admiring cohort OF friends, anu
to the savage JOY of Lavender, was fined so
Whether the fine was imposed because he did
not hit Lavender hard enough, OF because ne
hit him at all, we have no. information; but he
maid il without unusual emotion, and has re-
sumed the avocatiOns OF peace, when, we
must say, become him much better thn even
the most brilliantly accomplished exploit OF
nupilism. no matter by whom or how pro-
voked, or upon whom it was executed.
Is there any moral involved in this rehear-
salt None, perhaps, except that hardware mer-
chants should not keep houses of ill-fame, par
ticularly in Cincinnati. If they do, and are
found out and published, and want to whip
somcbody, they should no, call upon Mr.. Hal
stead. Yet We hope that this worthy gentleman