Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-22
Than fg unto others they know OF Of. -

| The UNAvv IDABLE absence Of the Editor
reply to the structures Of the Raleigh Sen
tineI in reference to the publication of the
letters Of Major HEARNE.
No one can regret more than ourselves
dissensione, either personal or political, IN
he Conservative party, and no one will
do more than ourselves 10 prevent or to
heal them. for the simple reason that a
house divided against itself cannot stand.
A difficulty has arisen, however, and in
Justice to ourselves we proceed briefly to
give its history
| The JOURNAL, at tho urgent request OF
M4jor HEARNE, published two letters in
ex olanation OF the political views Of class
Of our nti-Radical feIlow-citizens, and in
vndication of their recent political course.
These letters referred extensively to no in
dividual by name. and we're accompanied
| by Editorial replies, which We re-publish
elsewhere, because so long a time
has elapsed since their perusal by our
readers.
| In one of these letters WAS the following
charge;
| "a leading Wing Editor has for more than two
years. almost daily pallisted this spscies OF
crime. o. which rs is 3 promoter and abettor,
| ard az steadily apoloai1ed for these Ku Klu1
criminals, OF whoee band he is member, aid
among whose Klsns be ia in authority"
| Some ten days thereafter, i'll the col
umps OF The Sentinel. appeared a CORES
ponaence between Mr.. TURNER. It's Lditor.
and one A. C. Murdoch, Esq, OF Hills
boFo. in which Mr. TURNER, fixing upon
himself the charge against the loading
Wing Editor, &C.,, arraigDs the JOURNAL
for publishing q slander against himself.
To response thereto, the JOURNAL of the
"a of September. after disclaiming. in tho
plsinest possible terms, any intention TO
reflect upon, or to show discount esy to, Mr..
Turner, proceeded to justify its course.
On the 18th of September the Sentine!
prolonged tho controversy in an editorial,
taking special exception to the following,
which purports to be Oh extract from the
JOURNAL of toe 81 of September.
| whether i be sianGer or no., tie JUarR0!
/ does not know. Major 6eGIUo. al editor and
res ueCtGb e gentlemen, GsacTt3 that Ir. turner
eel n. ed to the Ku.K TX. s5r Turner, also an
| , di or and q respectable gentleman, denies the
| statement The journal cGunot undertake to
decide Whist is purely question OF veracity be
| tween two gentlemen.
By reference to the Journal editorial
of that date. published elsewhere, as
is also that of the Sentinel. it will be
seen that the word respectable" has been
substituted for the word responsible, which
was tbs word used by lis. Without intend
ing to charge that the substitution was in
ItentionaIly or even consciously made by
the Editor Of the Sentinel, we submit that
lit il q material alteration, and for this
reason
| It is admitted there must be RESPONSE
billy somewhere for everything appear
ling in the columns OF q newspaper. IF
an article appears e6itorialy or anony-
mously, or over the name of an irJesPOnsi
BILE man. the Editor is clearly responsible.
But if On article appears over the sigma.
tare of o we'll known man, who stands BE-
fcre the world responsible for bis words
aud deeds, the Editor has satisfied the re-
quirement of the law demanding RESPONSE
bility for every article appearing in his
paper. and parties aggrieved must seek
satisfaction from tho writer Of the article
ard not from the E iitor OF the paper
This is too plain and too we'll understood
to leave room for argument. Custom and
lcommon-sense have long ago established
this as q part of the Code Editorial.
Recognizing the obligation OF this law,
the JOURNAL designedly used the word
Irresponsible, in order briefly and promi-
nently, though incidentally, to bring for
ward the fact that 1t had complied With
tbs requirement of the Editorial law, and