The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-09-21
THE RIGHT TO TRUTH. =
From the Public Ledger.

TO men as men, and w Ich we should
both claim for ourselves and aid In Sc
curing to others, is the right to truth.
The rights of life, liberty, security and
property rest on no suTer foundation, and
demand no more profound respect than
this universal right to truth Yet be-
cause u cannot be enforced by law, ex-
cept IN grave cases, society IS apt to treat
it lightly, and to regard the duties inn
posed by it as neither weighty nor bind
ing Every thoughtful person, however,
is conscious Of many just claims which he
possesses, and many obligations incum-
bent upon him, which are quite beyond
the province of law to enforce, and pro
mlnent among these is the claim to hear
and duty to speak the truth in all its
simple and artless purity. The pursuit
OF truth in it's countless variety of forms,
is one Of the great aims of life. All de
sire it IN some measure, and the degree to
which the love Of truth triumphs over
appetite, passion, and inferior desire,
determines the character Of the man
Besides this, all human interests are in
voleed In ard dependent upon it, Men.
act upon their expectations. and success
can only follow in proportion as their
expectations are based on truth. We,
are SO dependent on one another for in
formation, that were itonot generally
worthy Of credit all the ends of society
would be frustrated, and Individual en-
terprlse would cease. Ii the possession
of truth be SO essential to our welfare,
and It's pursuit SO necessary TO our virtue,
we certainly have right to pursue 1t
unmolested, and TO receive it from the
lips of others. Consequently the duty
rests upon each one of us to secure the
same right for our fellow men as far as
our power or influence can reach.
The violations of this right are more
numerous chan at first might appear
Where no legal contract binds, how many
engagements are lightly made and Light
ly broken; how many promises are
given and eluded; how many obligations
are assumed and left unfuliIled Those
who rely on these engagements, who trust
in these promises, are thus cheated out of
q most sacred right and defrauded Of a
privilege which should be as inviolable
as that of freedom. All false information
or facts given in SO garbled,a, torn as to-
strip them of their TRUE significance,
trample upon the right Of truth. There
are many who would shrink from utter
ing a barefaced falsehood who will yet
so eXagger tie or dilute, or otherwise dis
tort their statements as to produce an en-.
tirely incorrect idea in the minds of their
listeners. Others, not going quite so far,
will yet by hints, suggestions, innuen-
does, even by chances and gestures, con
vny untrue impressions and ab'1se conf
dence. We may violate this right Of
truth without even the intention to de
ceive. The habit Of exaggeration, of
coloring facts by fancy, OF adding n
little here. and there to make q good
story, though without any selfish or sin
lister motive, is yet in its measure an in
fringement of the truth which society
Justly claims from us.
Another, and perhaps the most common
means Of violating this right, is by sim
ply a0jthholdjng the truth. Silence is
sometimes as false as any words. There
are seasons when to hold peace is to es-
pouse wrong. When truth or justice
or charity demand that we shall speak
boldly, openly and firmly, then do we re-
pudiate truth and trample on her rights
if we keep silence. There are those who
secredly hold opinions they are afraid to
utter, who are ashamed to be known for
what they really are; who hide their
most earnest hopes and beliefs because
they are unpopular. They are moral
coward2. Truth is the greatest boon
ever given to mankind. and only those
deserve to possess itwhoprize it, honor
it, and strive to disseminate it among
l. - EoI
mind endowed or his heart enriched by
truth hitherto unperceiyed, is by that
very fact society's debtor; any if from
shame or timidity, or any other cause, he
withhold it, he is denying to others
their sacred right and breaking his own
obligations.
This, like every other right, has It's
limits. We may not claim oil that others
know, nor are we obliged to convey our
entire stock Of knowledge to them. I'M
pertinent questions should not be answer
ed, and curious interference in private
matters should not be suffered. 1t may
be laid down as general rule, that when
the lawful object of any one depends
aEan his knowing q truth, that
truth Is his right, and who.
ever udS az CduuOG WlGuuOlu IL
without injustice. There are many truths
not thus essential, to which he has no
right, and can lay no claim. None can
reflect deeply on the true bearing of this
subject without feeling invested with
new responsibilities and duties 1t re-
quires us not only to be true in LOOK,
word and gesture to suggest no false ideas,
and to check all habits of exaggeration, but
also to be true in spirit, to be true to our
selves as we'll as to others, to be loyal
to the truth itself, from whatever source
it comes, and to give it freely and in
purity to those who need it.
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