Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-08
THE TINES PINCHED.

The Ne,c Orleans Times in last
Mondays issue published an edito-
rial article called "Pinch," in which
the effort made to be funny was fun
nier than the fun, and yet its at
tempt, was even more ridiculous.
We pass by the poverty OF edito-
rial resources which forces the Times
to merely "pinch" q lecturer when its
intention was to knock him down,
aud we ignore its disengenuousness,
in trying to make it appear that
man defends a thing, when he sim
ply explains it. But the principal
illustration in the Times article is SO
characteristic of the usual taste dis
played in it, that we give it in full ::
"The thread of Pinch's argument
we have pronounced ingenious; be-
sides this, it was decidedly comical
Without pretending to deny the
wholesale corruption which disgra-
ced the last Legislature, but, on che
other hand, tacitly admitting it, he
thought that sufficient defence could
be found in the fact that other Leg
islat,ues were corrupt; or, to put it
in different words, that no man
should be thought i'll of for burglar
izing or thieving in this State, since
other men committed precisely the
same crimes in New York. We
leave our readers to weigh this
choice bit of logic in the scales of
their individual Judgment, and If it
does rot bear them down, let them
add Pinch's second extenuating
point. that the charges of corruption
Lnd bribery 'are not true to the
extent alleged" All Of our readers
have heard of the young country
girl, who became a matrOn without
going through the ceremonies a
prejudiced society deems necessary
to the preservation of morality, and
who, when charged with her mis-
step, answered, in extenuation:
But please, ma m, 1t uus such little
one" Poor Pinch stands in those
same violated slippers, when he en-
deavors to extenuate his impccun-
;ous hrethrens' crimes with such q
sorry plea.
It would appear from The fore
going that the Times uhites with
its hate Of smutty compilations love
of smutty anecdotes, and that while
it prctends to purify the sources Of
legislation, it corrupts at the same
time, with obscene anecdotes, the
fountains of social life.
But hear the Times further. II
says: .t-
but we have already given him
Senator Pinchback more space than
his importance deserves, only de
signing the nllusion in illustration
of the fact that Cushite Legislator
do not only accept brides and sci
their votes, but look upon it as an
o fence OF no great turpitude; not Al
a crime, but rather as a proof o
their. intelligence and fitness t.
make laws. A subject to be boastet
of, instead of being hidden, TO de
fcnd rather than to deprecate. W.
respectfully submit Pinch's speed
to the consideration of the negroes
friends abroad and at home, as
prominent case in point"
Some of the words used here an
peculiarly suggestive. Take Thu
phrase: "a subject to be boosted q in
stead of being hidden" 1t is quite
natural that Senstor Pinchback''
candor would prove inconvenient i
it were emulated by the Times, and
therefore the necessity that legisla
tive corruption should be hidden
is not only felt, but by implication
advocated.
We recognize in this case, th'
workings of the instinct OF self
preservation for If the Times people
some of them at least, were to boas'
of what tkey know about "bribes'
there are but few legislative measures
the secret records of which woulc
not endorse the boast as true. Bu'
We fear the virtue Of the Times u
Just now its necessity; it must keel
client now or else the failure o
some of its people to get bill
through last session would expos
It to the double charge Of having
Ia th.s sshr;har end then havins