The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-08-30
q Josie TO the Reaona

Under the above heading the Plain
Dealer of Saturday has an editorial
article which probably embodies
more loW-lived despicable meanness
than has ever before been printed in
similar amount of space. For
nearly two weeks the Plain Dealer
has been gleefully ringing the
changes upon a malicious lie of the
New York Sun, to the effect that
President Grant had, in company
with Fisk and others, been visitor
at the house Of the notorious Jose
phine Mansfield. Notwithstanding
Mrs. Mansfield denied the story
point blank, while under oath as a
witness in the Barnard trial, the
PLAIN Dealer keeps on reiterating it
until on Friday there appeared
published card, in which the same
person, over her own signature, vol
UNFAIRLY reiterates her own assertion
that the President was never in her
house. Observe the cowardly way
in which the Plain Dealer meets
this, the only direct evidence adduced
on either side of the case. 1t says:
Gas denial, the card OF Josie Mansfield is
not worth the paper it is written on. Hun
dreds of people who were in doubt before
about Grants guilt in associating with this
vile woman Will feel assured Of it after read
ing her card. 1t has come to a pretty pass,
truly, when the President of the United States
has sunk so low that it becomes necessary to
introduce woman Of doubtful character in
behalf of his moral characterl Imagine the
/ sensations of the people of other countries
when they learn that a card from the most
notorious woman of the American metropolis
| is circulating through all the organs Of the
Administration, denying the charge that the
President of the United States has kept her
company Conceding for the sake of argu-
| ment that Grant never saw the Mansfield, lust
think what his conduct and associates must be
to make the report Of his intimacy with her
possible. If the people of the United States
are not satisfied of the loose character of the
President by this time, they are perversely
blind"
We simply ask whether under the
Plain Dealers code, the reputation
of any man, however pure, can be for
a moment pafe? The attitude ofthe
Plain Dealer upon this question of
President Grant and Mrs. Mansfield
is an outrage alike upon legal fair
ness and common decency? To give
the Plain Dealer mud thrower taste
ofhis own logic, suppose that story
should be started on the street that
he had stolen a purse of money from
a house of ill-fame and eloped with
one of its inmates. Nothing would
be easier than for any one so dispos-
ed to invent and circulate a rumor of
this kind. The newsboys and the
Police Gazette, hear oft and the P. D.
man finds himself suddenly famous.
The keeper of the bagnio, the most
credible and natural witness in the
case, comes forward with an affidavit
that no money has been stolen from
the house, none Of her family has
eloped, and the Plain Dealer man
has never been there.
Now let all the virtuous people
come to the front with long faces
and say,
"It has come to a pretty pass, truly,
when the editor of a paper which
claims to be respectable has sunk
so low that it becomes necessary to
introduce woman of doubtful char
acter in behalf of his moral character.
Just think what his conduct must be
to make the report of his intimacy
with such a place possible. If the
people of Cleveland are not satisfied
bv this of the loose character of the
PLAIN Dealer editor, they are per
versely blind"
Accused and tried by the code Of
the Sun and PLAIN Dealer, there is
not a man living who could not be
accused and, after their fashion con
victed, of any crime in the calender.
The editor who prostitutes his col
umns to such base and infamous IL
bels against a man whose exalted
Office must prevent him from follow
ing aad Furnishing his defamers, de-
serves to be expelled from the ranks
of decent journalists. = Cleveland
Leader,