The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-29
From the Cleveland Plaindealer.
Brewing Radical Sentiment on the


The charge is made against the
latest edition OF Websters s Dictionary
that it has been manipulated by Doctor
Porter, its editor, evidently with the
object of making this great work the
vehicle for disseminating Radical
ideas in politics.
Doctor Webster, the author OF the
dictionary which bears his name, was
a skilled political journalist and
pamphleteer, and therefore peculiarly
well qualified TO define political terms !;
and when We remember that his
definitions Of such terms were not only
accepted by men OF all shades OF poliIl'
cal belief (although the Doctor was a
staunch Federalist, and therefore un-
likely to lean in the least towards
States Rights or Democratic views,
which are so distastctul TO your modern
Radically but were looked upon as
admirable and altogether perfect IN
their way, the needlessness Of either
altering or expunging them in the last
edition may be appreciated.
We give a few examples Of DR. Por.
ter'S mutilations:
Webster, under the head OF "Contci-
Grafton" says that THE United States
are sometimes called q confederation.
This is suppressed by Doctor Porter
because, we must conclude, he is
afraid TO let the people know that the
United States are a confederation OF
States.
Webster's definition OF Congress,
that it is The Assembly OF Senators
and Representatives Of the several
States OF North America according to
the present Constitution or political
compact by which they are united in a
Federal republic; the Legislature Of
the United States, consisting ot two
IIousts-a Senate and House Of
Representatives is suppressed by POr
ter. because the loyal Doctor is
afraid that foreigners might learn from
it that Congress derived its existence
and authority entirely from the ConstItu-
ton.
This definition by Webster, of"Con.
sttulion,' is also suppressed by Porter ::
"In free States the Constitution is para
mount to the statutes or laws enacted
by the Legislature, limiting and con-
trolling its power, and in the United
States the Legislature is created and ts
powers designated by the Constitution. "
Such definition teaches the people
that Congress is created and its powers
designated by the Federal Constitution.
That will never harmonic with the
Radical idea, SO Doctor Porter ignores
the Constitution OF the United States in
his definition.
Doctor Webster defines Federal
Consisting in compact between
parties, particularly and chiefly between
States or nations Jounded on alliance or
n,untal agreement as Federal govern
msnt such as that Of the United States.
This definition is suppressed in the Por
ter edition, because, under the present
Radical regime-which it is hoped to
make perpetual-the people Of the
United States must not be permitted to
know the true nature OF the government
under which they live.
Doctor Webster defines Democrat,
"one who adheres TO government by
the people or favors the extension Of
the right OF suffrage TO all classes OF
men; the last clause, "or iayors the
right Of suffrage to all classes Of men,
ia suppres .ei by this Radical tinker.
We may state that all Of the defnI.
tons which Doctor Porter has tampered
with, were given in Doctor Goodrich's
edition.
The examples Of mut.lations and sup
pressions in Wcb-ters original text,
which We have given 1--WE might extend
them) are apparently sufficient to sub
stantiate the charge against the new
edition, that it las been dOctored for
partisan effect To our mind there is
nothing meaner than this sneakjng way
OF influencing political opinion; it is
meaner even than the act OF the
preacher who essays to mold politics in
the pulpit.