Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-03-06
tFoR THE REPUBLICAN,
Criticism OF the Acts Of Public
Men.

An untrammeled Press, and freedom OF
speech are the glory of the United States.
10 these We are much indebted for our
very rapid, and present high, attainments,
IN civilization. They contribute largely
to whatever is good in American politics,
and to that which is noble and true in
our Statesmen. Through them the 'digni-
ty and stability of our Government is
maintained, by them the liberty of the
citizens is secured To this end the ora
tor, writer, and the press have the right
to criticise the acts of our public men,
which is most wholesome aud peculiar
feature of American Policy.
There is howevera an extent to which
men can go in this direction, licentious
liberty which the press may assume. a
Billings gate style which orators. and
writers, may adopt, an ingenious prying
into the private character Of men, which
II persisted in would defeat the ends and
aims ofa Republic, rob it of its glory and
leave the honest citizen at the mercy of
merciless tyrants, and envious dema-
gogues. None will deny that England
Is better to day for having given birth to
Henry Vane, yet never was man more
wantonly prosecuted, and inhumanly hun.
ted down by the political tigers of his
day until tie guillotine relieved this no.
bic Republican from his woes. Who
will intimate that the world is not better
now for having produced Madame Rol-
lad, yet in her own France, her peoples
welfare near her heart, she was compelled
to exclaim oh what crimes are perpetra-
ted IN the name of libertyl This woman.
most cruelty bereft Of her bosom com
panion, also, only found relief from her
sorrows when the bloody knife severed
her head fromnher body.
We are proud to say that our own
country furnishes fewer examples of this
fiendish malice than the old yet we re-
gret that the same spirit so rife in olden
times is even now lurking in our midst, |
which If let loose in the hands of unprin.
clpled men would blast every prospect of
our Republic to take revenge on the OBJ |
ject of its SPITE
To determine between criticism of the
acts ofpublic men, and legitimate denun
ciation of wrong, from acts which betray |
mere personal ambition, is not always an
easy task for the reader.
Space viii not permit us 10 explain this
difference in detail, but by care and oo-
servation the real may be easily recogniz-
ed from the spurious, The most care |
less reader does not fail to detect the mo-
tlves ofthe Medes and Persians who thrust
Daniel into the den OF lions; the history
of Susannah discloses the motives of the
wicked Priests who sought her life and
none can mistake the intentions of the
Babylonians when they caused the He
brews to be cast into the Fiery Furnace.
The world recognizes the fact, and none
Will doubI that these were good persons
who became the victims of malicious hate.
AS then so now, there are those whose
lives have been characterized by the best
motives, whose interests have been that of
mankind and their country, that have
now reached period III their history +
which calls down upon them, from the /,
Malignant the most vile and scandalous, !
yet unmerited, abuse, for no other cause
han that the slandered is opposed to the !
'landerer in principle. Men are fallible. 6
)ut there are many constantly devoted :,
o our oest interests who have been and o
low are traduced with a vindictlvness /
'nly equalled by the cruelty of Ancient !;
lespots
Does such course tend to law and or.
Ter, purity ofmorals, and secure, the lib ;.
rty of the citizen? y
Every page of written history and the =
experience OF the past answers, emphat. =
cally: no. Such course only tells in
anguage stronger than words that the
bulltion o. wicked passion is about to : :,
redominate, and good men thrust aside =
0 give place for mercenary villains ~
whose object is continually self, and .
whose counsel is with "the ungodly."
SUIT what OF the present age? IL
Have we not men now who have lived Il
oor, who have deprived themselves of "
he pleasures of life that the people might s.
e free, men engaged in the councils of b
his Government FOR quarter of a cen ic
lry without one blot upon their fair O
lme who are now attacked by envious Il
and would be by them thrust d
'om power and their Eames wiped from o
le catalogue of benefactors? II
Is not this country the better for hav- o
lg produced Colfaxg =
Is 1t forgotten that when this Govern q,
lent was convulsed ard shaken from
enter to circumference when the waves
civei commotion swept over US more q
ortentous than pestilence, that his :,
arion voice oft was heard in the counsels +,
the nation demanding present liberty m
'r the citizen, and security for it in the
lture, that he must now be attacked tr