The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-09-23
l COMMUNICATED !

.CooIaUNtCATED !
SIR. Editor:
I believe l have high arprccia-
tiom IF the power and influence Of the
press for good or.evil and whilo Oil.
tersaining much respect for the oncr.
~ and capacity of the editorial corps
oftho coun,ry, regret to SEQ much
hasty una fulsome writing on matters
of craze 'inport-to see sounding
edit ornls launched forth in an &c ca
thotu style, donunciatory of oar
people, assaiIiug them for q wal't OF
common scnsc aud political sagacity,
when the same cdi;oi oiials bctray an
utter want of calm, critical and
rhihosophic acumcn in tho matters
they treat Of in SO positive a manner,
aud show, beyond doubt, that the
prompting spirit is feeling of dissp-
poimtment at tho apparent defeat of
,omo dearly loved political scheme
r combination that the writer may
have an interest 10. II
Lawyers, doctors, planters aud
merchants may, and DO, i'll CONVERSE
'ion aud private discussion, give cx.
preston to hasty and il,-considered
opinions, but these o[inions would be
much more carefully formed and
, cautiously cxp expressed were they etfcr-
cd for 1juJhtGiion. l am satisfied
that the habit Of daily expressing the
Impressions and opinions of tho mind
in editorial uratter, as the editor nc.
cessarily has to do, tends, unless
carefully watched and guarded, to
make the writer, under tho excite
meut or depression which bic may
feel ingrave political crises, unfair aud
exit enc in thecouclusions arrived at.
Certainly this is FERROUS question
when we consider how the mas. ~
are swayed by newspaper influence ;
and> tony mind, it gives i,o to the
conviction that the license Of opinion
50 evident all sides iu the leading
newspapers the land, with few OK !.
ceptions, will, in time, until corrected
seriously impair the interests and in
iufutucn of jOtlrnalis
An editor, though Ire may control
,uch All establishment as the London
Times, is MT ipfaliible, and he
should strive to make his paper as
free, Jr"m his Juhhbtljty as il ca,e/M er-
c!usion of passion, reckless indlifer.
encc of effect, or dishonest and unfair
intrigue can make it. In taking care
Of the public good the press should
be as careful to exclude tho mere
man in editorial matter, as the pulpi,
IN. Many will say this is an ideal
picture. True, that may be, but if it
10 II correct ideal, thon how many arc
there Of your fraternity who cndeav.
or to approximate it : How many !
am led to this expression of opinion
by having lately read all extract
from all editorial in the Louisville
Courier.Journal, one Of the ablest
papers of the whole country, aud u
profcsf ed friend and advocate of
our people. This paper had set its
heart Oh >ecirga democratic, House in
Congress; and because tho unfortunate
riots etc.> have seemed for the time
to destroy that chance, it flies off at
n tangcut, ard very foolishly gives
expression to its chagrin by aysalng
our people for wait of common
sense in political affairs. 1t does not
soc that tho lila Of our body polite
arc deeply grounded III our organic
structure, and that these disagrecable
and ug y paroxysms arc mere symp.
toms Of a baneful malady that lies
deep down in tho organism of the
patient, and that the party in power
havo only wasted precious time in
their treatment Of this unique case
by relying upoa Suack remedies,
suoh as the "civil rights" nostrum,
and now propose a littlo counter ir-
ritation Ia tho way ofa mixed plaster
Of U. s. Marhhals, Attorneys and q
few soldiers thrown In to give it a
nice color, never having thoroughly
diagnosed tho PATIENTS real disease.
Now the Courier.J ournal man comes
| alOnp mud cnlle IL tho don d;,ooso