The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-20
Che Chilly Arsas,
Concluded from second page. J

L
tency Of any newspaper to answer that
question measures the considerateness, the
justice, the generosity of its judging aud
its judgement. z . = t-.-l
The least respectable journals in the
United States acted after their kind.
One illustrated paper in this city bour-
geoned in paragraphs as if it had been by
salacious monkeys; the Cincinnati En-
qairer published an obituary notice as il
Mr.. Beecher were morally dead, since to
be physically and morally dead are one.
Another newspaper published chapters
from Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter." as if
it had the secret of an Arthur Dimmesdale
in Plymouth pulpit and couldn't keep it
and the dirty dogs of the press went about
furtively nosing their own decorous dung,
like the New York Times, which denied
the foremost living clergyman the justice
it demands for the head of the New York
Custom house Ring:
[Ifmes,. ,Jans25
Mr. Beecher's own admissions, as quoted by Mr.
Tilton are certainly very strong, and will PERTAINS
startle many who hold that the lives of ministers
Of religion should correspond in some degree with
their preaching. The solemn warning, BE sure
Jour Sin soiH lind you out, is limited In its an
plcation to the hearers Of the Word but applies
that he would not have published line IN this up
pleasant subject but for the persistent attacks which
have been leveled at him by the friends OF MIR
Beecher-and there seems no reason to doubt his
B0rd."
Times Jaty II.
"Will the writer above quoted bring forward
specific accusations against Mr.. Murphy Surely
1t is the duty of every man who constantly a~sas
and abuses another to do that much. In court
Of law he would be compelled to do it-why should
q writer In anewspaper decline to adopt The same
principle ? II Mr. Murphy behaved dishonorably
In his office, let lis know it-bring forward the
proofs of 1t. But to hold up as the embodi-
ment of ali that Is hase-to make his name a syno-
nym for political depraSity and corruption, aphen
his pu6ttc Hye has been sWgUidrty free from re
prodch--that, We uIust say, seems to us an unjust
not to say cowardly, course. II the writer above
Mr.. Murphy to have done wrong in his office, why
not publish themY That seems to us to he the only
| manly and proper course
Doubtless it is true that the exhibition
of proof that Mr. Beecher had been the
chief of sinners would relieve the sub
lime" attitude of the American press, but
the "subhmity" of that attitude is in our
Judgement not in. the least dependent
upon Mr. Beechers guilt or innocence
it is dependent on the fact that all the
American press have hidden him speak
against evidence too slight to engender
distrust af blue bottle fly.
Doubtless it is true that the testimony
of Mr.. Beecher's friends and commune
cants, exculpating him, would be hailed
by the American press with sincere and
hearty good will, and he be raised to apinna-
Gle of popularity unknown even to him
hitherto. That reaction would be inevita-
BILE; but at its height, if it shall come, now
while the matter is all in doubt we beg our
contemporaries to consider whether it
seems to them altogether sublime" at
titude thus to have challenged pure, an
unselfsh, and IA most industrious life to
come and be weighedin the balance against
the incoherencies of a pair of bawds, aud
whether their concurrent and unstinted
praise can do less than embitter the fore
told experience of public and of private
life, BE thou as chaste as ice, as pure as
SNOW thou shalt not escape calumny. -
~ T. World.