The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-06-06
Communicated.
Character and Reputation.

| Though it is truly said that mems characters
| are of their own making and in their own keep
| ing and cannot be affected by what others may
| say of them, yet it is also true that however
| high or well, both character and reputation OF
| men are justly entitled to stand in the estiina
| ton of correct men, still their regulations may
at times be ipjuriously affected by a different
| class; that is, by unprinciped and slanderous
| ly disposed men, who, from envy, jealousy
malice, or some such degrading passions, are
ever anxious to pull down to their own leve
those whose characters and opposite principles
have made them objects of their disparagi ing
remarks. Alas for the poor slanderer that il
is so and will continue to be till the teachings
OF that Book of Books shall convince men of the
corrupting tendencies of their unregenerated
natures and bring them under the influence o
such principles, precepts and examples as shall
lead them to regard each other more as broth
ers and co-laborers for the accomplishment OF
the overthrow OF the powers of darkness and
| the general prevalence of peace and good will
toward all Then the question that has Oft
arisen in the minds of those whose desire has
been to improve themselves and others, to
the best mode or manner of acting under varl
Gus circumstances toward the morally blind
land particularly toward the pocr slanderer, }
for successfully putting stop to their career
may be more readily solved. AT this time, how
ever, 1t is still matter ofex pertinent and doubt
some the best remedy; but that has been met
by the objection that 1t is too apt to afford en-
couragement for the defamer to continue in his
course. Others have said that at least such
of those defamers or sanderers as have become
quite pleasant, social beings, to class of their
fellows, by furnishing food for their degraded
tastes, should really be arrested for their mis-
conduct and placed under the nearest hydrant
or pump and there be well souced till those
evil passions that prompt their actions, such as
malice, vanity, jealousy, obduracy and the like.
shall become cooled down to a proper tempera-
ture and themselves be made fully sensible of
their respons bility to society for wrong doing.
But that is also objectionable, for the reason, if
nothing more, that though both the wholesale
and sly retailer Of slander mi ght justly deserve
such punishment, still the law would not sane
ton it, and it is in opposition TO the practice of
that great cardinal virturc, which, when follow
ed or practiced enables others to hearup against
the real and much greater ills of life than the
petty ISLANDERS of the day. Moreover, as pumps
and hydrants are not at all times conveniently
to be found it would involve mnch trouble or
the necessity of taking the offender to private
premises for the inficLion of the punishment.
Others again have thought that some of those
poor beings might be talked to, admonished, or
advised with advantage, and probably be made
to change and improve their course. But this
mode would also surely prove abortive, for the
reason, that among the Objectionable class
named, by far teo many would be found, who,
while knowing the superior character (when
compared with Themselves of those they think
it important to their own fancied standing to
bring down, foolishly fear that these might fol-
low their own evil example and in turn most
effectually bring them down still below their
present degraded positions. But this is
groundless fear, for the slanderer may safely
rely upon the fact, that correct, right thinking
and honorable men have higher aspirations,
higher motives of action than to be trying to
pull others down, especially such as have al
ready fallen so low. No, no; honorable men
will never stoop to follow such corrupt exam
piles. The only notice, indeed, they take of
such characters is to remind them of their
degradation and endeavor to encourage their
moral improvement.
Now, Messrs. Editors, as the writer is some
what puzzled and knows not what efectual
mode to prescribe for the cure of this great evil
and as men, protesting to value good character,
should be above resorting to falsehood for those
attempts at the pulling doaon of regulations, and
as the weekly visits of your paper are welcomed
to the fresides Of its readers, where love and
good feeling should ever be encouraged to
abound, will you do its readers the favor to al
n lag d ray M q s & Il ssns n
help him to see and to shun for the future the
degraded course of his self pollution and unjust
attempts to defame others, and henceforth to
engage in the pleasant occupation of building
up for himself truly good character.
A. B. C.
BALTIMORE COUNTY, June, 1874.