Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-11-26
The Chicago Tribunc---Ets New
!1ditor on independent y Journal
ism
CHICAGO. Nov. 5

CuCAGo. Nov. s.
The Tribune to morrow appears un
der the sole management OF Joseph
Mcdill, and as a Republican paper
Mr.. Medill, in his salutatory, after Civ
ing briefly the causes which led 10 his
withdrawal from the editorial c0nnec-
ton with the paper, says: My pre-
decessor has pursued q course which
ne believed TO lie the path Of duty,
with courage which challenged the res
pect Of both those who condemned
and supported his views, and with an
ability which extortcd their admira
ton, and he leaves his editorial chair
after having achieved national repu-
tation. The readers Of the Tribune
will naturally desire to be informed at
the outset Of the eprobable line Of con
duct of the Tribune under the change
of management. A full explanation
cannot be given on the instant Mems
opinions and actions are more or less
Influenced and controlled by the cir
cumstances which surround them, and
always by unforeseen causes. But
this may now be safely promised
The Tribune hereafte" will be, as it
formerly was when under my direc
ton, en Independent Republican jour
nal. It will be the organ Of no man,
however high; no clique or ring how
ever inhacntial, or faction, however
fanatical or demonstraGve. While
giving to the Republican party and its
principles hearty and generous sup
port, it will criticise the actions and
records ofRepublican leaders, as free
IL and fearlesslv as in the DAYS of
yore But it has seemed to me I'm
wise. for great representative Jour
nal, for the purpose Of correcting
some of the alleged aliases Of the Ad-
ministuation, to desert its party organ
ization and turn its guns on its Old
friends
The Government Of the nation must
be conducted through the instrument
ality of parties. i know Of no other
agency which has succeeded in free
countries. The party i'll majority must
assume the responsibility Of govern
ing. \ party is simply volunteer
organization of citizens, united 10 car
~ into effect certain principles and
! purposes. It must employ and entrust
| individuals to collect and disburSe
taxes, to perform executive and police
duties for the protection and security
Of person and property; men must be
engaged to contract for publi3 works,
! to carry the mails, administer Justice,
and make and execute laws, and do a
thousand other things, which the pnb-
lie well being requires, and these in
dividuals will often prove careless, in
efficient, or corrupt. But a party
| whose aim and purpose are good and
patriotic, and whose record is grand
and glorious, should not be condemn
ed and thrown out Of power, on ac
count of the detective work or mis-
conduct OF Il few of its employees, in
order to make place for an antagonis-
tic organization, whose record can not
he defended, but is regarded with sor
row and shame by its best members
and whose conduct, when in power
never fails TO show that its relormato
" professions when out Of power ar<
a delusion and snare Such beihc
the case in regard to the necessity anC
machinery Of parties, in free countries
, the press, to be useful, can not avoid
| being partisan, in great or less degree
If an editor undertakes the role o
supporting both sides. his position /:
t equivalent to double affirmative
which amounts to a negative. If ht
e habitually censures and condemn
f both, he is soon regarded rs a com
mon scold and a nuisance. TO be en-
tirely impartisan leaves him in th
: condition Of a cipher, and when
. newspaper undertakes to be WHOLLY
f independent of its party, ard yet dis
t cusses politics, it is on the high roat
c to the camp Of its political opponents
a whether its conductor so intended a
t the outset or not, unless indeed h
/, takes.refuge in the towards harbor c
: neutrality, and abdicates his duties al
s together, which is almost as contempt
l. ible and dispisable position But
d is not essential to the prosperity G
# influence Of party paper, tb at
should willfully misreprcsent its OF
ponents and behold nothing but CIV
;, and depravity in all their actions, o
II discover only reasonable designs i
h all they profess to do. Candor an
: fairness, in the treatment of politics
Is opponents, will detract nothing frol
( the INFLUENCE Of a paper, nor will
t ininre the prospects of its own part,
pr Such, in brief, are the views | hay
ID long entertained Of parties and the +,
lations which the press should bear t.
ward them. A political newspaper, t
in be Of service to the public, must Civ
IF one party or the other the preference
~ And while the democratic party en-
40 bodies many excellent and wort
II, members who would be al honor
N any organization; yet l sincerely ht
10 lieVe the Republican party comprise
10 a much larger proportion Of the i
N tclligent and educated classes, Of I'll
q moral worth and business cnterpris
ia. as well as Of the patriotic elements
n the nation, and therefore the gover
MT ment Of the country and the ciI
Of rights Of the poor and weak can
is more safely and prudenly committt
10 to its keeping than to that of its a
as tagonist, whose past history and a
- tecedents finnish so much cause (
,se m1s9ivings and dread of its future b
ITO havior.
m Looking, then, at the individr
,at composition of the two great partit
FOR all other parties being mere fragmer
AN ephemeral in duration, and narrow
te. object, and at their respective recor
II. and underlying principles, l cam
500 hesitate to give decided preference
the Republican party. Hence, t
Tribune will be conducted rs l
lo4 publican journal.
le'- Having said this much in a gene
way, it only remains to be added ii
'ou no labor or expense will be spared
iou keep the Tribune in the very frC
of ranks OF journalism, rs newspaI
our in all departments of correct inte