Middletown transcript., 1875-05-08
The Liberty Of the Press.

The Liberty Of the Press.
Within comparatively few year
past there has arisen in this country
class Of journals which, styling them
selves Independent" seek to evinc'
their contempt Of political parties, ant
individuals, BY indulgipg in the mos
Wholesale abuse and villi6cation, undsl
the name Of criticism, Of every person,
or party, who is unfortunate enough to-
in any way, by word. thought or deed,
give them an opportunity. or furnish
them with an excuse, for SO doing.
Catering to the grosser tastes Of the
multitude they prostitute the higher aim
and purpose Of journalism to the ac-
complishmsnt Of their own designs, re-
gardless Of the rights or feelings OF
others. Their sole aim aud desire is to
gain a wide circulation for their papers,
which, in their estimation, is the chief
end of journalism, and the very acme
of it's ambition. For this they will
spare neither friend nor foe: neither
the public nor private affairs Of men,
but prying into, and making public.
things never intended for publication,
they stir up strife and create harsh feel
ings, jealeusies and anger among neigh
bors and often separate very friends. :"
They waylay, as it were, and attack
mems private character and, just keep
ing within the bounds of the law Of
libel and slandsr, they villify and mis-
represent men merely for the sake Of
making their paper popular. They
know that men delight in seeing the
faults Of others exposed, and believe
they will seek the paper in order to see
who is the object Of their assault.
OF this character, and the principal
enc in the country. is the New York
Sun. Mr.. Dana, the editor, is said to
have boasted of bis knowledge Of this
trait of the human charaetsr--delight in
the misfortunes of others-and Of his
determination to take advantage Of it.
The country knows how well he has
succeeded. Seeing the Suns success
others have Thought to 60 and do
likewise and to win fer their papers
wide circulation by the same unques-
tionable means whereby the Sun at
tanned its fame. One Of these, the
Vinsland IN. J. Independent. became
80 exceedingly abusive Of men whose
position offered an opportunity for the
exercise Of this talent (?) that, it ex-
eeeded all bounds Of human endurance,
till outraged and incensed nature would
bear no more; and when the editor, MIR.
Carruth, was shot down in his Office BY
the hand Of the man whom he had 50
much aspersed the public verdict was
that. though all regretted the means en-
ployed, the punishment was we'll de-
served
Independence in journalism, or the
freedom Of the press, does not confer a
license for abuse and SANDER. The
private character Of orderly. law-abid-
ing citizens, should be kept sacred from
criticism Of tho public press, unless in
deed he be an aspirant for popular
favor and then snly such things as
the people, whose favor be asks. have
a right to know, should be made pub
lie. Just criticism upon the acts Of
public officers is all right and proper,
but when publishers 60 beyond the
bounds Of lawful criticism and indulge
in uucalled f,r personalities, they throw
themselves open to personal assaults,
and have DO right to complain when
the indignant victims Of their spleen
become the avengers Of their own
wrongs Nor are they entitled to the
sympathy or protection Of society. Like
the Buccaneers Of the seas, their hand
is against every man. and they should
expect every mans hand to be against
them.
In this connection We may be par
doned for mentioning two most popular
and successful papers as perfect illus
trations Of our ideas Of independent
journalism" We mean the Philadel
phia Ledger and Baltimore Sun. No
aspersory assaults upon private charac-
ter. Of personal nature. are ever suffer-
ed to disgrace the columns Of those ex
cellent papers, and the we'll merited
high position to which they have at
tanned 10 the ranks of successful jour-
nalism is due to true merit and worthy !
enterprise alone. Cringing to no party |
iavors and fearing no party frowns they /
have not failed to lay before their
readers just criticism upon the public
acts and characters Of public officials,