The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-04
LYING AS ONE OF THE FINE ARTS.

provOkes 1t on the other; so that polite
al controversies become little more than
a game of misrepresentation, pettnog-
ging and bare-faced lying. Candor Is
out of the question, and a ]udclous
reader of the newspapers has learned TO
receive all the statements OF the party
press with such large allowance that
grain of wheat to bushel OF chat re-
presents about the proportion IN which
he expects to find fact and fiction. No
remedy is possible; for even If all parties
were to agree to stop lying and limit
themselves to facts, there would be such
an alarming shrinkage In copy that
the composltor's occupation would be
measurably gone; and the readers OF the
abridged newspapers would be disgust
ed at their boIdness and barrenness.
No; Heaven forbid that any rash at
tempt should be made to eliminate "
ing. deception and shams from newspa-
pers or the world, for shouldlt be sue
cessful there would be nothing left.
Still it does not follow that we should
not observe a certain temperance and
moderation in lying, as an accomplish
ed thief does in stealing. Lying has It's
rules, like the rest Of the fine arts, and
to lie without regard to these is like
singing out of time.
OF this infeicity in lying, the Demo
cratic press has been particularly guilty
in the Louisiana business. Grant has
been watched by myriad eyes, with no
kindly scrutiny. We do not object to
this, Tor this vigilance is the price of
liberty; neither do we ask any sympathy
for him, however delicate his position
or great his responsibility. AS we have
said elsewhere, this is the penalty Of
high place. But we may ask for him
what felon has right to demand,
even handed justice.
Tie constitution makes him supreme
arbiter in certain critical emergencies,
involving vast public interests; and
there is no appeal from his decision, ex-
cept to public opinion, the last tribunal
him closely scrutinized, and severely
judged if caught tripping; but it is
hardly fair to condemn him on purely
ex-parte case or pelt him to death with
naked lies. IF every Democrat had been
wolf, and practiced bowling for a pas
time all his life, the heavens could not
have been rent with howl more slmult-
aneous and frightful than went up from
every Democratic throat when it was
thought that Grant had possibly invad-
ed the sacred privileges of the Legisla-
| ture of Louisiana. History was raked
for similar usurpation; Indignation
meetings were called-we seemed on the
eve of another civil war. When the
facts came out-and it always takes
time for them to come out, for the
Southern telegraph is controlled by the
opposition-it was clearly proven that
this agonlzing yawp was the shrek OF
an idiot, full of sound and fury, signify
ing nothing. Grants vindication against
the terrible charges was SO complete as
to make the Democratic out-burst mere
ly farcical. His defense was SO over
whelming as to suggest that Of the de-
PENDANT who was sued for fracturing
borrowed soap-kettle.
l. The kettle was cracked when Igot
it,
2. It was sound when I took it home.
3. Inever had the kettle.
So Grants defense was:
1. That the outrage of throttling the
five dignifed legislators, and dragging
them out of the Legislative hall, was not
committed by his orders, or those of his
subaltern.
2. That the Democrats were only to
blame, for it was done at their instiga-
ton.
3. That it was never done at all.
One would naturally suppose that the
vociferous patriots would have been a
little confused at this abusrd denoue-
ment, and taken the fist opportunity to
back down and apologize. Not bit of
it,
He who expects such amends from
Democrat has no adequate conception
of the resources of Democratic menda-
city, or the sublime imperturbility of
Democratic assurance. The New York
Herald comes out in leader, in which
it expresses its profound qualification
that Grant has seen his error, and is
tremulously trying to atone for it to
prevent a dissolution Of his cabinet,
which is threatened by some high-toned
members who protest against his tyrany
and unsupation. To this all the opposl
ton papers say. amen, and are jubilant
that the thoroughly frightened Pre-
sident, like Crockett's coon, came down
before it was necessary to shoot, and,
therefore, indignation meetings We're
not necessary. Isn't brass one of the
precious metals when it can be turned to
such an account? Ought not lying,
when cultivated to such a pitch as this
rank with the fine arts?
What next? We are qui vive in ex-
pectation Of another mares nest. Grant
is bound to put his foot in it, whatever
he does or whatever he don't do. He is
not onl y to preserve a republican form
of government in Louisiana. but he is to
go behind forms and the government de
facto and solve problem that poses our
entire $1,000, 900: Who is the rightful
governor of Louisiana That is, he is
to back the omniscience of the Almigh-
ty with the power of the United States
An even then The Herald intimatas his
interference is unnecessary for this I'M
ique reason. Hear, 0 Heaven, give ear,
0 Earth, for here's wisdom CA re-
publican government means govern
ment of the majority, and a majority is
able to fight its own battles and whip
minority without the help of federal
bayonets; ergo, republican form of