The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-05-19
WRITING TO THE EDITOR.
Some Sensible Remarks ON that
Subject.

Harper's Easy Chair.l
Among the most interesting events IL
the editorial career Is the reception of let
tiers from innumerable correspondents,
near and far, laden with counsel as to the
editorial conduct ofatfairs. Poor Thack'
cray complained in his mirthful way OF
the oppression on the part of authors
who came 20 offer their little contribu-
tions. They insisted upon stating the
circumstances under which the article
had been composed, and upon entering
into general biographical details, and
upon presenting the leanness Of the fam
lily purse and the ill-health of many rela.
tions, when all that the harrassed editor
wished to know was whether the proposed
paper was interesting and available.
How often in the life of this magazine
must not the excellent and devoted ed
itor have verified this story of Thackeray' 8
by his own experience How many min
utes, hours, days-yes, weeks-of price
less time, never to be recovered, has he
not consumed in reading the difficult
manuscript which recorded the fact that
the writer's hands were cramped with
cruel rheumatism, as if the interest and
value of the contribution were thereby
or in listening to a piteous
and touching tale of poverty and suffer
ing which should certainly have COM
mended the suppliant to charitable re-
treat, but failed to commend the story
or essay which it prefaced to publication.
This is the text upon which the Easy
Chair has preached more than one little
sermon, but the present exhortation is
somewhat different. 1t relates to the
opportunity enjoyed by all editors of be-
coming familiar with the human dispo-
sition of their fellow-creatures as shown
in the willingness to attend to duties not
strictly their own. The editor, opening
his mail, reads that ''Aristides" il sur
prised and mortified that such a story or
sketch as he has just read in the columns
under the editors control should have
escaped, as of course it must have es-
capped, his Argus eye, and so have slip
ped in to deform the otherwiseadmirable
contents of the last number. ''Aristi-
DIES" hopes not to have another occasion
of calling the editors attention to such
slip Then GA Subscriber of Twenty
Years" must really say that he thinks the
editors common sense must have nodded
when he expressed such sentiments as
are found upon page-of No. - of
work which until now has been always
the most welcome visitor at the "sub-
scriber's" house. ''Araminta," also,
wishes to know how her friend-unknown
indeed, but none the less esteemed-the
editor of so justly popular publication,
could have admitted tale of such doubt
full morality, to sag the uery least, as the
"MiIlennial Wash-Tub," in arecent ISSUE
And "Paciicus" writes merely to say
that of all silly and stupid performances
ever palmed upon a long-sufering public
the serial now running through successive
numbers is the silliest and stupidest,
and wishes to know why it cannot be
stopped at once, and the space filled with
something more interesting and attract
i've. "Index" demands to know how the
editor can Justify his consistency in last
year describing great movement for
humanity as tweedle-dum, while he now
refers to the very same as tweedle-dee.
And "TOrquemada" threatens to hold
him up to public scorn if he does not con-
fess the wretched sophistry by which he
Is leading innocent readers TO ~orious
kinds of perdition.
These letters and all Of their kind say
but one thing, and the energetic cores
pondents would at once see it if the let
tiers were collected in book and shown
to them. They all say, eve could man.
age your business in this and that detail
very much better than you do yourself"
And how true the remark probably is
That is the sting of it. When the law
yer, or the merchant, or the mechanic,
or any other person with nothing to do
comes into tie editorial room to squan-
der a part of the day, and finds the func-
tionary with his hands buried in his hair,
or with moody eyes intently downcast,
how little those lazy visitors know that
the melancholy editor is rejecting with
remorse upon the fact that the world
overfows with people who could do his
work so much better than he does him
self! Are other persons in their various
vocations kindly reminded of the same
great truth Does "Aristides" write to
Mr.. Stewart that he is amazed to know
that such wretched muslin could be
found upon his counters as the last yard
that his wife bought? Does an old Gus
toner write to Mr. Astor that he could
make a very much better investment
than he does, and to Mr.. Vanderbilt that
his last railroad bargain is excessively
stupid ? If these gentlemen make mis-
takes, they undoubtedly discover it but
do they find it out by the representation
of some anonymous friend
There lies the moral "Aristides" and
ancient Subscriber" and young cara
minta,' and Index" and ''Pacifcus"
and 'Torquemada," and all the illustri-
Gus host of censure. When the editor
finds that the public is leaving him, he
begins to consider the reason. But the
public shows its disposition in one infal-
lible way. 1t declines to buy the wares.
1t is not by letter here and there, pro
and con, but by signs which he instinct
lively reads, and which are not written,
that he knows the movement of the pub
lie mind. The essay which Huxley"
writes to condemn, Darwin" hastens to
write that he approves. The story which
'Middlemarch" declares to be mawkish,
''Corinne" insists is ''too lovely" The
| sketch ''Zeno" stigmatizes as marvel OF
stupidity, ''Epicurus" commends as ex-
ceptionally brilliant. As the kind cor
| respondent seats himself to ask if the
serial which he does not like may not be
discontinued, let him remember that six
other correspondents are seating them
selves to ask if another serial as fascina-
ting may be expected to follow it. The
editors letters, indeed, answer each 9TH
er. If the excellent writer's knew it,
they would, perhaps, spare their pains
and the editors time. Yet meanwhile
the great aggregate of which they are
parts, but not representatives, has 8
movement of its own which it is the ed
itor's duty to comprehend. 1t may be
wise for him to yield to it or withstand
it, but he studies it in signs more accurate
/ and siuniflcant than the nhanco letter.