Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-02-02

following article, taken irom The Boston
lo,4sal;
Mr.. WhHslaw Reid ia the part Of SIR
RsEJan,lo Backbite.
The examination OF Mr.. Whilelaw
Red. odilog ri Tie New York TiituRe.
before The Paciic Mail Investigation
Committee at Washington On Monday
developed some interesting points which
are worth more than q passing notice, -
MIR Reid has taken very active interest
ia his Investigation. aud has kindly
yOuchsaied, in the column oil his paper,
various hints as TO how il ought Ia be
conducted. Darkly mysterious sugges.
tons, vague intimalions. skilliully phras
ed inu5ndOes, have been thrown out daily
IN the Tribune, and the editor has aSsum.
ed the air of one who was in possession oil
all tho facts, and could diSairange score
otreputations if he chose, bu, was willing
10 wait while and see what bungle
those fellows nj Washington would max c
Of T. His course has recalled 10 mind
the odd cove whom Brownell describes
who SAL by the way side shying sticks sud
stones st the psssers-by, aud protesting a
vehement desire 10 be "lct a one. Not
stiIacting quite a much atlCutiOn Is he
desired. he became little more definite,
and luJlly iuSinGaicl that the committee
checked the investigation when il pointed
towards members oil Congress. and that
tIg members OF The committee were
themselves suspected OF having received
pant OF the Spols. Here at last was r
charge tolerably distinct AMI the COM
mit,ee promptly invited Mr.. Reid TO I'M
bosom himself before them.
The result OF the examination OF Mr..
Reid Was simply this: That the two
members 60 whom he referred were
MeSsrs. Wood and Dawes: that the only
ground OF the assertion was "a runor'
which was brought in from wall street
or elsewhere" by some reporter, he did
not know who; that he knew no evidence
and could give no reason for crediting It,.
beyond the bare fact that the rumor was
in circulation; that the rRlor was the
same SOFT that connected . good many
other people with the Pacific Mail; that
he did not himself suspect Mir. Dawes in
the least; and that his obiec, in publish
Ing The rumoy was 10 stimulate the com
mittee 10 extra eXcrtiouS. When asked
il il would not have been better TO CX-
anime the records OF these Cong esSmon
before making assertions which were
tan,amcunt 20 charges. Mr. REID plain.
lively responded that great Injustice was
done 10 journalists in supposing that
they must have personal knowledge Of
everything they write.
H., rh,~ NO awa tho frtl1 Qa.a tVftl
the feeble eNteuuatiou. Mr.. Reid stands
before The world conlesSsdly guilty OF
publishing q malicious rumor. which WAS
unsupported by evidence. and which he
himself did no, believe and o; founding
upon this lying runner al editorial inSinU
alton designed 10 blacken he characters
and destroy the reputation OF two public
men against whom be had not one particle
Of evidence. win the advocates and eX
Founders OF Independent journalism.
who have looked up 20 Mr.. Reid rs their
eNemplar. inform Us how t3ey ike hi
appearance in the admitted character OF
Sir BENJAMIN Backbite2 W nat will the
youth OF our colleges, who have listened
to Mr. Reds profound diSqu Sition on the
lofty aims and purposes Of journalism,
think Of the practical outco ne OF these
exalted principles. as illustrIted 10y Mr..
Reds own example?
Mr.. Reid stands as the central igure oil
. modern School tor Scandal, Judging
his next noighbor at 4 choice bit Of gossip
shaking his sides over some sly insinua-
tion--9 fellow OF winks. auC leers, and
insinuatiOns, but Of direct charges. oh
dear, no. Il is always "ther say. or al
heard. or ell IS reported Such re
,aiieg O, gossip and SANDER and scandal
IS beneath the attention almost beneath
he c0ulempl-oi honest mel. The dis
grace attaching 10 such a colirse does not
Dei1ng 20 Journalism itself, 90. 10 the
editors aud .he papers that >, AIEoeIously
WisrepTsssnI it.