The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-07
"rho Protection of Character"

A correspondent of o rural journal, one of
that class of useful gentlemen whose imagi-
nation we are afraid is sometimes allowed too
wildly to color their facts, gives us an ac-
count of proposed society that is to BE
formed in New York for ''the protection of
character" This society is to be supported
by voluntary contributions. 1t is to be based
upon the plan embodied in Mr.. Bergh's use
full, if at times eccentric, Society for the Pre-
vention Of Cruelty to Animals. A distin-
guished citizen, whose name is not given,
is to become the President. There is to be
council OF men of high character, and vigilant
lawyers are to be engaged. The duty of the
society will be to prosecute by indictment any
journal published in New York that prints
a libellous statement rejecting upon the
character of private or public citizen. AS
our correspondent properly shows, the license
that attends the management of certain of our
newspapers is only stimulated by the indif-
ference Of public and private citizens
to attack. An action for libel in
New York would be burlesque upon
justice The reason is that while the
means of most private citizens are limited,
and while no gentleman, under any crcun-
stances, cares to undergo the ordeal of an
action at law, the resources of q newspaper
are generally large, and a libel suit is looked
upon as only another form of advertisement.
Consequently ninety-nine out of hundred
libels are passed by with impunity because of
the Indifference of the person attacked to crit
icism, or his incapacity to measure resources
with powerful newspaper with money at its
command and writers perfectly capable and
willing to hold any judge or jury to q severe
accountability who would attempt to do
Justice upon them. The duty of the society,
however will be to make every libel its own
case, just as Mr.. Bergh makes the wrongs OF
every dumb animal his own proper quarrel
The only process by which society of this
kind could reach libeller would be by in
dictment before q grand jury.
We have no doubt That if society Of this
kind were properly organized and its members
kept il in funds ii would do great work
The honest newspapers of New York would
regard nothing with more qualification than
an efficient law of libel. 1t is as much to
their interest as to those of the people that
this business of wantonly assaulting private
and public character should be stamped out.
The Indifference that is felt by so many people
to newspaper attacks is in itself a reflection
upon the power of the press. If journalism
has fallen so low in this country that private
gentleman can afford to treat with disdain a
persistent and virulent attack upon him, con-
scious of his own innocence and integrity,
conscious that the assaults make no impress
sion whatever upon the public-that they are
dismissed as the rawlings Of cowardice and
scoundrelsm-it is a severe commentary upon
the independence and power of the press.
Now, if we could put an end to this indis-
criminate and brutal and wanton assailing of
private character the result would be that
when newspaper did seriously make charge
il would be respected and believed.
society tor the protection of regulations
would have very wide scope. We do not
know upon what the correspondent bases his
narrative but we think such a society is more
needed in New York than even Mr.. Berghs
Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.