The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-06-29

terse language will be sure to exercise
great influence over many minds. In
this regard the editor is but a teacher,
and if he does not devote his every talent
to find out the truth and teach it, he is
derelect In his duty and mis- course " i'll
be fatal to all honesty and manhood, and
his guilt will be boundiess if he fastens
false teaching In the minds of his pupils
Even in that cesspoOl of confi citing prin-
ciples and opinions, politics, how neees-
sary it is for him 20 be pure and clear in
his own course to enable him to pro
nounce fearlessly and correctly on the
course to be followed by his readers land
of course to be correct just now; his prin-
clples must be Democratic and his Opin-
ions, especially on the finances, must be
varied, and rather inclined to softness)
lie all the relations of life the editor is
the representative and exponent of the
people and should be, by his high char
acter, their guide, and as he conducts
his paper on high and intellectual
grounds or prostitutes his calling to
base notions and unholy gain, will lie his
glory or his shame. How weak human
nature Is, aRd how sadly some of US fall
short of our duty, Is TO be seen in many
sheets. We often blush for our profess
sion when we see the low filings at all
that is pure, the pruriant language in
dulged in by some papers. We lay
dowa a journal with a hot and angry
heart after some bitter article, written in
hate and teeming with bIllingsgate.
Those are excrescences and must be
eradicated. The knife must be applied
firmly that our system may be kept pure,
and its beauty indebted by these
blotches.
The editor, of ali men, should be an
example of manly bearing and courtesy
to all in contact with him, from the
people who read his articles down to
the very devil who cleans his type and
swe cps his Office. Show US the paper
published in a place, and we can judge
uuerringly of the men presiding over it;
if the sh eet is low in its tone and sour
rilous in its language, the man Is IN
worthy of his position, and what is
more, such publication will exercise
baleful influence over the community
where it issues, aud in that place you
will find honor at discount. We may
rest assured that if an editor neglects
his duty and pandaFs to or creates a
depraVed taste, he Is alone responsible
for the evil; if the vessel is wrecked in
port the pilot is to blame. The human
heart is prone to evil, but in each breast
there IS a strong feeling of resistance to
to the evil and a desire to overcome it,
and it will be destroyed or will flourish
as the leading spirits of community
frOWn upon or encourage 1t.
The great power of the Press is max
itself felt more and more in the land.
Every day we are growing more circum-
spect IL our condnct and more desrOus
of admitting to our columns only those
things which tend to elevate and i'm
prove our race. We are glad the day is
passed when the newspapers were too
often the vehicles of personal spite and
malice, and aside from the current news,
we are proud to think that daily we are
securing our position on q higher
plane of action. In these times, just
after a war has lOosened all the bands
Of society and corruption seems to have
fastened its fangs on the throat Of the
body polite, it is grand to reflect that
we, the Press of the country, are stand
ing firm and making a gallant fight for
the honor of the nation. In this free
country, in this broad land, whose
greatest danger lies in too much license
IL 10 q hdPpJ buOuBub LldL Lu0 ACSz
stand out as a beacon light to shCW the
people the true path to follow TO avoid
the whirlpools and quicksands of cor.
ruption; to know that we have the power
and the will TO lash crime and criminals
to make dishonOr hide its horrid crest
and down-trodden virtue lift its head on
high and look boldly in the face Of Its
defeated enemy. Each Que of US is re
l., - -,-I- e
and we cannot eVade that responsibility
eVde let US stand to our guns and give
our enemies no chance to enter aDC
overthrow US; let as fight wrong wher
ever we find it, and let our weapon b.
the bright, keen rapieT Of the soldier
not the bludgeOn Of the assassin. W.
have cause to be proud of the advance
we have made; let us not retrCgrade Il
time when it was as necessary Il
have a fghing editor In the Office as Il
have a presto the days when it was a
source of regret not to have been 'Out
at least once to maintain the liberty o
the pen by jeopardizing the body, not t,
| menten the soul Thank Heaven, the da-
| is upon US when a man can write upon
principle without being barricaded il
! his onctum, with his editorial draWe
luli Ot DlSLOl5 anu Ills DI6eCuG5 DUCAOL
| loaded with ammunition. 1t Is somt
/ thing to rejoice at that mind has tri
umphed over matter, that brains are tc
| the fore and muscle only needed to re
! cord its DEGREES. Yet do not under
stand me to be advancing anything thai
would SAVIOR of fearlessness in ar
editor. l would advise one to speal
truthfully, reasonably and affablY to
avoid difficulty; but if nothing viii
| satisfy an unreasonable man short OF q
! fight. why, give it to him with vim!
| If You cant convince his mind, you may
mend his manners.
Editors are not submissionIsts; toe
mauy galIantly-fought fields attest Their
readiness to WELD the sword, and Zolli
Golfers memory is yet too green TO say
they will not fight.
| The profession is au honorable one
and many giant minds adOTn It's history
/ hut it is foreign to my subject and
would consume too much time for me t
/ enumerate the men whose brillian
J intellects have illuminated its pathway
/ IN the past, and it Is only necessary t
| look around US to discover that the
/ lights of the present day are worthy L
shine with the ancient stars. The Pres
I is a theme full Of interest in all its rami
l fcations; It stirs the blood of the slug
CARDS and makes dali men brilliant
/ ills the prOse-writer With the diEin