Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-09-15
THE POWER OF FALsEHOOD.

THE POWER OF FALsEHOOD.
II s weakness OF human nature that
il is more prone 10 believe evil than good
Of its fellow morials, that the poisonous
tongue Of SANDER leaves effects which last
for years, while the whole good OF a life
time passed in the exercise Of those quail.
ties which should command m en to their
fellows are obliterated and swept away by
a single act. We see this exemplilied in
every day life We see, In those around
US, almost daily instances where the rec
ord Of lifetime of virtue is dimmed by
the breath of SANDER, and though the
loatbsome lie may be refuted its effects re-
main. Nor does it seem to matter that
the slanderer Is often one who has no
character Of his or her own to give pro-
5abiiity TO the truth of the assertion
The virus of the SANDER does its work,
however ignobe the instrument used for
it. introduction.
1t is when political contest comes up
that the liar finds congcnal field for his
lies. For every man, no matter who he
be, when he comes before the people as
candidate for their sufirages. must expect
his private al d public character as well rs
his public acts to become matter Of dis
cuSslon. Where this is done in a spirit
Of fairness and desire for the public good.
no one has the right to complain, but, un-
fortunately for the nature of man, he is
apt, when his partisan feelings are enlist
ed 80 Iepea. charges he hears, without it,
quiring very closely into their truthful
ness. And this is especially the case if
the story is first told by one of the same
political faith as the one Of whom it is
told. The average Democrat does not
bother himself much to inquire what are
the motives which underlie the opposition
Of one Republican to the election oI anoth.
er Republican, and Uice 0crSd. And as
neurIy everything which can be said, how
ever improbable will find some who will
believe it and act upon their belief, it
stands to reason that the effect Of Il false
hood which is stated upon the eve Of an
election, too lHte to be contradcted sue
ces.fully, or explained away, will work
great injury to any mans political pros.
poets where the contes! is close. Such has
been proved to be the case on several &c
casi0ns in our county elections, and such
is now again proven.
The power OF the s,anderer for evil is
far greater when he has the direct ear OF
the multitude, and can throw his poison
Gus VOID, daily into every home. It's SO
easy 10 make charges which IN them>elve,
are not regarded Us libels, that may work
to the injury Of II political candidate, that
it is no wonder they are 50 often resolted
10 rs means of breaking down support
which wouid otherwise naturally be Civ
en-. We want 30 better proof of this fact
than the defeat Of the Republican legisla-
tive tickets in several of the counties
which gave strong mnjouties for Hayes,
and in which they had every reason To
hope they could not be otherwise than
successful. A confessed tcoundrel and
thie!, accused 4. A. Sargent OF being pri-
Wy to 0ificidl Delinquency, and the conles-
sion wa- published appiovingly in dairy
paper Of large circulation. The proprie-
tors OF that paper were indicted tor libel.
Public opinion condemned Mr.. Sargent
no, for what he was charged with by
Pinncy not from him seeking redress in
the Courts, but for the reason that at
tempt, were made to bring on trials for
the same oifrnse in more places than one,
which gnve the prosecution an ar of per
secutun. And the fact that this paper
charged various candidates for the legis-
hture with being Sargent men," when
there WAS no proof OF that tact, when in
truth the assertion was in many cases
without particle of foundation, has
worked the defeat, not of Sargent, but Of
the Republican party. For the charge
would not, of course, lie against any
Democrat. Consequently the whole thing
gained by tho falsehoods Of the paper in
question, was the defeat of the party of
which Sargent is II mem Der, as no sane
man believes Sargent had a ghost of
show for re election from the first. 1t
has more thnn once proven in the history
OF the States politics that lie well stuc !;
to is better than the truth, and this is one
Of the cases which proves the truth Of the
sdage.
We have never doubted the probity Of
Mr.. Sargent, and fully appreciated the
value Of his services in the national legis-
sturc. But after his letter of withdraw
al To Il. b. Mcfarland, we regarded him
as oal of the Senatorial fight, and such we
believe TO have been the general feeling of
Republicans, notwithstanding his subse-
quent letter. But his name has been as
ettectual as bugbcar to drive away
support from Republican Legislative can
ddates as though he was the foremost ne
pirsnt in the Republican ranks. We re-
gard this Thing OF one man bong made 10
suffer for the s:ns OF another as being
bnd featule of politics, as one to be avoid
ed. Every man shoaid stand or fail upon
his own merits. But so long as anything
remains 10 be gained by lying, we pre-
sumo that lying will be resorted to.
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