Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1880-04-29
Gatutfiu G|arioM
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Chas, e, Casseil......Ee!itor.
Ehas. E. asset pHor,R,s
e. l.. Root. $500
THU RSDAY, APRIL 20, 1880.
Personal Abuse In Journal.
iSsN.

More than one popular man before
the people has been killed by the pa
pes, and public men very we'll real
ize, that the press is power in whose
face they are not able to fly with i'm
punity, and as rule, treat the repre-
sentatives of the press with much de-
ference. submitting to interviews with
out number, allowing themselves IN
many instances to be asked really I'M
pudent questions, and not refusing to
answer. Not only public men, but
every intelligent man in this country
takes one or more newspaper, and as
Il rule, forms his opinions Of men and
things, to great extent from what
he therein reads.
All this tends to show the influence
and power Of the press, and few will
question the statement, that this IN
tluence is considerable. While such
is undoubtedly SO, there can be and is
limit put upon the extent to which
journal may speak either good or i'll
of a public man, and yet maintain that
Influence. 1t may SO too far IN the
praise of a man, become servlle and
refuse to condemn acts VIGOROUSLY
vicious. The Disguised reader dis
Germs in this, a fawning toadyjsm and
refuses to be influenced by it. This
in our day, has come to be The source
Of more loss Of influence, than any
other cause.
The contrary however, when il
does act, is double-acting; although a
man may be too highly praised and
flattered, it effects only himself ano
not his opponent, who receives less O
praise, but none o: abuse; but, as VIZ
have already said, when journa.
takes it upon itself to chastse man
and overdoes the thing, by descending
to vile personal abuse, in majority
Of cases it defeats it's own end, the Cur
kicks harder than it shoots, and when
the results come to be summed uD,tht
author, rather than the subject Of the
abusive article, is found 10 be most IN
need of repairs. We have written tn;
above with a case in point before as
There has been contest for the sn'
premacy, between two factions of the
Republican party in this county, and
the battle was fought in the county
convention, on Saturday last; the fac
ton headed by States Attorney, Jno
G. Motter, bearing off the palm of VIC,
tory, with scarcely struggle. That
the victory would not have been gained
without hard fought battle, if gained
at all, we have good reason to believe,
had it not been, for a most vlrnlent
attack made upon Mr., Motter, by the
Frederick Times on Monday proceed.
ing the convention, and kept ny, to a
greater or less extent, during the
week. That in politics, Mr.. Motter
is guilty of ways that are dark and
tricks that are vain, We behave; he is
a politician, and they all do It, but
nothing in our personal knowledge OF
him, or that we have ever had from
reliable heresay, will justify US in the
belief, that the Wholesale charges Of
pernicious tastes and practices, made
against him by the Times, were found
cd on the truth, or desire to tell
the truth, and Saturdays work dem
onstrated the fact, that such influence
may, in this case at least, be repre-
sentcd by minus quantity.