Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-08
"a Campaign of caiumny.,

false charges against any candidate they
are opposed to, but among even partisan
newspapers as rule there is very
little of this-not hundredth part
as much as there is in private
conversation among the people who pirate
about the vitupera,ion OF the press. fake
the two recent conventions and call to
mind the criticism of the press on the
candidates before each of them. At Chi
csgo first came Grant. He was assailed |
because of his administration of the office |
of President and the most was made, of |
course, of his apparent indifference to
rascality practiced by men in public sta
ton by his appointment and subject to re-
moval by him. We do not recollect that
any newspaper of either party charged |
him with having personally engaged
in the frauds and jobs which he undoubt-
eddy permitted, and there were very few
illusions to his personal habits. His
greed or ambition which led him to disre-
gard established precedent in seeking
third term ware severely commented upon,
but the criticism was in this as in the
other cases directed to the line of his own
conduct as viewed by friends or foes and
there were no charges invented. This
sort of attack is not calumny or abuse but
Just and patriotic criticism such as candi-
dates ought to be subjected to.
When it came to Blaine tine criticism
was utterly different. 1t was not wild un-
reasoning abuse but emphatic declsra-
tons as to his connections with jobs, and
the hypocrisy and falsehood he exhibited
in attempting to get out OF them. Judge
Edmunds, on the other hand, who. per-
sonal integrity has never been doubted,
was never accused of any wrong doing of
the sort charged against Blaine, and it was
admitted by the press of both
parties that if nominated he could only be
attacked by his political opponents be-
cause of his political acts. When, to the
general surprise, General Garfield was
nominated the attack opened at once just
where he was subject to attack, and where
be had been attacked before by Republi-
cans as well as Democrats, and we have
never seen any other charges against him
than the very ones long familiar to every
student of current political history.
None of the candidates before the Gin
cinnati Convention were assalled on
account of pecauiary dishonesty, for the
very simple aud sutiicient reason that it
could not be done with any appearance of
truth. Thurman and Hendricks were
however both attacked because of their
financial vagsries, Field on account
of his disregard of what have
hitherto been considered the decencies
of judicial station, and Payne because
lie was the evident product of bargain
considered as presidential candidate.
Mr.. Bayard WAS strenuously attacked, but
no one denied his ability and integrity
and the whole assault upon him was
either on account of his pronounced
opinions on finance or his Dover
speech. The latter was misunderstood
and misrepresented but it is impossi
bic to judge of the honesty or dishon.
esty of opposition of that sort since you
cannot get inside man and find out
whether he really does believe what ht
processes to believe. General Hancock
was also criticised simply on the grount
that he was soldier unfamiliar with cvi
government, and it is probable that tint
objection was n sincere one on the part o
those making it. "...
Now this search for weak spots in tn,
record of candidate one opposes il
neither abuse or calumny, and it differ
, widely for the better from the sort OF accu
: sations made against public men il tn
earlier days OF the republic before the in
Simultaneous diffusion of news was posi-
, BILE. Then, indeed, lie did travel taste
: than the truth, and reach man
places where it was not afterward
e these days of telegraphy there is littl
] temptation for that sort of work, 70
r every body with ordinary sense know
e that it hurts no one but the paper attempt
, ing it. Without undertaking to claim ths
1 newspapers ire always just or accurate
d we do claim that they are vastl
= more SO than the majority of peopl
Il who talk politics under less sens
J, of responsibility and with fewt
Il chances Of immediate and effectiy
o refutation. The newspapers are moi
10 truthful and painstaking than the mass
people, and very large part of the crit
J. csm upon them is the result of me-
n thoughtlessness and much of it is simp
cs hypocrisy for some of the men who ia
ID most loudly against personal Journalism
IN and newspaper abusiyeness" are IL
re most appreciative readers of the mo
ID bitterly personai and shamelessly blac
I'd guard sheets which happen to pander
er their own malignity or prelude
We We think it time that the lectures by Il
ly goody, goody, back homeless papers again
Id - campaign of calumny" should ST
Mt until there is some evidence that such
he campaign is to be started, and when til
ly happens there will be plenty Of strol
of and vigorous papers to make, with SOL
IL effectiveness and force, the protest viii
made out of time is an insult to the pre-
1t. as whole
we ..-. "Gnth's'' Poem.
Oh We print to-day, in fun, George Afr
SA Townseuds graphic poem on C1e'
ur Rodney famous ride, which was deliver
l's at the independence day celebration
iot Georgetown Saturday. We presume it
'u' not intended to be historically accura
SGT but it relates most charrningly real in
'ys dent of the revolution and gives the 10
nu coloriug so wildly that it is one Of tn,
III things which are truer than the trl
IN feebly told. There is no writer livi