St. Landry democrat., 1880-05-29
PERSONAL.

to place it entirely beyond the reach of
a courteous reply. We had made up
our mind, at first, to pass it by un-
noticed, and dismiss the offensive, un-
dignifed language, or rather slang, of
it's author with the simple remark that
we have always made it an inyariable
rule to treat with silent contempt any
and all scurrilous or ungentlemanly al
lusions that might be made to either
ourselves or the newspaper we have the
proud privilege of conducting; but upon
further reflection, fearing that our in
tended silence might possibly be con-
strued by some as an evidence of tim
idity or cringing disposition on our
part, we have changed our mind and
will reply to the gross attack made
upon us and our paper in the manner
and language that it deserves.
His labored criticism of an editorial
paragraph which appeared in the DEM
oCRAT several weeks ago is so gratuit-
Gus and so crippled up with ambiguity
and meaningless verbosity that it drew
forth the most contemptuous derision
from many who read it. In truth, his
silly argument-if argument it can be
called-is so vapid and destitute Of COM
mon sense that it is not worth decent
snap Of the fingers. Before he under
takes to criticise the language of others,
he should first learn to write correctly
himself. eve can not refrain from
making ETC., is exceedingly bad Ian
guage for one of such high pretensions
to accuracy and perfection as this nim
BILE driver of the quill assumes to be,
and we quote part of the incongruous
sentence as sample of the defective
syntax which characterizes his entire
windy twaddle against the DEMOCRAT.
AS to his lame, contemplate attempt
at sarcasm, it is so blunt, insipid, idiotic
and egotistical as to excite the pro-
foundest disgust. A we'll written satire
is relishable, but such muddle as he
has dished up is simply abominable. 1t
| is devoid Of that keen wit and sharp
ness essential to sarcasm, and falls to
the ground ''lat as founder and dead
as a mackcrel.'
AS if to show off his naughty preten-
sions to elegant refinement and social
etiquette, this modern censor makes
fierce thrust at us, prefxing his Shiny
"dab" with this terribly portentous ad
monition: "He (meaning us) forgets
that politeness is the edge of w.t." etc.,
and then goes Oh to give us a specimen
of what lie conceiyes to be true polite
ness. After peppering us with whole
vocabulary of high-sounding adjectives,
this model Diogenes swells out into the
enormous proportions Of a well-to-do
bull-frog, and launches forth in vain
glorious peroration to establish the val
or and excellence Of his own dear self.
Doubtless this is done by way of i'm
pressing us with what constitutes pure,
unadulterated politeness. just hear
him:
eve congratulate ourselves we are of
"the number of those who with little
"effort can acquire fame, and not OF
"those who despite long years of effort
"are still unknown, or it not unknown,
"enioy an unenviable fame-like that of
sthe former editor-built on the ruin of
"their country
What exultant vanity, clustering
pomposity, self-conceitedness, and un-
blushing egotism are grouped together
in one short paragraph! Truly it is a
prodigious and astounding revelation
that he makes, and our eyes are dazzled
by the glittering brilliancy Of it's vast
conception!
All you indeed boast that you "can"
acquire fame, do youg Well, we take
it for granted, then, that you have no
personal fame at all just now, unless it
be arhiskey fame, in which, if all that
is said Of your eccentricities and antics
be true, you certainly excel and can
proudly bear off the palm and honor
that attach to the unenriable distinction
you have acquired in this respect.
Now, Mr.. Classic-or rather Mr.. Crit
ic-we would like to know just when,
where, aud in what manner the former
editor of the ST. LANDRY DEMOCRAT
acquired what you call "an unenviable
fame, built on the ruin of his country" ?
This is a piece Of news to us, and doubt
less will be to the gentleman himself
who held the position of former editor
Of this paper-the Hon. NJ. D. kava-
nagh, our esteemed and able Represen-
tative to the State Legislature. Just
for the fun of it, will you have the man
hood to proclaim verbally in his pres
ence the base SANDER you have pub
lished against him.
But what tickles us most is the fel-
lows brazen impudence, where he in
sinuatingly entreats us not to be "afraid
Of him'-that he is mot angry" etc.
Phew! Well, we'll! This surely caps
the climax of all He may be bully,
and his occupation that of bulldozer,
for aught we know, but he makes very
bad use of his trade when he indulges
IL, cuol, nopcool- falE oc that IN TIC