The daily gazette., 1882-10-30
r,r. uastlnr. npa ,l,e .eazette. /.

Mr.. Washington Hastings was kind enough
TO paw very fiattering compliment to one
Of the editors Of the GAZETTE in his spec ch
on last Saturday evening at Fourth and
ShIpley streets. We are pleased to be able
to fully return the compliment thus ten
dered, and we do so without rejecting In the
least upon Mr. Hastings for his ungenerous
and entirely uncalled-for allusions to other
members of the GAZETTE staff, any one of
whom, we feel bound to say, is his peer either
physically, mentally or morally. We regret,
however, that Mr.. Hastings peculiar
political position will not permit us
TO pay the same tribute to- his
wisdom and discretion that we cheerfully
give to his sterling qualities as a man and
citizen. 1t is nothing Rew for first-rate
men and eminent citizens to frequently
make serious mistakes, and we have before
called attention to the fact that Mr.. Hast
ings is In some respects very much IKE
other people For instance every now and
then he makes mistake-entirely of the
head and not at all of the heart, we are
glad to Delieve-and once in while he
makes colossal blunder, in witness whereof
we may cite his acceptance of Dick Har-
rlngton's nomination for Congress, and his
attempts to discuss the relative merits of
protection and free trade. But strange as
1t may seem 1t is his minor mistakes that
appear to give him the most trouble; and
here II is that he reveals another trait In
c common with ordinary people, for when he
| r.t .,,ftb nf dalIte ions
/ he switches oil from the question at issue and
diyerts himself with wholly irrelevant mat
| tiers, MS in his speech on Saturday night,
when for lack of something really pertinent
| and interesting to say he consoled himself
with an assumption of knowledge concern
ing journalistic details of the GAZETTE, of
which 1t was simply impossible for him to
know anything. But we do not intend to
be led into discussion with Mr.. Hastings-
to which his remarks OF Saturday night
seem to be an nyitation-conccrning the re-
lative responsibility Of the editors OF the Ga
zETTE for the uttcrauccs which appear in
its columns. The editors of this paper are
not individually involved in this campaign
and so long rs they do not profess DIE thing
in private and advocate totally different
thing in the columns of their journal, that
particular part of the work that
falls to the lot of each OF
them is not proper subject
of inquiry. The GAZETTE as public
Journal holds itself responsible for all IL has
said, or may say, and if Mr.. Hastings
knows of any statement IL has made which
is not true he will do his cause more good
and himself more credit by proving its
fasi'ty by facts rather than to be spending
his time indulging in sarcastic inuendo
concerning men against whom we challenge
him to bring the slightest breath of a dis
honorable charge. We have no indictment
against Mr.. Hastings beyond the one we
have repeatedly indicated as against all the
candidates on the Republican ticket, and
which Mr.. Hastings himself will recognize
as of sufficient gravity to call for public
comment. That indictment is that
he is now lending the support
of his character, his wealth and
his standing in this community to the per
sonal cause OF a man with whom We know
| he must feel 1t a contamination TO associate
and for whom he can have only feelings Of
contempt and repulsion. lie is out OF
his proper sphere when he allies himself
with such men as Harrington and Fisher
whatever may be the purpose of the com
pact-and he is sadly out of place when he
permits them to use the influence of his fair
name and high position as an instrument of
their own unworthy ambition, the fruitlon
of which can only mean the direst degrade
tion to Delaware.
Mr.. Hastings may not realize the fact that
he is being used as the tool Of scheming
and unscrupulous politicians, but We think
a very little unbiased reflection upon the
matter will convince him that such Is the
case, and We have sufficient confidence IN his
integrity of character and fidelity to the
true interests of the State TO believe that II
he can only be brought to see the situation
ia its real light he will not hesitate to adop
the only honorable course left open to him
And let us add that If the pair
b truth plainly printed can serve to enlighter
+ him upon the subject of his duty to himscl
, aud his State, he shall have no excuse fo
. remaining in the company and in the service
r. of men whom for us to mention in the sam
S breath with his name would under othc
Il political situation, be sufficient justification
:. on his part for a libel suit against the Ga
c ZETTE.