Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-09

spondence may disclose that both parties
are equally guilty, he who exposes admits
his own participation in disreputable and
disgraceful proceeding. He at least
thought himself engaged in dirty trans
action, and in exposing one side OF the
correspondence he at least believed that he
was holding his correspondent up to OBJ
loquy and contempt.
Whoever is guilty of this species of low
cunning produces situation wherein 1t Is
not only just but necessary that the sup
Elemental part of the correspondence which
he exposes should receive like exposure.
The divugence of one side of a CORE
spondence absolves the other side from all
obligation of secresy. Even more than this,
it makes the full presentation of the CORE
spondence necessary to its proper under
standing, as a means of defense on the
part Of the correspondent whose injury is
sought as well as places before the public
in true light the persons who may have
been innocent subjects of that correspond
ence and whose relations herewith might
otherwise have placed them in an equivo-
cal attitude
Recently the San Francisco Examine,
prostituted its columns to become the con-
temptible medium of this low species OF
treason. 1t found certain parties willing
to betray condolences which had been re-
posed in them, and for no higher motive
than the injury of its opponents it became
| partner in the preparation of a species OF
scoundrclism as low as the practices of a
sneak thief, and as vile as the public boast
of lihertine who gratifes his lust by the
betrayal Of virtue, and his beastly vanity
by publicly recounting his conquests. Be
! tween the small species of skunk who Of
fers for publication the betrayal of conf
dental letters, and the publisher who ac'
cepts and publishes them, there may be a
difference of size and capacity, but the
odor is undistinguishable. The response
bic publisher Of the Eramine, and the lit
tie polecat with whom it entered into a
copartnership Of treachery will perceive in
the business of this Characterization ample
apology for its severity.
1t Is well known that George Hearst is
the owner of the Etamiaer but we are dis
posed to question his completely in this
dirty transaction. Having acquired wealth
in the manipulation of mines, he is deter
mined to purchase official distinction. II
the execution of this determination he i,
publishing Il paper. He is necessarily 4
manipulation Of politics. 1t is certainly
not 10 his interest that the betrayal of the
political correspondence to which he may
be party, or that the condolences which
he reposes in his friends should be made
respectable and reputable His editorial
manager at the time of the publication
must, therefore, be held as morallv account
able for this dirty business. II, however
/ Mr. Hearst did not discharge him,
/ but on the other hand condoned
his ohense by his approval either
silent or expressed, the characterize
ton may stand as completely and justly
applicable to Mr. Hearst himself Behind
every Journal there is distinct personal
ity, a spirit which, when it manifests a
moral detormity 50 repulsive As the case
under consideration reveals, deserves to be
distinctly materialized. If the imperson-
aHty of journalism represented in the pub
LEGATION of the Examiner is not properly
materialized i'll the person of Mr.. Hearst,
/ it viii be easy for him to show what name
/ that naturalization should bear, but until
that time all persons whom he approaches
with profers Of exchange of condolences
should remember that the paper he owns
and controls has declared by publishing a
treason that this species of political treach-
cry, this kind Of BETRAYAL Of confidence Is
honorable and reputable But if the FL
oIRjHer, in the publication of the treachery,
, committed a violation Of those ethical
principles, the adherence to which alone
entities man to the appellation of gentle
man, what must be said of the cringing,
cowardly wretch who, having engaged in a
confidential correspondence, having fully
sympathized with all the object, and aims
of such correspondence, having been full
partaker in whatever merit or demerit the
exposure Of such correspondence would re-
veal, having been trusted as friend and
an ally, becomes the miserable, contemp-
tible tool of the scurvy publisher, and by
the betrayal Of faith reposed in him adds
to whatever of wrong he exposes. the cow
ardlv attribute of treason.
We say cowardly, because against such
an exposure the betrayed has no means Of
defense. In the case under consideration
the guilty scomdrel sought to Shield him
self from condemnation by concealment of
his own name and personality, but he was
not the less infamous because hiding be-
hind the veil of concealment But his
chosen obscurity may for the present con-
sign him to well-meritcd contempt.
As to Mr. Hearst, the case is different.
He has entered upon the career of 4 poll
tician lie Is candidate for the United
States Senate. He will find it necessary
to defeat the aspirations of some and pro-
mote the political ambitions of Others
Until he purges himself of the charge of
criminal completely in the case under con-
sideration, let all whom he approaches re-
member that he consort> with the betrav-
erS Of confdence-that he turns a ready
ear to the baSer sort who make publication
Of confidential letters, and that he himself,
through the instrumentality of the paper
he owns and controls, becomes the medium
of this despicable disloyalty and, there
fore, full sharer and participant in all the
odium which justly attaches to this species
of dcSpicable faithlessneSs.
HENRY EDGERTON.
Hon. Henry Edgerton has issued brief
address to the Republicans Of this Con-
frrpsSipr,al Tli-tr;..