The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-06-26
rHE rATrOoED MANoE 17as.

THE TATTOOED NAN OF 1885.
New. York Tribune: The brightest
name IN American HISTORY Il that Of |
president WaSAlngtOn. Daring the |
last year Of bis presidency be was 'the
Iattooed man" of thai geneEation. Chief
JHHsscs MsrshAIls IN his ne Of Wash.
ington, says: with equal virulSnce, the
and the political character Of
the president was attacked. and he Wes
aYoWed 70 be totally destitute Of merits
either as g soldier or statesman. The
calumRies with which he was assailed
were not confined 10 his public con-
duct; even his qualities Is man were
the subject OF delraction. " His
impeachment was publicly suggested,
and that he had drawn from the
treasury for his private use more than
the salary annexed TO his ONCE was IN
blushInely asserted. Against HIM. a.
against General Garfield, forgery was
employed. Hm last official letters -
president, addressed to the secretary OF
state, puts on record WsshIngtOH's
'.solemn declaration that the letters here
in described are base forgery, and that
I never saw or heard Of them till they
appeared IN print In the first draft Of
Wsshln gton's Farewell Address, with
burning indignation he wrote that
''some of the gazettes Of the United
States" by misrepresentation and false
hood, had sought ito wound his reputa-
ton and feelings, and to weaken II
not entirely destroy the confidence
OF his countrymen. The
president added q touching appeal TO re
spect "the gray hairs Of q man who hAi
passed the prime OF his life in the ser
vice OF the country" that be might "b'
suffered TO pass quietly to his grave
Even In those days, it seems, gazettei
like the Evening Post and the New
York Times were not unknown.
History has been compelled TO tattoo
the slsndereTs, though some were men O
high station. But to this day, wheneye
. mans ability and worth lift hin
above those who haYe little Of either
they resort 10 SANDER to drag him dowI
To this day they profess to be too pur
to tolerate him, and to thi Q day ther
are found some whom this hypOcris
deceiyes.
There Is no way TO stop this infsmOu
SANDER OF public men, but to treat It .
men treat Q snake. Let sure and pitilee
punishment follow every charge sgalnI
honored public servants made wi,hOT
adequate proof. Let each slanderer b
90 tattooded that he shall be foreVC
shut out from any place Of trust. IA
any journal guilty Of circulating sue
Islander be cast out of every deceI
house. Let the party that resorts 4
SANDER meet sure and over WhelmIDg d
feat. Then there would soon be less {
the dastardlY crime that embittered Il
life of Washington and of most
the more distinguished am IN
his successors. The peopl
haye begun 10 apply this remedy. Slal
ders against President Garfield made h
election sure, but should have made b
majority millions of votes. Slande
!. against Mr.. Blaine insured his nOmin
ton. But they need TO be rebuked
7 an election SO decisive that aesassins
! character shall beware for all time
9 come. 1t is still the worst fault of o.
people that they are too prone 70 gI'
r ear TO calumny. But they begin to te
Il how il black ems their national characi
y and poisoDs their public life. VIII
II they realize it fully, they will be sw
II and stern in punishiDg that most pC
70 nlcIous and cowardIy kind of murder.