The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
SHERMAN AND THE PRESS.
His Wholesale DenunciatiOn of the
Newspapers, and his Prediction
0G EYil

Newspapers, and his Prediction
of Evil.
When we hear Of any man arrogatng 10
him self such super-abundancc of self-con'
ccit as to warrant him in arranging the whole
press of the country, we are reminded OF the
raw recruit who said the other members oi
the military company, which he had joined
couldn't keep the step. The following is
from the augusta Chronicle:
Gen. w. T. Sherman is the widest and
lOoseSt talker in America and takes improper
liberties with the truth; but he is positive
that the "ncxt war; will be occasioned by the
press. that is. by men like Mr.. Townsend, who
put people, like beer barrels, on tap. No syn
opSis of the Generals TRADE can do 1T justice
and we therefore reproduce it in full. Re
''The tyranny of the press in this country is
becoming simply awful. 1t is worse than tho
old tyranny of the shareholders II will
| Cause worse revolution than slavery did. II
| sip of the press has destroyed social freedom
of intercourse. 1t has made men afraid O.
their neighborS 1t has led 10 general sus
| pician and distruSt. No man can open hi:
| mouth any more and be sure that his conf
dence will be respected. No man can write tc
| his acquaiEtances and be sure that his lettel
Wi @ not pear t IN PRINT od There ere is no com n
be the bane OF the rising generation and they
will he obliged TO rebel against it. There vii
be some sort of trouble and then the county
will settle down again for q while. 1t seem:
as though the man who served his country
most Is the target for the greatest amount o
| abuse in the press"
| Like all such utterances, this illumination
| has basis of fact, but there must be quaifi
cation, Or what our friend G u. McCord call
| 1.-THE distributed middle" That there are II
entiOuS Journals must be admitted, bu
there are pure, decent, honorable ones too
The good and had of Journalism is abou
equivalent to righteous or evil propensity IL
men. We believe that the good dominates
II Gen. sherman had more wisdom, NOR,
sense. more tacturnity, more veracity ant
interviewer and the sensational paper. 1t /
what einnnates wickedly or foolishly from
himself that makes the press an accusing
| ookinS-glass. There are millions of men IN
the world who do not fear the newspaper be
cause they do nothing to eXtort or provok
apprehension, just as there are many thou
sands of persons who benefit by the press an,
repay IT with ingratitude. General Sherman
has received newspaper praise without stint
much of it undeserved, and reprimand occs
remembered the wise saying Of the Athcnia'
orator and been guided by 1t, his old ag
would not be pestered with consuming gal
and bitterness when I return from til
that spoke at all. I have never regrctte
that l was silent"
We are pleased, so to speak, that so loyal
man as Sherman has found something "wOrS
than slavery ana the old tyranny of the slave
holders" This shows that the world moves
We are gratlted also that this montrosity AZ
pears to be confined. to an enormous degree
Northwnrd. 1t is perhaps "reSult OF tn
war;" and the logical sequence Of "marchin
through Georgia" burning Columbia, etc.