The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-26
PRIVATE LETTERS.
The Poet whittier Has Something to
Bay On y Tickiish Subject.

The Poet whittier Has Something tn
Say Tickiish Subject.
Chicago Tribune.
The poet Whittier has enunciated hard
doctrine in q recent letter TO friend in re-
gard to the publication of private episties.
How it chances that the principles he SO
cmphaticaliy lays down are violated by the
publication Of this particular document is
not explained: but 10 rather surprising, for
he writes: 'Some years ago destroyed q
large collection Of letters / had received,
not from any regard to my own reputation,
but from the fear that to leave them liable
to publicity might be injurious or unpleas-
ant to the writer's or their friends. They
covered much OF the anti-slavery period,
and the war of the rebellion, and many Of
them. know, were strictly private and
confidential. l was not able ct the time to
look over the MSS. and thought it safest
to make . bonfire of all. have always re-
garded . private and confidential letter as
sacred, and It's publicity in any shApe
shameful breach OF trust, unless authorized
by the writer. / only wish my own letters
to Thousands of correspondents may be ~
carefully disposed Of"
The ground here taken IL certainly q suf-
ficiently high one. The logical deduction
from the position OF the writer Is that most
biographies are practically violations of the
decent reserve which should surround the
dead. since il is difficult TO believe that
there exists q modern biography which
does not owe its information largely to
what Mr.. Whittier calls private letters.
Leaving for the moment, the wider ques-
ton whether biographies as such are or are
not Of value, IL is fair 10 consider that
every honest man, If told that his history
will be written, will first of all desire that
IL be true. To destroy his letters would, in
the case OF any person OF sufficient note to
have been concerned In important
events, be to lessen the chance of the
truths being known, either in regard
tn himself or others. Certainly il biogra-
ply and history 1e to be written. IL is inn
portant that thew shall approach as nearly
as possible to the truth; and neither Mr.
Whittier nor anybody else has q right 10
destroy documents which would assist in
bringing the truth to light Justice to the
memory Of his friend should lead one who
has important letters TO write to see that
they are properly used, not that the risk is
run OF having history misrepresented for
want Of them. Mr.. Whittier himself
would undoubtedly prefer that 'shis letters
TO thousands of correspondents" should be
printed to having his life misrepresented
and the high causes in defense of which be
has fought so well misunderstood
The fact is that while this matter OF pub
lieation seems st first glance both unpleas-
ant and unjustifiabie, ia il bat another
form ei the universal truth that no mans
life belongs Co himself. Perhaps man
has no more right either to expect or 10
wish 10 take to the grave with him any
more than he takes his gold. the personal
privacy which is "a much luxury of life
as Is his treasure In any case the history
OF man belongs tn the living and since the
history Of man is made up Of the history
of men, in their story the world has an in
alsenshle right. II follows that documents
which seem private property are often pub
lie trusts, and NOT therefore 10 he disposed
at according 10 the simple viii OF the pos
SCISSOR. who IL really simply a custodian.
Ii Is not ri course meant that ali the de
iasis OF lie. the private experiences, hidden
emotions and intimate secrets Of the heart.
are Ia be laid OPEN 10 the market place. Ii
IS net that public vulgar curiosity is TO be
satisfied. but tie significant the general.
| the things which belong to The life OF the
/ people or TO the growth Of the public senti.
nasnt or belief these thsags belong net To
the individual. has Ia tie race And 50
/ despite oar recognition ef the genuine sin.
| gently of the act and al the siegIcscy of feel
1 Tag which prompted Il. we can not helm
i feeling that u - at least 81 epen question,
/ whether Mr.. Whittier had moral right 90
! destroy those letters, relating az many OF
/ them Etust have done, 20 some Of The most
/ important events whieh have ever shaken
I and shspee our nation.