The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-05-23
Several Chapters ON a Libel Suit.

Several Chapters ON a Libel Suit.
Editor Copeland of the Washburn Lead
er should be happy and on the high road
to fame and fortune. He is, according to
rumor, to be the recipient of what has here
tofore been considered the exclusive prop
libel suit. Mr.. j. Z. Brittod of the Mclean
cent statements made by the Leader man
and is about to start proceedings in the
district court for personal damages. For
the past year the white-winged dove of
peace has not lowered over the heads of
these two newspaper men, to any great ex-
tent, and such mild charges of arson. ETC.,
have been made. Mr.. Britton naturally
resents these denunciations and proposes
to try his hand at disproving the accusa-
tiOns. Copeland is well known for his
fighting qualities and a tussle to the finish
may be Embellishments Tribune.
We are sorry our neighbor of the Mail
has found himself in a financial strait. If
it is money he needs, he could confidential
ly have limited that sometime ago, and we
might have given him our check for
thousand or two. But if he is searching
for a character which he probably
claims the Leader has injured, he will have
to search for it i'll some other place than in
the courts of North Dakota, and as our dis
trict judges are not professional character
tinkers, we believe they will be unable to
put any substantial repairs on the ancient,
1i1n rticl which cloinps tr ,,oc
sess and mistook for a "character" solne-
time before the late rebellion. So far as
the charge of the Tribune, that 'for the
past year the white-winged dove of peace
has not hovered over the heads of these
two newspapers men," is concerned we
will simply say that to our best knowledge
and belief the dove has continuously how
cred over us ever since the Leader was es-
tablished, and no longer ago than last
week that peacefully-inclined bird flew
from that LEADEn's palace sanctum and
perched itself upon Bro. Brittons red barn
for nearly one entire day. Was not that
good omen?
But to go further. Upon reading the
Tribune's mention of this subject, and af-
ter hearing the vail and threats of Bro.
Britton while he was in Bismarck last
week, a stranger would naturally think
that the Leader had done Mr.. Britton
great injustice, and that he (Mr. Britton)
had ably advocated the interests of Mclean
county and had been a power in the land.
While the people here all know that at
times he is rash and impetuous, yet a man
of powerful intellect and great earnestness
in his aims, we are sorry that anyone, and
especially j. E. Britton, should suppose
that we do not appreciate him. We have
to recognize his shortcomings, of course,
but we believe we also do full justice to his
virtues and abilities. Mr.. Britton needs
only certain intellectual soundness to
make him an unusually talented man. If
he possessed principle, he would be an
honorable politician and citizen. If he
could learn to regard the truth he would be
man to be implicitly trusted. Only pros
perity is lacking to make HIM success,
and with six inches or SO added to his stat
ure he would be a man of more than aver
age height. But we are sorry to say that
he lacks all these qualities, which are SO
essential for the makeup of true man.
In fact but few men have missed being SO
excellent in SO many ways as our neighbor
of the Mail
Now, we have no desire for the creation
of notoriety through the medium of the
courts, and we sincerely hope Bro. Britton
will hesitate awhile and seek out some
more congenial method for building up
our fame.