The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-10-07
Plea for Purity.

dium of public liberty, the press, 1T
is melancholy truth that suppress
sion OF the press could not more con-
pletely deprive the nation Of its
benefits than is done by its abandon
ed prostitution to falsehood. Moth
ing can now be believed which is
seen in a newspaper. Truth itself
becomes suspicious by its being put
into that polluted vehicle"
I will add that the man who never
looks into newspaper is better in
formed than he who reads them;
insmuch as he who knows nothing is
nearer to the truth than he whose
mind is filed with falsehood and
errors.
'He who reads nothing will still
learn the great facts, and the details
are all false" This seems paradox
ical, when we remember that 10 man
was more opposed to the sedition law
than Jefferson. Anti-sedition law
was one of the planks Of his platform
and may be said to have elected him.
That this is mistaken view and
rather one sided, for one who possess
ed the intelligence of Mr.. Jefferson,
we are bound to admit, for we all
know that newspapers, however
mendaciously conducted, print more
truth than lies. The whole truth in
party papers usually comes out when
both sides are heard, as has been the
case in the late political discussions.
Wien Frenan's Free Press was
pouridg out its opposition upon the
first administration, and lampooniDg
Washington, Jefferson was surprised,
that the old hero lost his usual Sang
froid" and let loose that tremendous
wrath" which he was accustomed to
control. Taking the three copies Of
the Free Press to Jefferson, Wash
ington said: "See here what that
ID rascal Fireman has sent me,
filled as they are with libels on ME
and the government, modestIy ask
ing that they be circulated" Jeffsr
son thought this quite a waste of
ammunition on the Presidents part,
to lose his temper, but he showed
how thin skinned be was himself
when upon being lampooned be
wrote the above quotation.
We would be modern Xavier and
go through every city ringing the
bell Of suppression of certain classes
of articles.
What good does it do any one to
learn all the low, obscene acts Of
parties, such as those that have been
detailed out to the readers OF the
Lexington murder case?
If ever there was man justified
in taking a life, that man was young
Harman. He did right. The
woman ought not to have been spared.
She ought to have gone with her
paramour.
The scene in the court room forci-
bly, reminds US of another court in
the temple at Jerusalem, which We
fear is too often held up as stand
ard for poor frail woman kind. The
accusers are all men, so says Holy
Writ, and who is to condemn? Did
this scene in acy way present itself
to the Lexington jury ard bias their
minds?
What honor or good can come from
the fishing up out Of filthy bilge
water all these dirty vitriol pellets to
be swallowed by any one who reads
the accounts? Use few asterisks or
blanks thing is better than re,
| failing such obscene acts.
'Tis said that woman seldom
bushes after forty, but the papers Of
today contain articles that if read
would make tie dear old grand
mothers cheek crimson with bushes
! No wife who is a modest woman
could read some of the Lexington
| murder case even to her husband
! She would almost have felt ASHAMED
| for him 10 know she had read the
| Whole account.
Young Easman never knew thai
| the girl was criminal-at least i
must be supposed so-until he saw
all, and who is there to blame him
He was upbo!ding the honor o
womanhood. As a general thing
m2mbers of a family are the last tt
hear an evil report. His act may b.
| the means of saving the character o