Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-05-06
rRurH IS HER OWN YINDI0ATION.


intelligent reader knew that 3 o'clock was
incorrect-for, for that hour we would have
written afternoon instead of evening; and
the fair, square reader does not impute the
error to disposition on our part to mislead.
The motive for deception is absent. Errors
creep into a newspaper at almost every issue
sometimes the fault of the typesetter, and
sometimes of the editor, who may get
wrong impression from language employed
in the imparting Of information. The DIS
position 10 acknowledge a misstatement Is
lacking in some persons. We trust we shall
always have the courage, not only to confess
an error when convinced that we have made
one, but manhood enough to make repara-
ton, if possible.
And this leads US to consider two state
ments referred to by the Advocate. One OF
them concerning Major Mcdonald in 1894,
and the other as to the vote of Jefferson
county, reported to q convention at Berke-
lev Syringe in 1886. As to the first thirty
minutes after we learned from Major Nc
Donald that The FREE PRESS was in error
and had made a statement which was not
true Having given him our authority for
the statementl, we.set about making rePa-
ration for the misrepresentation, and at the
first opportunity made an explanation in
| THE FREE Press and concluded it as fol-
lows:
1--WE never, knowingly, misrepresent an
opponent For purposes IN political con-
/ test there is, usually, enough IN the man NE
/ FBEE Pass opposes to warrant q good nsh1
with legitimate weapons, and we use them 10
/ the best of our ability-but never mahclousiy.
| We quit lighting when the battle IS overtime
very time when some persons essay TO burn
| the mos, powder.
That ended the incident We did not
remark through these columns upon the
good. bad or Indifferent taste displayed by
the card publisher.
Mai. Mcdonald received the nomination,
and TIE FREE PRESS supported him and
/ i.s editor voted for him We have no evil
deuce that this was regarded other than a
duty. Good Democrats usually stand by
the nominee. Good Democratic editors may
criticisa the public acts Of the men they
have helped to elevate to places of honor and
trust; but good Democrats do not 90 to fish
women for vocabulary in which to black
guard aud Willy them.
The other case, mistake made by the
editor of THE FRyE Press, and referred to
by the editor of the Advocate, was so far
back as 1886 and this: The Senatorial Con-
ventiou was to be held at Berkeley Springs.
The editor of THE FREE PRESS was asked
Co furnish the total Democratic vote Of JEFF
ferson. He turned to the files Of The FREE
| Prizes. took the total as given there and
communicated /, to the person making
the request. subsequently it was discover
ed. aud much TO our surprise, that the table
/ printed was incorrect as to the total, but
otherwise correct. The table was two years
/ old. aud never before had its correctness
| been questioned The consequence of the
misiniormatiou was an adjournment of the
convention to another day and the nomina-
/ ton of Mr.. Gettiuger Instead Of Mr.. Strider.
| Nr. Gcuinger and the editor of THE FREE
| PRESS were favorable to Mr.. Camden, and
| llr. Srider was anti-Camden-hence the
accusation chat the editor of The FREE
PRESS purposeiy made a mista;emeut, tho,
/ as % matter of fact, az innocent as new
born babe of Intentional mis-iuformation.
In The FREE PRESS Of October 7th, Sc,
referring to the unfortunate error alluded to
above, the following is the conclusion Of a
paragraph written by the present editor of
THE FREE Press.
However. we hope our intention to cour-
\ te0usy respond 20 a kind request for iniOrma-
\ ton may not I'm the end be harmful 20 any in
/ lividual or interest. This unintentlOnal in
/ accuracy may serve @ good purpose in the flu
/ ture 10 Will teach men delegated 20 do any
/ sind of work 90 be f0rc-armed, 90 go with
/ proper credentials and certified copies of such
/ records as are needed. Delegates shOuldn. 90
/ Oft t0 conventions half-cocked and shouldn
/ I'D of haitcocked when ,hey get there.
In reply to the West Virginia Democrat,
who accused the editor Of this paper, just as
the same paper under its new name, Farm
ers' Advocate, has done,ot intentional wrong
Tue FREE PRESS of October II, 1856, said
/ In conclusion:
/ IF there are those who think that we inten-
/ r1ually deceived by the statement given Mr..
/ Parks. we are ready by an exhibition of our
published table 1854 Co disabuse their minds
/ of any such belief To such as have been busy
/ iu eudeavor TO create the impression that we
I were in COLLISION with anybody In this matter
-0 trick convention, we offer an Opportu-
nifty t0 ge, at the truth of the matter. Such,
| however as refuse 20 hear the truth and persist
| in maligning MS, we characterize not only as
| Gbelers but as unmitigated scOuudrels-and
we beg pardon of the commonly malignant
/ peruici0us and unprncipled that curse a
/ community for attributing to others pre- emil
hence In rascality.
We explained the matter to Mr. Strider,
but he has never yet illumiued our mind by
a reflection Of his own thought that We bad
somehow been instrumental in comforting
upon him genuine fayer or iayors, to-wit:
a8ordiug him opportunity for undisturbed
enjoyment of his broad aud smiling acres,
the while keeping him from the hum-drum
of a legislators existence in the murky at
mosphere of our Capital city better yet:
sparing him questionable honors at scant
per diems, and shady noeturns; and, per-
haps. memories such as have perturbed the
snirits of some of the twelve apostles"