The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-04-16
THE FREEDOM 10 WRITE AND
TALK

pleases lis assumed to be one Of the
privileges guaranteed to the Ameri-
can citizen under our bill Of rights.
And the average citizen seems. to
feel that he is in duty bound to ex-
ercise tbs vested right on our curb
stones, in our public assemblies and
through the columns OF our newspa-
pers.
AS our judiciary alone. exercises the
function to punish those who indulge
too freely and 100 promiscuously with
this inestimable privilege. criticism of
those holding public office stops only
at the Threshold of our courts.
The legislative and executive
branches of our government, possess
ing no such power, are perpetually
under fire.
Our legislators, state and federal,
our mayors, governors, president and
cabinet officers, are shining marks
for our critics of all sorts of literary
accomplishments and indulgencies,
and it has been so for time out Of
memory.
So one need not be surprised at
what is supposed to be an unusual
amount of vitriolfe abuse. that is daily
heaped upon the present occupant Of
the White House by those within and
without the political party to which
he belongs.
The indulgence of this. privilege did
not even cease when he lay sick nigh
unto death. There was no pity shown
him and no sympathy was wasted en-
the feelings of his family.
All sorts of heartless stories were
constantly sent out from the capital
that shocked the sensibilities of those
whose morals were not already blunt
ed
This virulence and inordinate crit
icism directed at the head of the ma
ton began during Washington's first
administration, and no occupant of
the White House has escaped it
some, of course, receiving more than
others, according to the critical pc
ricd Of the times.
Washington's critics made life so
intoIerable for him that he was anx-
ious to retire to the quiet shades of
Mt. Vernon long before the expiration
of his term of office.
In vexation and WEAKNESS of spirit
he is reported on one occasion to
have exclaimed that had he been an
ordinary pick-pocket he could not
have been more shamefully traduced.
His belief in the Christian religion
was, the subject of grave doubt, so
much so that just before his depar
ture from the seat Of government a
number of the clergy addressed him
communication to ascertain its
trdthfulness or its REPUTATION.
DR.. Rush, a gentleman of commands
ing influence in those days, said to
Mr.. Jefferson that the clergy shaped
their address so pointedly as to force.
the father Of his country to publicly
declare whether he was a Christian or
not, but DR.. Rush said that "the old
fox was too cunning for them
In holding an office. ones religion
is a favorite point of attack for the
critics.
Than Abraham Lincoln, the mar
tyred president the memory of no
.enes perhaps. who has ever occupied
the White House is more affectionate-
" enshrined ia the hearts Of the.
great mass,of the American people. or
whose virtues while IN Office have
been the subject Of more praise or
greater plaudits. but II was not so
while he was yet alive anrin office.
Nearly all this praise is posthumous.
While holding office Mr. Lincoln
was surrounded BY horde Of de.
tractors every whit as severe as VII
sons critics, and they were mostly
members of his own political house.
hold
On the 2srd Of February, 1869. Mr.
Richard IF. Dana, in a letter to Mr.
Thomas Iatrop, said
q see no hope but in the army: the
lack OF respect foMthe president ID all
parties is unconcealed. He has no adj
mirRrs, IF d convention were held to-
morrow. he would not get the vote Of
a single state
Mr.. Wendell Phillips said:
AS long as you keep. the present
turtle 1meaning Mr. Lincolnl at the
head of affairs you make pit with
one hand and fill it with the other. :"
On another occasion he said:
The reelection of Abraham Lin.
coin will be national destruction"
Horace Greeley said
II cannot trust honest old Abe he
is too smart for me- =