Year: 1868

The Press and lts Representative Men.
There are two Brick Pomeroys-one the
type of political journalism in the West the
other the senior editor of the rabid radical
organ in this city-and great portion of the
press of the country takes form, character,
style, from the influence of these men. In
some of the cities of the Union there are, of
course, well conducted journals, sheets of
original power and commanding character,
whose influence in the intellectual growth and
progress of the country is constantly seen; but
aside from these our whole press is without
original thought or suggestive policy, and
simply echoes the vituperative fume and
shallow political quibbling of one or other of
the Brick Pomeroys. Nearly all the news
papers are the property of politicians, pub
lished in the interest of politicians. They are
like those printed sheets that thrifty shop
keepers scatter in all public places, from the
street car to the steamboat, filed with the
praises of the thrifty shopkeepers' wares made
palatable by couple of jokes printed in
the corner. So the press is a vast advertising
sheet for this or that party and this or that
politician, and the news is thrown in, as the
main object. But the news is wrested and
twisted and distorted by all devices to make
it run smoothly with the political advertise
ment that covers the whole editorial page.
Either the politician is democratic or he is
republican, and if the first he echoes the
- D--sx
Pomeroy in his advertisement; if the second,
he reproduces the same puerile twaddle as the
Eastern Brick Pomeroy delights in, spiced
with the same savagery of epithet that is the
general refuge of that writer when he finds
himself unable to meet an antagonist in argli-
ment. These are the two great exemplars of
the party press, and the rest are like them,
but feebler, as copies must be.


The latest emanation from the Eastern
Brick 'Pomeroy is an attempt to argue down
recent speech Of Governor Seymour; we say
an attempt to argue, for once started it is, Of
course, an inevitable law with this Pomeroy
to throw argument aside, and take to his more
congenial scurrility, as ducks that have tried
to scratch with the chickens take to water. 1t
is, perhaps, something to his credit that he
even attempted to argue. 1t is more to his
credit that he did not set out, as on q former
occasion, by calling the Ex-Governor a liar.
This indicates that he has felt the reprobaton
Of public sentiment. Seymours speech is
open to criticism. Ostensibly discussing the
finances, he takes narrow views of these, and
does not by any means go to the bottom Of
the subject. And how does the radical Brick
Pomeroy expose this p? How does he point
out the errors Of the orator, and what argu-
ment does he contribute to enlghten the
public? His whole reasoning, criticism, argu-
ment, consists in an aspiration for cowhide.
He wants to answer the arguments OF the Gov
prove and show how wrong another is and
how right he is. It Is a new want in logic,
that of a cowhde. But where does this bring
US Here is man who is an influence and
On example in great portion of the party
press; nay, man who, though we'll known for
sniyelling humbug and hypocritical char
latan, has, in virtue of persistent self-asserton,
become q sort OF moral power with many men
of small experience and harroT views: And
what does he prove out of his own mouth
Simply that all he wants to be bravo,
bully and.a rufian is the necessary physical
strength and courage. Had he these ne would
use the cowhde he sighs for. Then, indeed,
no one should employ arguments that excite
his indignation-at least not with impunity.
How far is he from the position of Brooks, who
went and cudgelled Sumner? That was only
the use of this cowhide argument, and all the
barbarity of intolerance from time immemorial
has been the result of indulgence in just this
unreasoning. vindictive, Puritanical temper.