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Show OUR DAILY LITERATURE. Tbe duty of '.rutbfulness, and the natural cousc'pencia of trifling with it in conducting a public journal, are illustrated in some utterances of the Sacramento Record-Union, a California Califor-nia daily paper, diseasing a proposed law for the punUhment of libel, as follows: "The proposition that the right to practice defamation and slander is necessary to the freedom of the press is one ol the most monstrous assumptions assump-tions that prostituted journalism has ret been hardy enough to advance. It is a gross falsehood on its face. : The sell-evident truth is that detraction detrac-tion is not only unnecessary in jour-1 naliim, but that indulgence in it weakens the legitimate influence of! tbe press, and disables it when tbe occasion calla for vigorous a&jaults 1 upon real abuses. The journal which proceeds recklessly; which hasti- j ly and without due evidence' vilifies men; which ascribes vicious motives without justification; which 1 manufactures grave charges out oft street gossip; which aims at sensation, I anu is rcgaidiess of truth; can never establish the reputation fjr candor, sobriety, caotion and firmness, which is indiapensible to tbe acquisition of any real and permanent influence. Such a journal will attract the homage ot demagogues, time-servers, and tricksters. It will be toadied to and flattered by the baser elements of society. It will wield the sme kind of bastard influence that the bully and the blackmailer acquire." It is partly education and partly natural instinct which lie at the bottom of such a vindication of the duty of scrupulous journalistic truthfulness. truth-fulness. It is "bred in the bone" and strengthened into manliness and force by our religion. For Americans breaths an atmosphere saturated and tinctured divinely, let them winder where they will, let theni climb what rocky heights or plow in what rich vales thsy will, in our imperial domain. Why is it "prostitution" of journalism to assume as-sume that the necessary freedom of the press makes defamation and slander a journalistic prerogative? Because lying is a punishable crime, and all distortion of truth is lying. Bat why is it a punishable wrong? And to this it Beems that the only answer is and can be tbat it is authoritatively authori-tatively for hidden. The civil law which, in certain cases, forbids falsn-bood falsn-bood and punishes it, rests for justification justifi-cation on tbe commandment "Thou sbalt not bear false witness-" This is what lies back of the statute, and;vin-dicates and;vin-dicates it to the American conscience. Hence the popular Bentiment in regard re-gard to truthfulness is a composite sentiment, made up of conscience admonitions ad-monitions and of framing in authoritatively authori-tatively revealed doctrine. If there ia a primary moral habit, ingrained in tbe American moral nature, this is one, itself tbe very substance of patriotic maniinesa, so that he wbo slights it, and throws himself against it recklessly, tnrows himself away in whatever profession he acts. Nothing can be more, of course, both first aud second nature, than ibis unadorned truthfulness in every term of action and intercourse. The lover of bis couutry lingers fondly here. Who doeii not speculate on tbe probable endurance of the institutions institu-tions of his native land? But what fascinated dreamer respecting the rapidly opening splendors of his country, does not glance backward to tbe old empires for data of hopefulness, hopeful-ness, and find that their days were bright and their greatness established only while their people were habitually and abso'utely truthful? To apply this, it is only necessary to recur to the aesthetia position and re lation of the daily press. It will pull down when it should build up; will pull itself down, unless it venerates truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in loving, absolute loyalty. So it is, and so may it be always, must be the first wish ol every American. There is a "public" haviug moral sentiments in exorcise, and that pub lie is sure, sooner or later, to so express ex-press itself as to pour disgrace judicially judi-cially on every form of journalistic debasement. This public sentiment ia keen eyed and delicately sensitive. Not only does the daily press deal in news, and there is nothing either new or old but truth, and therefore all misrepresentation or selfish coloring is aell-contradiciion in a newspaper, but tbe daily journalist indirectly or directly challenges ibe conscience of every reader, and through the ee If-ad justing power of good society must loae honorable standing and totluenoe unless un-less be scrupulously and honestly commends himself to the popular honesty and good sense. This is natural if truth telling is commendable; commend-able; right, if truth telling ia right. But it is hardly necessary to By that if truthfulness is the body of tbe journalistic, function, decency ia the drapery of that body. Conversely, ii falsehood is inherently bad, black-eusrdism black-eusrdism is tbe inexpressible aggravation aggra-vation of the fault; and because a shame anywhere nnd everywhere, a specially shocking dugracfl ip a function func-tion the aim of which 19 tbe guidance of the public heart aDd judgment. Every jourualiit will say this is but an admitted truism, and the mention of it superfluous. White the responsibility created by a perfect moral rule regulating the daily presses groat, the reward of couformity to it is equally gre.it. The homage of thousands of hoowt hearts the plivudit tarlt done, from humanity itself, bo needy and anxious (or light and truth and love, niil i.e a precious thing to oue who has lovingly undertaken the 0 trice of daily advisor, friend aud guide. Witness the golden harvest reaped by a Greeley, a Bryant. How iutiniHte and honorable the placo they have won lor themselves in the hearts of tbe pwple, and in the literature of Ite couniry. It it it much to lire in j "the heart of b"rts!' ol ones countrymen, country-men, aud to enjoy oven poethuaiou? worthy veneration, then rmit the 1 daily journalist be congratulated on bis place and opportunities. GKSTILi'. |