Case(s) | |
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Source Type: | Newspaper |
Author: | D. L. Dalton |
Publisher: | Alabama State Journal |
Place of publication: | Montgomery, Alabama |
Date of publication: | May 23, 1869 11:50 pm |
Transcript: | Letter from D.L. Dalton. EDITOR STATE JOURNAL: MONTGOMERY, MAY 24, 1869. I have carefully read the communication of Mr. H. S. Whitfield, of Tuskaloosa, which is published in your last issue. He takes exception to the editorial published in the JOURNAL of the 13th inst., relative to affairs in Tuskaloosa, based upon information derived from Major Miller and myself. Mr. Whitfield is a high-toned, honorable, patriotic gentleman, who is every way deserving of the high regard which he enjoys at the hands of his fellow-citizens. The tone of his communication is not the least objectionable; though if the paper were subjected to a close criticism, it could be shown that the writer has missed stated some of the important facts upon which he comments. However the highly respectable source from which the communication emanates, entitles it to a prompt reply. Major Miller, the Secretary of State, is now absent from the city on official business, and will perhaps not return for several weeks. As the information upon which your editorial was based was furnished by him and me jointly, I shall not attempt as full an explanation on some points as I would if he were here. The information supplied was in a manuscript, and some portions of it were in the form of hastily written memoranda. The calculation was to have it made the basis of a carefully prepared editorial. It’s so happened, however, from causes which need not be here explained, that the manuscript did not reach the gentleman to whom it was proposed to submit it. Hence it reached a compositor with but an imperfect revision. All this, however, involve no fault on the part of any one. It resulted in the printing of some particular forms of expression to which honorable gentleman seem to have taken exception. It may be reasonably presumed that these would not have appeared if the memoranda had been subjected the process that was calculated upon. So far as I am concerned, I am neither too proud nor too stubborn to express regret at the appearance in print of a phraseology in some places, which is calculated to offend honorable susceptibilities. In regard, however, to the material facts embraced in the editorial, I am constrained to employ a different line of comment. Authentic information reached the Executive Department that terrible acts of violence were being committed in Tuscaloosa county. Citizens were appealing to the Governor for protection; and with a view of obtaining accurate information upon the subject, he sent the Secretary of State and myself to obtain it in person. On reaching Tuskaloosa and learning the conditions of things, we directed our efforts to have some measures adopted to prevent any further acts of lawlessness, such as were recently committed. Upon conferring with citizens we became satisfied that the desired end could be obtained. It was very clear to us that the citizens of the city of Tuskaloosa were decidedly in favor of law and order. This general statement needs no qualification, except that a very limited number of individuals are more passionate in their partizanship and personal animosities than could be desired by good citizens. But this, unfortunately, cannot be said of the entire county. There is the most indubitable evidence that many outrages of the gravest character have been perpetrated at different times in Tuskaloosa county within the last eight or ten months; and from all we could learn there is little if any room to doubt that they were committed by the same class of persons, living in a particular locality. In regard to the Independent Monitor, or its editor, we made no special inquiry. The business which took us to Tuskaloosa did not involve any such inquiry. Still, there was so much said about the paper that we were forced to a conclusion as to the estimation in which it was held by the community, and the character of the influence which it has wielded. In most if not all the consultations which we held with different citizens, special emphasis was placed upon the well-known fact that theretofore Tuskaloosa had been distinguished for the order, quiet, harmony, and gool feeling which prevailed among its citizens. But this has not been the case for many months past; and incidental remarks were frequently made as to the cause of this change. On such occasions the Monitor was referred to as prominently connected with the change for the worse. And here I will observe that I have never been a reader of the Monitor. Previous to my recent visit to Tuskaloosa I had neverseen more than two or three copies of the paper. These were in possession of gentlemen who seemed to be preserving them on account of certain articles and paragraphs I read, and according to my recollection they were such as to accord fully with the general character of the paper so far as we recently learned it. From all that was said of the Monitor newspaper, we came to this conclusion: A prominent feature of the paper has been its strong personal criticisms. This was indulged in to such an extent that a great deal of angry feeling and enmity were engendered, even amongst gentlemen of the better class of society. In this point of view alone it seemed to be the prevalent, nay, the unanimous opinion, that general effect of the paper had been deleterious to the community. By this, of course, it is not meant that every individual disapproved of everything in the paper. But, taken upon the whole, so far as we heard an expression of opinion, it was decidedly as above stated. It is proper to add that we had many conversations with different parties in which the Monitor was not mentioned at all. In view of the general disapproval of the paper the question was sometimes suggested, why was it supported? (not why the editor was permitted to live in Tuskaloosa. That is no idea of ours. It is only found in Mr. Whitfield’s letter.) If spaco would allow a recital of the reasons assigned by |