"HUMAN NATUR'."

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1795, 3 October 1874, Page 2

"HUMAN NATUR'."

| " For art m»y err, but nature cannot miss." %L — Sa&Kßsfllui The Hospital Committee have become dissolved—so far, at least,. as the enquiry is concerned. lam not surprised, nor, I fancy, is anyone else 1; for it is an undoubted fact that the great Mahomet might have entertained more expectations of the mountains coming to ! him than anyone at the present day could possibly entertain of the Hospital Committee coming to any reasonable conclusion and this simply because there are men on that Committee who have not the most remote claim to reason, however weak its kind. Therefore, it is well that the committee have decided to give over the investigation to other persons, and with this result I would be perfectly satisfied, but it is the manner of arriving at it, and the " subsequent proceedings" that surprise me, and cause me sorrow. It shows me, in the first place, that there are human beings of a meaner description than I had previously conceived it possible there could be; and secondly, I discover that this meanness—this excessive pusilanimity—is not confined to j ordinary mortals, but finds a place in the conductors of thei liberal press—notably so in the "leading morning journal" of the district. I give it the title aforesaid because I learn that it claims such, not that I entertain that opinion myself. Well, this journal, then, has "gone" for the Sub-Committee in a way which is quite reconcilable with the previous effusions which have emanated from the brain of the man who edits that paper. lam sorry to identify any man—much more ' the man I speak of—with the opinions of any paper; but in this case it is excusable —more, it is commendable; and, like the " Christian gentleman," I feel my breast swell with "honest indigriation/\jwhen I^__ _jcontempJai»-~ ±-Jte>-^fset—~~ rsna l t a "newspaper -is being made a medium for the expression of opinions in which, there is neither honesty, nor an assumption of it. Moreover, the individual to whom I allude is the same who was erstwhile the minute-taker at the Committee meetings, and more recently appearing in the capacity of reporter for the Thames Advertiser. It is a matter of small note that such a character should have "failed " to bring up a correct report of the proceedings which he was paid for taking; but, when it is found that he is capable of coloring a report, so as to give it a one-sidad appearance, then I say, he should be summarily exconjmunicated—should be allowed no longer to pollute the wholesome atmosphere of honesty. Cast off from one place in which his character was found to be offensive, he has thrust himself upon a generous community. But generous as we are, we ■ must not allow this brainless "Richard the Third to continue his malpractices without subjecting him to timely reproof. We have had ample evidence that this individual hai distorted reports, by which I would be understood to say that he has —with the cunning bestowed upon him by a too bountiful Providence—so constructed these reports as to give to the side of which he is one of the crooked supporters a more favorable aspect than is possessed by the other. Not content with thus lowering himself to the level of a degraded, but willing tool, we find that parenthetical sentences commenting on the addresses are inserted in that which is. professedly an impartial report of proceedings. . And then there appears in this morning's issue a selfgratulatory leader, which informs the public that the course* pursued by that paper has been one of estimable character and undoubted good judgment, which of course can be believed or not according to the peculiar taste of the reader. The word taste very naturally calls to my mind.tha word palate, because it has suggested itself to me that if any man, of ordinary stomach could swallow the oily, sleek, buttered, utterances of the oleaginous, but very worthy Renshaw, that man's palate must be vitiated to an extraordinary degree. I confess the effect upon myself was such that I could fancy my aelMstening to that paragon of truth and iHnesty, Pecksniff. This balmygentleman'ootainsa large place in the columns of the Advertiser because, as he himself ingeniously r asserted, he has entertained a weakness for the side of the learned doctor and retainers from the first; and this will be seen to be a reason of passing excellence why his utterances should be retailed verbatim et literatim, scriptural quotations and all. As to the termination of the enquiry as conducted by the Committee, I rather rejoice myself;. but,l should say that no one has so much cause to be congratulated as the gentlemen who sat on that committee, to decide whether or not they would be justified in fitting on the Hospital officials.