DRURY v. AITCHISON.

Dunstan Times, Issue 689, 2 July 1875, Page 3

DRURY v. AITCHISON.

(to the editor of the dunstax times. ) Sir, —“Justice,” while writing upon the liberty of the Press in the Cromwell Argus, evidently shows himself to he by no moans a liberal-minded individual. Ho purposely conceals the trnth, and does not give you credit for what you did in respect to the vile and slanderous letter of Mr Aitchison’s. He will continue to persist in blaming Mr Facho for handing it over to Mr Drury, but fails to lot people know that before Mr Fachedid so ho caused'a paragraph jto be inserted in the Dusstan Times informing Mr Aitohison of the course ho intended to adopt, failing that person’s apology, and withdrawal of the letter. “ Justice’s ” letter in the Cromwell Argus, of Wednesday, I can only look upon as one long tirade of mean-spirited, spiteful abuse, written more with a view to a private injury than a vindication of what ho is pleased to term “the liberty of the Press.” I consider Mr Aitchison's letter as an attempt to take a very great liberty “ with the Press,” and as you undoubtedly had a right to protect your Cromwell correspondent, when assailed in language charging him with being equivalent to a common felon, there was no other course open—after due notice aud a caution—hut to hand over the offending epistle to the person concerned, that he might deal with the writer as seemed him best. Instead of the Cromwell Argus showing a brilliant example to the Dunstan Times I fancy the boot is on the other leg ; and, where it not that the Times presses very hard upon the heels of the Argus, it would be a sorry production indeed. “Justice,” in a postscript—lns ideas must be very much confused to write such a long one, while the practice, I was always given to understand, is especially that of old women finds fault with the matter contained in one of the leading articles in your last week’s issue. I can only say that the whole staff of the Argus combined could not handle such a subject: their ideas are too much contracted to compass anything like it. If they excel in any one accomplishment, it is that of throwing dirt. I never came across an original,'outspoken, or liberal idea in the Argus ; and whenever any thing good does appear in the columns of that journal, you may depend upon it that it was borrowed from somebody else. Merit it has none, and, under its present management, never will possess any. The only harm the people of Cromwell desire to ho inflicted upon Mr Fache is, that ho will some dav find it more profitable to come and publish his newspaper up here than remain’at Clyde. Wo have had quite sufficient of jaundicedeyed “Justice” and his unevenly balanced scales. -I am, &c., PUBLICOLA. Melmoro Terrace, Cromwell, June 30th, 1575.