EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 54, 12 October 1878, Page 3

EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

- Tt wns a saying of a philosopher that tho elements of happiness are a bird heart and a goo J stomach. Whatever of sad truth there may be in tho remark, of one tiling J am certain, that a hard heart is an imperative qualification for an editor who desires to do his duty. What other shield has he against tho pleadings of friendship, or the appeals of beauty for tho acceptance of an article;-' It happened to niu once to be compelled to decline some verses by a lady who, on the .strength of their appearance in one or two minor periodicals, had naturally assumed that what was deemed good enough for one publication would he equally acceptable to another, and I accordingly received a strong letter of rcmonstranco from tho lady—she was not a young one—which was "supplemented," to use a cant phrase, by a call the next morning from her brother, a lieutenant of artillery, who, in somewhat peremptory terms, demanded to know the grounds of my decision. I told him, very civilly, that it was with real regret taht 1 had feit myself compelled to decline the verses, but 1. was placed in tho position by the publisher*, and could only exercise my best judgment on the articles submitted to me ; adding that it was clearly to my interest to avail myself of any contribution which 1 thought suitable to my works. He begged leave to differ from me "in toto," and said that ho expected I would alter my decision ; and after some little altercation, intimated that if I did not satisfy him one way, he should seek satisfaction in another. To this I mildly rejoined that lighting rejoc- ; ted contributors or their champions, was no part of my agreement with the publishers, and certainly was not considered in the salary, and that therefore ho must excuse me if I did not comply with either alternative. Finding me impracticable ho took his leave with tho «tlffest of military bows, and an intimation that I had not heard tho lost of it. Poor fellow ! ho not long afterwards retired from the service, ami embarked in literaturo hiiiist'lf, but with no bettor suocoss than Ins sistor. Again, a voting lady. who,., offering 1 had rejected en the icoro of unorthodoxy Mlt my letter with tho TMHe, to the then BuhopoJ (•' uci ■ tor, who edeciil ..I

I U I M.lb'.C lo lli- [ than Lis ortbi iloxj : •• ('onscienee n is tough, Aiul ii was no! eno I a -U miniscences of W. 11. Harrison.