When was it published?

June 12, 1841 in Boon's Lick Times

Letter to Editor June 12, 1841

Boon's Lick Times

Q: What keywords are associated?

Mean Men, Newspaper Subscription, Non Payment, Satire, Governor General

Fayette, Howard County, Missouri

View full issue View on Library of Congress PDF Page 3

What is this article about?

A satirical response to a Bulletin excerpt criticizing 'mean men' as soulless and unmanly, suggesting that a true mean man is one who subscribes to a newspaper for 18 months without paying and then discontinues it, ironically wishing the author were Governor General.

Merged-components note: Direct response to the quoted filler item from the Bulletin; forms a single exchange on the topic of 'mean men'

Clipping

OCR Quality

95% Excellent

Full Text

Comparatively speaking, we admire a rascal, to one of these two legged animals, usually denominated “mean men”—who have neither soul nor manly looks. If we were Governor General, every “tinker’s son” of them should be colonized, and be obliged to subsist on each other’s littleness for the remainder of their days.—Bulletin.

Just inform us friend Cady, what constitutes a “mean man.
Is it a man who will take a paper 18 months, and notify the publisher to discontinue it without paying for it? If so, would to God you were Governor General.

What sub-type of article is it?

Satirical Provocative

What themes does it cover?

Morality Press Freedom

What keywords are associated?

Mean Men Newspaper Subscription Non Payment Satire Governor General

What entities or persons were involved?

Friend Cady

Letter to Editor Details

Recipient

Friend Cady

Main Argument

a 'mean man' is defined as one who subscribes to a newspaper for 18 months without paying and then discontinues it; ironically, the author wishes the bulletin writer were governor general to deal with such people.

Notable Details

Hyperbolic Proposal To Colonize 'Mean Men' And Make Them Subsist On Each Other's Littleness Reference To 'Tinker’s Son' As Insult