What Mr. Seitz said in his book as to the reticence of Charleston newspapers, where society is concerned, is, however, generally true—­amazingly so to one who has become hardened to the attitude of the metropolitan press elsewhere.  The society columns of Charleston papers hardly ever print the names of the city’s real aristocrats, and in the past they have gone much farther than this, for they have been known to suppress important news stories in which prominent citizens were unpleasantly involved.  It may be added that earthquakes are evidently classed as members of the aristocracy, since occasional tremors felt in the city are pointedly ignored by the press.  Whether or not the paper edited by the fearless Mr. Grace ignores these manifestations I am unable to say.  One can easily fancy his taking a courageous stand on such a subject as well as upon social matters.  Indeed, with a few slight changes, his editorial upon the St. Cecilia ball, might be made to serve equally well after an earthquake shock.  He might say: 

The press being forbidden to cover earthquakes, there grew up in the vulgar mind weird stories of what went on behind the scenes.  While the earthquakes have enjoyed the happy privilege of journalistic silence, they have, therefore, correspondingly suffered on the tongue of gossip.

He could also make the point that since, “in keeping with the spirit of the age,” the earthquake shakes people “(if indeed only a few of them now and then), whose blood is far from indigo, we think it perfectly legitimate for the newspaper, which represents ALL classes of people, to invade the quondam sanctity of its functions which are now being OPENED to all classes.”

But of course, where the editor of such a paper is concerned, there is always the element of natural delicacy and nicety of feeling to be considered.  Mr. Grace felt that because he was not present at the St. Cecilia ball, he was free to print things about it.  An earthquake would not be like the St. Cecilia Society—­it would not draw the line at Mr. Grace.  At a Charleston earthquake he would undoubtedly be present.  The question therefore arises:  Having been PRESENT, might his AMOUR PROPRE make him feel that to REPORT the event would not be altogether in GOOD TASTE?

The St. Cecilia Society began in 1737 with a concert given on St. Cecilia’s day, and continued for many years to give concerts at which the musicians were both amateurs and professionals.  Josiah Quincy, in his “Journal,” tells of having attended one of these concerts in 1773, and speaks of the richness of the men’s apparel, noting that there were “many with swords on.”

When, in 1819, difficulty was experienced in obtaining performers, it was proposed that a ball be held in place of a concert, and by 1822 the society was definitely transformed from a musical to a dancing organization, which it has remained ever since.

The statement in the “American” editorial that St. Cecilia balls have been the subject of scandalous gossip is, I believe, quite false, as is also the statement that the balls are now “being opened to all classes.”