The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-01-06 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

The following observations on public opinion,
and the influence of Newspapers, will, upon the
whole, we think, he considered tolerably correct:—
Public opinion is like a mass of loailstone, which, from

its bulk and locality, may be incapable of exerting its mys-
terions energy beyond a narrow circle, though it possesses
the faculty of communicating its virtue to all the iron n
the surface, or in the bowels of the earth, if brought suc-
cessively into contact with it. The publications of a free
press are like magnets, deriving their attraction from the
loadstone of public opinion. These being multiplied
without restriction—for both magnetism and sentiment
resemble fire in the property of self-extension, without li-
mit or loss,wherever they touch upon kindred materials—
might carry the spirit of public opinion in one country
(on any subject of universal iutc lest, such as polities or
religion), beyond all definite bounds, till the whole hu-
man race, and every civil institution, became affected by

it. In England there are no magnets of this descrip-
tion so gene-rally in use, or so quick and powerful in
operation and effect as Newspapers. It might be too
much to say, that the country is governed by Newspa-
pers, but it is not too much to presume that they hold
a high and unsuspected ascendancy over minds of
every order, from the most cultivated to the most igno-
rant. The Legislative and Executive Authorities are
principally employed iu imposing restraints ;—excite-
went, on the contrary, is the business of Newspapers ;
whence, as man delights more in being stimulated to
action than awed into submission, leis willing obedience
is yielded to those who rule him by persuading him
that he rules himself (which the most servile prints
in the land attempt to do), and lie bows to the decrees
of sovereign power from necessity alone, whether it be
the city of prudence, of fear, or of good I rinciple.
And this is right, for man in society should surrender
no more of his natural freedom than is requisite to in-
sure protection in the enjoyment of the rest. Nor is the
ascendancy of newspapers, where the liberty of the press
exists, either unnatural or undesirable in a political
view. We must drop the magnets and change the meta-
phor, after repeating that newspapers owe their attrac-
tion to public opinion, emanating from, and depending
upon it for favour continually, yet exercising an influ-
ence over it, which has no parallel in the affinity be-
tween iron and the loadstone. Newspapers are first what
public opinion makes them; then, by a peculiar re-
action, they make public opinion what they please,
so long as they act with discretion, and seem to
follow, while in reality they lead. The young tarun-
We (the spider, whose bite in tlee human subject is
cured by music and dancing) is no sooner hatched than
he sets about devouring his mother. Newspapers are not
exactly reptiles of this kind; yet they are no sooner born
of public opinion than they begin to lire upon it. In
fact, it is their daily food, which, though to some it Le-
comes poison, must leave the art to season to their taste,
and many of them fare deliciously upon it.
After all, they do speak the language of the nation,
sad therefore they aro the meet poplar organs to ex-
press public opinion; for though that language be as
manifold as the dialects of Babel when the builders were
confounded together, yet every voice that finds utterance
through the press, however contradictory to all the rest
it may be, is perfectly intelligible to every British ear.
Public opinion consists not in unison of sentiment, which
can only be found (if the reader will pardon a well-
timed absurdity) where there is no sentiment at all,—
under a despotism, whose iron enters the soul—% hose
fetters are so attenuated, yet so strong as to enchain
the mind, while the thoughts (if thoughts can breed
in such a paralysis of feeling) are close prisoners in
the dungeon of the breast, and the tongue, instead
of being their herald, is their gaoler. Public opinion,
in a free State, so far from being one and indivisible, is
only the prevailing tone among sentiments as multitu-
dinous as the waves of the ocean, all blended in chorus,
and obeying the influence of one moon, under all its
changes, impelling their tide, %bile they roll, at their
leisure, round promontories, along shores, amidst rocks,
over shallows, and through inlets, till every point of
every insulated subject is embraced by thent;—and
these sentiments, so diffused and diversified, whether
discordant or harmonious, whether embroiled by the
tempest, or composed in the calm,—these sentiments
afford the truest criteria, is their general era, by
which the character of the people, the government, and
the constitution of the country east be appreciated, at
any time, and under any circumstances.
Of all these sentiments, thus amalgamated into public
opinion, the newspapers are the minute and infallible
Reporters ; minute, because fire-side conversation is not
I mere familiar and capricious than their details; and
Infallible, because, whether they report falsehoods or
truths, they are equally right in the representation of
that which exists, nr is believed to exist by one or by
many among the million, for whom they pander. In
times, therefore, of popular commotion, there must be
contentions among the Editors of these, corresponding
with the dondiet of interests, passions, prejudices, and
projects, of parties and patty-men that happen to be at
issue in the state: and, like tournaments, in the open
space between two armies drawn up in battle-array, these
personal combats may be hot only examples of the ani-
mosity of those who have not yet fleshed their swords,
bat precursors of a bloody, exterminating engagement, a
fierce and desultory campaign, or a long revolutionary
civil war.
(This subject may probably be resumed and extended.)

John Robertson, of the Calder Main Colliery,
and John Ooodear, inn. of the Flockton Colliery, were
committed to York Castle for three months on the lath
alt. for enticing Colliers to enter into an unlawful COM-
Mamie% called the Minister's Union, and for inthnida-
lOW others, who were not in the Union, from working,
I ming threatening language.
On the 211th tilt. and two following days, the did
Regiment of Foot, under the command of Colonel
O'Hara, marched through Gloucester, on a route
for Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, which will be
Mad quarters. Two divisions of this corps are to
be stationed, one at Alcester, and another at
Hanley.