Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-03-14
!rar ibis cazetts.


JSI tDt9 od3elte'
TRs REFOR M.-No. v.
As the intention Of my papers Is to contri-
butte my m te for The improv mcnt Of focety,
1laii occalionaliy introduce, without Parti-
| ca ar ep3iogy, every Giverlity Of luhjeGt WHICH
ltems calculated for promoting this purpoie
tTu(l that the careful reader. wherever lis
attention may be dire9ed, wilt dilcovcr gen
erai difpoGtion to ufefn!nefs, fuperier TO the
mere itch" Of writing. hiuch more flall il
BE nv endeavour 10 avoid all arrogance n
propoiing new modes of coHdu9, and all ufe-
lels ieverty in ceniuriRg fueh as are eaablithed
by the authority Of cutOm,
Newspapers are one Of the MOI powerful
engines of public influence which, according
It Is well or Ill employed. is capable Of the
2reatea benefit, or the grsatef mifeh!eE--
With this lentimeut on my mind, you will
bear with ne while ! auempt to point out,
with al honea Ptannefs. v55r appears 10 be
the duty OF editors, Of fpondeuts, and
readers. Fir(t then ist Us con6dcr the dury Of
sii.sys. Whoever employs himleIf 10 collecting
materials for a weekly priot Undertakes Tar.
If great responsibility. Tho tAG diuasion ne
holds d-pends upon bis own choice, yet il Is
not On this account Ifs Important. As fo1n
| upon him, for the difcnsrge OF winch he IS
anenable at the bar az contieuce, of opiuion
and Of God LEI him ice theattat he do not
iuhje4 himieltto the lway of mere f-Ifihnefs--
thar he DO not mcclure TIE fatisfa Gtons Of
Office, by the numbering Of hi, fublcriptions,
and confrGucnsly OF his pence. The luhltmeR
pleature u 10 do good 1nd this lies amply
within The reach Of men, whole buGncfs leads
:,
re9y, OF through the communications Of their
friends.
The rza,syia Of ntvipapers isvarious,- and
requires ltrups.ous ex2ttnefs in its fclsct on.
CuIiom has 1ketchcd the general plan, from
v hich none venture 10 depart, at mott 10 any
great diaaucc L is br1 iney ihouid NOT for
lome kind OF fyiem Is neceh4.y in every work
OF conieeuence Bur notwithstanding the uui-
turmity which j. prelerved on large lc4le,
there IS iullcicnr room for variation, accord
ng 70 tie Judgment, tale, and principles Of
the publiAIer. That political wrangling occu-
PIES too great fpace in that page which is
every day prelea.ed 10 the popular gaze, few
WI deny. Calm lcullioa on iuhjeGts OF pub
lc importance IS always oper and uieiul
but when this dcgcnerates TO party Glamour,
the wort conitqeences are 10 he expected -
Why all this conIuiIon of paGIon and words.
as If the fare of our country ana the aniverfe
! depended entire upon outlelves Man, with
all hIs prclumpton. is no more ;haathc fy
upon chariot wheel !. while he thinks to
| move the great machinery Of things by his
own firenglh. he i, himle!f car rcd along with
rreiiilble force. The point of neceG4ry re
VIOLATION in government il known by marks
peculiar TO itlelf until this arrive, and may
heaven grant the period 10 be moa diltaut,
let US ou|tivate a Ieafonable acqu elcence in
exiting authority. and defer all noife ard
frife for thole unwclcOme occaiions, when. as
they cannot be prevented, they may polG5ly
be turned 10 iome good account. III the mean
time, if difference Of opinions, if kind OF
oppolition mu1 exit. let realon, let found
judgment and confidence minge theiT influence
IN the controversy, aud prevent thole uuna-
turai heats which only ierve 70 obRrGa The
proerefs Of truth.
Let the place fheretorc 70 often allotted to
political jargon. be occupied by luch luhiecfs
as are oaIcriattd to arJSlt the attcation Of 4
without exciting the jeaOufy OF any. Numer-
Gus ale the fources uI miscellaneous inlruC on
and entertainment. Thefe thcud be rcforted
! 70 with frIqaenoy Eat, 1T the fame time, with
the Prcatea cantion. They are a fountain Of
mixed waters, the properties Of which fhouid
DC carefully difInguilhed that while the fsgss;
IS offered with copious abundance, the bitter
nav be wholly avoided. One drop al P6fcn,
falling into the chryltal hream of traih. may
1eitroy it, efficacy buti il the inful,on be
contnred. il will !ole it, nature. aud becone
defiruSlivc TATE has no fmall concern in
zach p-odnctions 20 are intended for pnblic
| 1fe. rhe benefits Of learning will never be
tIpased and correctness ursiy is Que Of her.
niepara5le companions. A Jingle uncouth
performances throws iii.5e over the whole
iccae. There feems TO be no adequate apolo-
sy for pfetenting any thing from the pref,
that Is grossly deficient with reipca either to
grammatical or logical accuracy. Il Is certain
that want Of variety, on fubj@tts Of the high
| Ell uis, can never Be pleaded here; for we
| harsiy open zvolume without finding paGages
at Leaf, which do honour 10 the fcience and
refinement OF the age, aud would therefore
amply grace the column OF a weekly gazette.
| II niuft alfo be acknowledged that the inprcr-
hons which are every where iaued for the
amniement and Information of the day, often
fsrn'ih iuch iketchss Of genius. fuch fpecinsns
OF lnst competition as cannot be too exteniivc.
ly Circulated. Ia Magazines and Newspaper: