Jenks' Portland gazette., 1804-06-11
Portland Gazette.
Anaivsrsn,y Of american independence.

MONDAY, JUNE IL, 1904.

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The Seiettnen of this town. have appointed STEPHEN
LoxGFELLow, un ef1. TO pronounce oration on the
.IOURTH July, next.
S We underaand meeting will be held by the citizens
THIS EVENING, o'clock Maj Chamberlain, in fore
feet, choole. committee for the purpofe of making
inch ugeents may be neceiary for due celebration
sf til, day.
As the citizens of Portland have been forward in
srnemorang this great and happy event. is preiuned
further notice will he neceary to nfre general at
eenance Of all who derous Of Joining celebrating our
National birthday.
fThe following udcio,- remarks the LIBERTY Of the
Press late Repcrtory. They merit the atten-
ton Of every readerl
The Liberty otthe PRES is no longer fecuri-
" to freedom than the prefs is preserved refpec-
table When it is permitted to become the me-
dium throu, III which faliehood, unfounded de-
traction and n.alignity are circulated, its utili-
" deftroycd by the fubduetion of public con-
fdence. To what degree Of improvement
might general information be advanced, were
truth, and truth only, committed to the preis,
or every wilfu deviation fubectcd to the ie-
yereR penalties How happy crcumitance
were eulogy the foe prerogative of the meritor-
ious, and ceniure fuHered to point her fhafts at
n.famy alone
No government was ever yet formed to which
the aid of an uncorrupted prels was more ellen
tial than to the government of the United States,
and with fhame be it acknowledged, no coun-
rrv ever faw it more debated. The man who is
reroved to devote himfclf confcicntioufly to the
pranulgation of interciting information, fees
with modification and disappointment, his la
bours lott, in that deluge-o fiction and miirep-
rcrentation with which the popular mind is con-
vylYl l.,h
are inceRan,y praetifed, have tendency to lin,-
it the credibilityx,f writer, however deerving
of univerfal confidence, TO the narrow circle OF
perfonal acquaintance he who is faithful to
tae truth can find no ltamp of veraciy which
Ihall be generally recognized, or which an art
full or alIuming villain will not readily counter
felt
The abufe of the pref has reduced America
to deporable ftua,ion. Every thing in our
government dcocnds on the propriety of our
eta6eions Enlightened fuffrage can relult from
eorea Information alone. There is no poih
bic wayof difuing that information but through
,..e prefs, and the prefs has 70 frequently been
proatuted to the baie purpofcs of calumny on
shc one hand, and the intrigues of wicked am
birion on the other, that it ferve but TO ditratt,
, not to determine. Where will this terminate
II not corrected, in the ruin and dilgrace OF
our POLITICAL inftitutions. ;.
Every well wilher to the honour and happlnels
Of this country mutt have witneiled with lineere
regret the death blow inflicted by the prefent
chef magiltrate of the u. States, on the Dig
nj Of the prcfs. Initead Of exhibiting the lea't
dlpoiition to acknoledge and preiervc its retpec-
t,aili,y, by reltri6tins it to the PRONUNCIATION OF
ruth, and of rendering it ferviceahle to the pub
HEX, by taking meafurcs to enfure 1t confidence
he was the irit to ianction its degradaton-the
hsit among our exalted characters who preiu :
mei to treat il with contempt. No greater iniult