The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-07
Cite Gnouirer.
RICHMOND, 7tb NOYEMBER.
COMMUNICATION.

| 1t IS impoiiible to perufe the federal papers
OF this country and to obferve their com
p'eat contempt for truth, their grofs fcurriIity.
their rePuiiive mpudence, without feeling an
""er"o"' which ought not to exit, againf the
/ very protection which they purdue. Is i. noc.
fibe, have 1 often exclaimed to mvCrlf. that
| Condorcet and Franklin could have been the
editors of a Newspaper?
When have contemplated the fuperior ad.
Vantages which we enjoy over the Inhabitants
o. England IN the freedom of our political in
| ittutions, end in the equality of our man.
ner' my heart has fweIled with CONTIGUOUS do
hity. hut when have laid down London
paper and taken 10 Federal print, nv proud.
hlga-i"elI'ng patriotifH has funk into fierce.
""at elegance, what eentility of ityie in the
one! what biingSgate and fcandaI in the o.
thcr !
The fation ola public editor is in H6lea
high, dignified. a commanding one. In his
country, where libraries are 70 few and book .
10 iitte read where the people look to their
puh'c prints for the mon j0Kd information :.
thar ration is peculiarly exalted. Why then is
it not 70 conlidered Becaure the orli1ars
conductors of our papers defroy by their own
mannerS all the dignity of their vocation.
what is the remedy for thele abufes What
HAL give that utility TO our public napcrs. of
which they are iuiceptible It is not the inter
poltion OF government or law, as fome have
contended but the enlightened efforts of mil
vidnaIs; of thoie who patronife, and thofe who
conduct our journals.
For initance What immenre advantage,
would arile from the obfervance ofthe few fol-
lowing rules which have Retched for the re-
eulation OF our prefS BY the term "permit.
ted" mean only that permhion which is grant
ed by the public, in the patronage which thev
confer. God forbid that there hould be any
law for enforcing thefc
RULES
/. Let no FOREIGNER be permitted 70 cond,a
aPubic Journal in the United States, who has
nor at EeGH taken the oath Of Naturalization.
Q. Let 10 Editor be permitted TO fpeak of his
own birth, education, life, adventures. or cha
racter' unIets 1t be aI/oInfeiy necenary for tine
vndication Of his voraI character. put !, ;s
expressly underfood, that this yindication f,aII
not command more than half or tbr,eouo,t.,,
OF column, within every TIRE ,1o1tbt. II
IS aio TO be underhood, that this re1riai-
on Is not to controu the privilege incident
10 e'sfy man OF noticing fuch criticifns as ap
pear upon bis opinions in all important csrs,
This regulation is ndifpenfabIy nocefT,rv for
cneckIng that W6olite habit of rgot;G,,. IN
which iheie gentlemen are particularly f,hisA
=. Let no editor be permitted to INDULGE bis
VANITY or lis envy, in what are called Ed;.
toriHi dJl6nteI /; kind of M/eok, which even
Dr' Darwin has not delcribed in his Zoono-
MA but which is peculiarly incident to all Z.
ditor' OF weak minds and great pride.--If an
Ed'tor have quarrel with one Of his brethren
u ne beJeaious OF him if he has either received
OF " he wihes to inHct an injury, he has Gs-
veral ways of exprefliog his recruitment. ".
may call him into the field of blood. in tbe
manner OF gentiemaH. Or he may bruif- with
him' Ia n'ode de Me1doGa. Or if it bl,o6t
y" tfrhHS5 better, he may abajs and black.
guard hin with his tongue as long as he plea
les There is fomc little fprit in all tbefe
modes OF manifefting PATTON. BUTT is the
very height of cowardjce for an editor IS
Bield bimfelf behind the briz,iieoet of he
preis and inaead Of fighting With piaolI
ana with bullet, to encounter bin with nothing
cut his printing balls and bis ink.
There Is another Grong objection too to this
CURIOUS ChvaI'y OF the preis. IF an editor