The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-11-18


sion, of producing in nation a total pcrver-
sion OF the mind; and such press now ex-
lists in England.
The people OF France read the newspapers
as publications made by the government, and.
OF course, they believe no more Of them than
they see supported by real acts and occurren-
ces. They Judge from the evidence OF their
senses and accordingly they not deceived.
But the people in England, looking upon cv-
cry editor of newspaper as being at perfec,
liberty TO say what he thinks, and more cs-
pecially to publish true accounts of what is
passing in the world and the said people, not
being able to get behind the curtain, 10 see
the reason why editors Of papers should pre-
fer falsehood to truth, naturally believe all
that they read and therefore, they are, as TO
political events, the most deceived people In
the world. There are certain documents,
however, which, sugh calculated d to circulate
disagrecablc truths, it would be impossible 10
suppress because, through some channel or
other, such documents, like the famous
BOOK, would find their way into print, and
this would totally blast, tho reputation Of
those newspapers, whose business II is, no.
only to promulgatc ialschoods, but to cause
them to be regarded as truths. The way
they go to work, thcrcforc,. when they get
hold Of one of these documents, is, TO keep it
back, in the first place, as tong as they can
but this cannot be donc for any considerable
length Of time. Seldom for more than forty-
eight hoars.----- During this interval, they 20
TO work with both hando, to weaken tho effect
Of the document upon the public mind. With
one hand they make sort OF summary OF Tue
contents of the document, in which summary
they contrive to break down the document TO
abou, one half of its real force To this SUM-
mary they subjoin commentary of their own,
in which they endcavor to show, that the
facts related in the document canno, be tue |;
or, il true in part, only 70 a triing exteot.
Atthe same time, with the other hand, they
introduce some piece of intelligence of 4 very
favorable nature. This is, in general, inteIii~
gcncc wholly invented forthc purpose. Hatch
cd,as the saying is. II usually makes It's ap-
pearance undcr the head OF g SECOND
EDITION," printed in enormously large
letters, and gives an account OF some very
signal victory Oh our side. Ths union OF
these two tricks weakens the effect OF the ad
verse intelligence al its FIRST going forth The
next day nothing is said OF the good news an
nounced in the second edition the day before.
II passes, OF course, uncontradictcd, and, by a
vast majority Of the people, and it becomes
recorded in their minds astrue. The writer's
of these newspapers the literary impos:cr,
who play these tricks, know very we'll, that
the wcll-informcd part OF the community re-
~gsrd them rs most impudent and proiligAte
scoundrcls but they also know, that ninc.y-.
nine persons out of hundcd are not well infor-
mcd,s end to great part OF the remainder they
know that falsehood, in the shape of good
news is moro pleasing than truth in the shape
OF bad news: and withthis Knowledge IN their
minds, they pocket the profit OF their impu-
dcncc, and laugh at tho contempt Of the som
asiblc few. If wanted any thing to convince
me Of the vast importance Of the recent VIC
tories of Napoleon, should find il at once in
the tricks Of these men in announcing 70 the
people the account of those victories. The
London press was in possession Of the French
bulletins on Thursday, the 9th inst. 1t took
very good care not 10 publish them Till Saiur-
day the lth inst. In the mean while it was
at work insthe manner before described aud
appeal to every readcr who lives in coun.
try town, whether he did not believe, during
the whole Of Friday and Saturday last, that
the French had been defeated by the allies
Such, | will venture 10 say, was the general
=. r q
belief through the whole Kingdom. AT last,
ON Sunday morniugs the French bulletins
themselves reached the people in the country,
at this distance from London. But, good use
had been made Of the lapse OF time for
there were not only commentaries, the object
Of which was to show tha, the French bulle~
tins could nos be true but there we're victo.
ries hatched for Bernadoue, and bulletins in
his name, announcing such victories, which
appear TO have been wholly invented for the
occasion :; it being manifest that In the slight
affair in which he was engaged, he gained no
victory at all. The typographical trick play
ed of upon this occasion 10 worthy Of notice.
The whole mass OF intelligence had for title
these words !: (" Eefory goincd W fAe Crown
Rrince--Great Battle nsar D'-~-ien 20 Only
observe thistrick II was picfsry gaiocd by
the Crown Prince but, il was only greaf
b0ffie near Drc sden. thouoh shc ;unnx,.r