Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-12-23


Great Babylon, have no dispOsition-and though they
had no leisure, either Tor studying nnutcl the past his
tory oi The weird, gong far deeply into ths arCana
OF science; and hence they did not read newspapers
they would read nothing all; and thus they wou! rot
only be ignorant of the past and theoretical but igno-
rantp' The practice of the day. For active inCn-uc
whose business IL conduct either their own affairs
OF ~ affairs ct nations. contemporary knowledge by
'l' 'hr most useful; and III order 10 qualify
Tue anusoincnis the business, the government
ri the world, the periodical productions of the Babyo
man press form much mere valuable library than all
that ever poet sung, or philosopher spcculatcd.
III has again been said, that the productions of the
press produced hastily and with so very ANXIOUS
desire to lncnc every thing, that they apt 90 mis-
lead by their cIudencss aud offend by their vulgar;
mat lhcie are many thrngs i'll them which arc unsafe
and many others which ii absolutely sickens to read;
ana that IT would be better If they tnauu dcturcd
oN more slow and careful process, so that cvc,I thing
IN them might be made both true and tasteful by cav
ing out all which had not these qualities IL seems
however, 10 be general law of inau himself and of
every thing 'at man produces, that great advantages
cannot be had unless great faults be taken along with
thcIn ana that IT you be tastious YOU must lose
the good along wth the evil long as human nature
or That THch !'unan nature Produces retains sufficient
Vlgor Tor being energetic, the and a." other must
occasionally break ino deoria!lies and bend into
rors
| Ii has heon especially objected TO the press that il
has gwen currency TO opinions and disclosed practices
the one ot winch were hostile TO the stah Is and the
otVr hu;ui to the purity uftrc existing OF socle
w hnt granting That the press has occasional; been a
!iitlc too free IN It's opDoss ard c TOO vulgar IN lis
details Doth the aad The her have been pro iucvc
% sooi--o' Tar tnpTe good than tacy have ever pro,u
c." eva In the hiat OF teso respects it is far better
t!ai doubtful or even dangerous dpctrino be stated
puolcY, Than That IL he banded about from Individual TO
'"di'du as thonrhIt were of too sterious nature
'"r meeting the Iioa The no AFRAID that the Al
tactnen of society what j. good can toe shaken n,
any thing hat can in age of Intelligence and discus
sion, be rutcd know !tie the nature of man and
ne organization Of society tlat they NAV be rated
"er' AZ children. of longer standing indeed but cr
scatter growth II is IN the dark only that children
fe AFRAID for, as they know what things the hidden
space may contain, their consequences of their own
" 'n'>s ever peoples II with those which are aarnir,o
nat the moment that light COMES In darkness yapisheS
al! lhe SUBJECTS 0 terror which II enabled The fear
III md To create on of nothing vanish along with IT,
~ H't iie same IN philosophy, in politics. and in ei-
on and whatever MAJ DE the state of the rest OF ih
world, one may be awa,s that they who are alarm
e" at any thing That be written are vet in The darl,
In doubt as to the real value of that for the stability
o which hey alarmed. The real friends Of those
matters may be very thankful Tor what the press has
zone even IN those respects: for, has been The use
u discussing some points. upon which those vino wished
one way are yet apprhensye that truth might lie on the
,"er' II mas IN All The more important cases shnwn that
nose appcheINIons were ~rOundlyss; and lift has me
times msled foolish men TO the saving or the doing o.
foolish things II has, in instances hundred 10 one
pointed out the right, ard confirmed mankind IN their
attachment to it.
The world at least the British world is nov sorneyv,o,
100 wei informed to being either sch0oIcd OF governed
ny dognas WHICH it does not understand; and therr,r
IS not possible to conceive a surer means of bnpoi.,
h'l'iSh institutions into suspicion and ultimate cpntem,t
Than to Imagine give for imagining that it IS
any o'dSs interest 20 conceal ANY thin: about them
lie last three or four years have done mnre-and il
the press mainly which has been the instrument in the
oing OF IT. toward Tie cleaning sway Of this pcrnicious
dH kn-Hs, than could well have been imagined in SO short
'l"c; and no one tell hnw closely the bonds Of re-
''i"nsHp between the rulers and the ruled h. We been
drawn N consequence. Each party has seen that s
interests are "t only more scCHre in existence but n.,sf
certain OF 1e'ng advanced when tov are shown to he
IN "ccoraanc" with the interests of TIC Others The
press winch has bc2n as il were the herald between
tie parties ha, brcugh, lbs about ana it havin done
g" has merit aGd magnitude enough TO cover a multi
Jude Of small political sins"