Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-12
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1926.
From The .a,1rora and Franklin Gusette.

and eighteen years of age, and was preparing
himself for the business of life, he received the
following letter from the late President JEFFER-
SON. in reply to inquiries proposed TO him,
which the answer Sufficiently explains. The
frankness and vigor of this production are only
eoualed by the virtuouS indignation to which
the abuses of the press, which then prevailed,
gave rise in his mind. Though the same abu-
ses exist at this day TO some extent, manifest
improvement has taken place IN the character
and conduct of American newspapers. Still,
the letter, in both branches of its subjects, may
be read with profit, and is characteristic OF It's
illustrious writer.
Washington, June IL, 1907
SIR: Your letter of May has been duly re-
ceived. The subjects il proposes would require
time s space for even acknowledgements
NV occupations limit me to very short notice
of them / think there does not exist a good
elementary work on the organization OF society
into civil governments: ] mean work which
presents, in one full and comprehensive view,
the system of principles on which such an or
panization should be founded according to the
rights ofnature For want OF single work OF
that character, should recommend Locke on
Government, Sidney, Priestley's Essay on The
First Principles of Government, Chipman's
adding perhaps, Beccaria on Crimes and Pun
ishments. because Of the demonstrative man.
ner in which he has treated that branch of the
subject. If your views Of political inquiry go
further, 10 the subjects OF money and com
merce. Smiths Wealth of Nations is the best
book 10 be read, unless Saws Political Econo-
INV can be had which treats the same subjects
on the same principles, but in shorter COM
pass and more lucid manner. But believe this
work has not been translated into our language.
History in general only informs US what bad
government is But as we have employed some
ofthe best materials of the British constitution,
in the construction OF our government, know
ledge Of British history becomes useful to the
American politician There is, however, no
general history Of that country which can be
recommended. The elegant one OF Hume seems
intended 10 disguise and discredit the. good
principles of the government and is so plausl-
Bile and pleasing in its style and manner, as TO
insti it's errors and heresies insensibly into the
minds of unwary readers. Baxter has perform
ed good operation on 1t. He has taken the
text Of Hume as his groundwork, abridging II
by the omission of some details OF little interest,
and wherever he has found him endeavoring TO
mislead, by either the suppression OF truth, or
giving false coloring, he has changed the text
10 what il should be; so that we may properly
call it Hume's History repuSicanised He has,
moreover. continued the history, bur indiffer-
emily. from where Hume left it, to the year 1900.
This work is not popular in England, because
il is republican, and but few copies have ever
reached America II is single quarto volume
ADDING 70 this Ludlow's Memoirs, Mrs. Ma
cauley's and Belknaps Histories, sufficient
view will be presented of the principles OF the
English constitution.
To YOUR request Of my opinion of the man
ner in which newspaper should be conducted,
so as to be most useful, should answer, "by
restraining ii TO true facts and sound principles
only." Yet fear such paper would find few
subscribers 1t is melancholy truth, that a
suppression of the press could not more COM
pletely deprive the nation OF its benefits, than
is done by IT'S abandoned prostitution to false
hood. Nothing can now, be believed which is
seen in newspaper. Truth itself becomes sus-
picious by being put into that polluted vehicle.
The real extent of this state OF mlsiniormation
is known only to those who are In situation 10
confront facts within their knowledge with the
lies Of the day. | really look with comnissera-
ton over the great body of my fellow citizens,
who, reading newspapers, live and die IN the
belief, that they have known something ofwhat
mas DttD pdSSlHS III tlilC, WhSlCoo liAS ~
counts they have read are just as true history
of any other period of the world as of the pre-
sent, except that the real names Of the day are
affixed to their fables. General facts may In
deed be collected from them; such as that Eu-
rome is now at war, that Bonaparte has been a
successful warrior, and that he has subjected a
great portion Of Europe to his viii; but no de-
tails can be relied on. will add, that the man
who never looks into a newspaper is better in
formed than he who reads them, inasmuch as
he who reads nothing is nearer to truth than he
whose mind is filled with ialsehood and errors.
He who reads nothing will still learn the great
facts. and The details are almost ali false
Perhaps an Editor might begin reformation
in some such way as this: Divide his paper IN
TO four chapters, heading the lst, TRUTHS: "a,
PROBABILITIES: Sd, POSSIBILITIES: 4th, LIES
ne brst chapter would be very short, as II
would contain little more than authentic papers,
ana information from such sources as the Ed
tor would be willing to risk his own reputation
Tor their truth. The second would contain what,
from mature consideration of all circumstan-