The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-06-05
From the Richmond Compiler.


Every school boy remembers the anecdote Of
| .ESop WHO being ordered by his master TO pre-
pare the best dishes which the market could at
ford tor hls company OF friends, purchased moth
ing but tongues, " hich he had dressed up in a
variety of ways; and being Intercepted by his
incensed master about his disobedience of his
orders, justified himselfby cnarging on the utl-
ity OF the tongue in the affairs OF society. The
next day being ordered TO prepare for the same
| company the worst dishes he conld fnd, he again
| served up tongues in variety Of forms, and Jus.
| uhcd himself by expatiatng on the mischicts
which the tongue so often renders to society.
have frequently thought that the same apologize
is applicable to the other great organ Of general
| commandments that what hsop says ofthe
tongue may with equal propriety be said OF the
| Press
| Task, for instance, what instrument is so vau-
able to society as the Press. II enables one gem
Grafton TO avail itself ofaIl the discoveries of ano
Their thus adding, heap TO heap, and treasure
TO treasure II enables the pigmy OF one age to
rival The giant of another-And indeed, as il has
been cxpressiyely said by an author il places the
pgmy upon the shoulder of the giant and quail
| ihos him 10 see much farther. Thus, it enlarges
the bounds otltnowledge, and makes one age wi
ser than another it also fits every generation
| to avail itself of all the information which is dali
| pouring forth. New discoveries in science are
| continually CucuiatnG-new sciences are start.
ing forth, or old ones are extending themselves.
| 1t improves the most useful of all the sciences
that OF governmcnt--enableS the people 10 disco
yer new guards for the preservation of their lib
critics TO see to the practical enforcement of
these restrictions; TO watch over the conduct
oftheir rulers, and to repress them in great
degree 10y the force ofpnbIic opinion. ltestnb-
fishes a sort of general tribunal for denounclng
all abuses, aud for trying all public defauters =
! The new intelligence from other countries is CIR
culated with almost the velocity of lightnng-&
falaehoods are prevented by enbodying facts IN
a definite form, and saving them from the uncer-
| tainty and mutabllity oforal traditon.-ln truth
what organ SO powerful, OF so useful II is the
friend of TRUTH and handmade of wisdom. IL IL
mites society together under free government
builds up cities, improves all the arts, re6nes
men, and prepares them for better state OF So
| ciety, and more perfect condition of existence
This is the best side OF the picture And is II
| possible then that valuable an organ can be
| susceptible OF abuse NO man, however, can
seriously ask this question, who attends TO the
! history of the times 1.-THE press be the friend
of truth, II Is also the friend OF II propa
gates the one as fast as the other.-lt mechant
| caliy delivers whatever is entrusted TO it--whetb-
er il be good or bad-.right or wrong-uDcon-
Scious itself OF the mischiefwhich it does or the
Hbeneft shchit produces IL embodes all ine
false theories IN science and dangerous dogmai