The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-06-17
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

A vast deal is said, by almost every body,
about the scrratty If newspapers. They are
scrvile--tiHiid-- mean spIrited-but TO what is
the evil to be attributed: To newspapers
tOrs?-By 40 means. Ii must be traced home
to tho people themselves ---ihe great body OF
tho community. Editors are scrvlc because
the public is intolcrant-- thoy dare not express
their own views, because thoy know that the
'aood of their independence would be starvs
Ton.
We might detail a great number of facts in
Illustration oC the intolerant spirit that per
yades the community. Not few attempts
have been made 10 iatImJ,te as, During our
recent visit to Providence, a friend. vino had
been 80 kind as 10 take charge OF our paper,
chSnccd to say in an editorial article, that 1t
was not good policy for Protsstsnts 10 be con.
tiuually abusing the Catholics and stignlatiz.
inr them as in6des Well--uhat was the
c onscq quenceP-- Onr ofour Protestant readers
IA man ot some potoriety--w withdrew his ad.
vcttising patronage, and avuwed y doter,uina-
ti0n lo IuJure as Ia the extent OF his power
Such calamity has bclalien us, because the
dalnaabe licrcsy Of brolhcrly love and chari
ty has been advocated IN our columns. Nor
are nlen more tolerant ia matters of their own
worldly interest than in tho eoncernments of
religion Here is a case in point. A few
weeks ago, a new steamboat commenced run.
ming between this city and New York, and
we, in paragraph of soaIc dozen lines, spoke
favourable OF hor appearance and accommo-
dations. This We did out of nero courtesy,
and without knowing or caring any thing a
bout the squabbies, that might or might not
exist among a few OF our citizens on the sub
ject of steamboat competition. But what
WAS the eiiect' Why--certain gcntlemon--
al al l.
lied US, on the day our little paragraph appear.
ed, that the light of thcir countenances would
no longer sl,inc upon our establishment, with
healing in its beams. =
Now With all this we find no fault-Done AZ
all Heaven knows We are willing, that every
man should patroniss the paper ho likes best
but, when we find men declaiiuing, one day,
upon The servii,y of the press, and, tho next.
cudeavoriug 10 annIhilats a periodical because
it has the courage Ia incucate charity, or TO
mention the name of soWc particular steam
boat without leave asked OF them, we cannot
but be smuscd at the obliqulties Of human ma.
turo. BY the independence of the press, most
mon mean mere sorvility 20 their own private
views neither moro nor less. They first
bind an editor, hand and foot, with tho shack.
es Of individual opinions, and then reproach
him for no, walking abroad in the strenyih and
dignity OF conscious Independence.
To us, the secret threats and open deuunci.
ations ofs few burlesque tyran,s arc Of no
consequence, fer we have patronage that on
blcs us 10 bid them triumphant defiance.
With sonic periodicals, however. the case 10
different. rhs loss of twenty subscribers or
of two or three advertising patrons would be
their rum. The proprietors Of such papers,
20 long as The dear people are disposed TO cK
ereise an intolerant censorship over them,
have nothing to do bot either to retire from
their business or watch with never .ceasing
anxiety the changing w,ims, temporal and
spiritual, OF two OF three hundred individuals,
md give place TO nothing IN their columns.
ave what will square exactly with these
Nhiuis in all their varied absorditics ~ f..
Rsrnn.
Clara Fisher is performing in Nsw.Yotk,
whence she will 20 .e BALTIMORE