Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-15
TcoMMUNIcATED.

Ar, !yno,rden:-I have read IN a late humoer
If the Gazette "a borrowed one) an editorial ar
t;cIe. which denounces, IN no measured terms'
Nswsnaper borrowers, or common pests as you
90 ,lsased 10 term them; and after giving them
oui,e a sharp rebuke for their unbushins Pes'e'a-
ton of YOUR subscribers, you proceed 10 say
"yet perhaps subscribe for papers elsewHere;" =,
,vrh men are not good citizens or Just men,
Your humble correspondent subscrloes Tor pa
per elsewhere, and does not at present SUBSCRIBE
10 the Gazette, yet borrows and reads IL nearly
eysry tay. and Of course falls within the range
Of YOUR announcement. The state ot the case
!, this: | read my neishbor's paper, and my
neighbor reads my paper. They are separately
our own propertY: and, without designing any
disrespect whatever to the ability or merits Of
the Gazette, l am free to say, as my trm 6ellef,
my friend has no cause to complain: and before
/ proceed any further, will ask you, is not this
precisely your own course with every exchange
oaper received at your Officer Why then de-
nounce others for what you daily practise your.
self? Your occupation does not change the right
or the principle; and, so Tar "a am Inpl,cateu'
| can see no injustice about Vt.
have, first TO last, heard much said about the
influence aud dictation Of the press; and-l mete
out to you full measure for your industry, inde'
pendence, and thriving abilities; yet hope to be
excused for such doctrine do not entertain
I now speak in reference to the press generally
Nevertheless, as rapid channels OF current anu
other useful information OF the day, they are va
liable; and, ~hen conducted with talents and IN
du,try, they are much more so. Yet, with all
this, much depends upon the support and patron,
age of generous public. But IN all matters OF
this sort, | claim the right to be as Tree as the
air We breathe to Judge Tor myself
As TO :" good ci,izens," there are SO many
pre. requisites (omission andcommission IN order
TO constitute the term :. good" that will dis
pense with the enumeration, lest might tire you,
for whom entertain no other feeling but friend
ship. But to the matter which allude to, DO
think you have been ungenerous.
T" Bernard" though a constant " borrower
is welcome to a place in our columns, u u were
only for the novelty Of the thing; for we suppose
that il is about the first time that any one ever
undertook seriously to defend such practice
II any man can deude himself, by such arsu'
ments as those used above, into belief that he
is right in refusing to encourage an establishment
at home, which requires the outlay Of hundreds
Of dollars weekly and thousands yearly-which
supports the honest and industrious in its seVe
raj different departments, and which even ber'
nard' is kind enough to say, is conducted with
"industry &C. &c." and to spend his money
upon those who bring him the news from abroad
and which is used abroad when occasion re-
quires, to the injury Of the community 10
which he lives, he is at perfect liberty to DC
SO. The newspaper exchange that 'rs carry
on, as a part Of our business, tor which an ex
press law has been made,-and which - done
for the benefit Of the people throughout the iand'
is different thing from newspaper borrowing
as must be evident. 1t is also different from
the newspaper, exchange business conducted o!
g Bernard" which, if carried into practice &C.
nerally, would leave the smaller towns and CT
ties without any presses "'O speak Tor them be-
fore the world" We hope however, before long
10 have =. Bernardo down on our list, and then
he, too, will Join with US in eondemning the
newspaper borrowers