Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-08-29
MONDAY, AUGUST es. 1888.
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
CRIMES AND THE PRESS.

increase in the United States. Murders, sui
eides robberies, thefts. 1t is appalling recount
them. Yet newspaper readers call for them, and
the newspaper press detail them in all their par
ficulars. Ought this to be done2 A recent Yer
per Of 1901. 1t is an address TO PRINTERS, and
isgiven as from the pen of FIsHER AMEs
1t seems as newspapers were made
to suit the market, as much as any 9TH
er. The starers, and wonderers, and
gapers, engross very large share of
the attention ofall the sons of the type.
Extraordinary events multiply upon
us surprisingly. Gazettes, it is seri-
ously to be. feared, will not long allow
room. for any thing that is not loath-
some or shocking. A newspaper is
pronounced to be very lean and desti-
tute of matter, if it contains no account
ofmurders, suicides, prodigies, or mon.
strous births.
Some ofthese tales excite horror, and
others disgust; yet the fashion reigns
like tyrant, to relish wonders and al
most to relish nothing else. Is this
reasonable taste? Is the history of
Newgate the only one worth reading?
Pray tell us, men OF ink, if our free
presses are to diffuse information, and
we, the poor ignorant people, can get
it no other way than by newspapers,
what knowledge are we to CLEAN from
the laundering lies, or the tiresome
truths about thunder storms, that,
strange to tell! kill oxen or burn barns;
and cats, that bring two headed kittens;
and sows, that eat their own pigs?--
The growing of a hen is supposed to
forebode cuckoldom; and ticking Of
little bug in the wall threatens yellow
fever. Il seems really as ii our news
papers were busy to spread supersti-
ton. Omens, and dreams, and prodi-
gios are recorded, as if they were
worth minding. One would think our
gazettes were intended for Roman read
ers who were silly enough to make ac-
count Of such things. We rldicule the
papists for their credulity; yet, if all
the trumpery -four papers is believed,
we have little right to laugh at any set
ofpeople on earth; and if it is not be-
iieved, why is it printed?
Surely, extraordinary events have
not the best title to our studious atten-
ton. To study nature or man, we
ought to know things that are in the
ordinary course, not the unaccountable
things that happen out OF 1t.
This country is said to measure Sc
ven hundred millions of acres, and is
inhabited by almost six millions of peo-
pie. Who can doubt, then, that great
many strange things will happen every
seven years? There will be thunder
showers, that will split tough white-oak
trees; and hail storms, that will cost
some farmers the full amount of taoenty
shilHngs to mend their glass windows;
there will be taverns, and boxing
matches, and elections, and gouglng,
and drinking, and love, and murder,
and running in debt, and running a.
way, and suicide. Now, if a man sup
poses eight, or ten, or twenty dozen of
these amusing events will happen in a
single year, is he not just as wise as an
other man, who reads fifty columns of
amazing particulars, and, of course,
knops that they have happened
This state has almost one hundred
thousand dwelling houses; it would be
strange, if all of them should escape
fire for twelve months. Yet is it very
profitable for man to become a deep
student of all the accidents by which
they are consumed! He should take
good care of his chimney corner, and
put fender before the backlog, before
he goes to bed. Having done this, he
may let his aunt or grandmother read
by dav, or mediate by night, the terri
BILE newspaper articles of fire; how a
maid dropped asleep reading a ro-
nance, and the bed-clothes took fire;
howa boy, searching in a garrett for a
hoard of nuts, kindled some flax; and
how a mouse, warming his tail, caught
D it on fire and carried it into his hole in
the floor.
Some of the shocking articles in the
papers raise simple, and very simple,
wonder, some terror, and some horror
and disgust.
Now what instruction is there in
these endless wonders! Who is the
wiser or happier for reading the &C.
counts of themi On the contrary, dc
thew lot shock tender minds, and addllee
shallow brainsl They make thou
aand old maids, and eight or ten thou
sand BOBBY boys, afraid to go to bee