Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-01
ALEXANDRIA GAZET TIE
CRIMES AND THE PRESS.

Every description of crime seems to be on the
increase 10 the United States. Murders, sui.
cides, robberies. thefts. It is appalling to re-
count them. Yet newspaper readers call for
them. and the newspaper. press details them mall
their particulars. Ought this to be douea A
recent Vermont paper republishes the following
from a paper Of 1901. Iii an address to PRIN.
TIERS, and is given as from the pen of Fisher
Ames.
II seems as if newspaper wares were made to
suit the market, as much as any other. The
starers, and wonderers, and gapers, engross
yery large share Of the attention Of all the sons
of the type. Extraordinary events multiply up
on US surprisingly. Gazettes. it is seriously to
be feared, will not long allow room Tor any thing,
that is not loathsome or shocking. A newspaper
is pronounced to be very lean and destitute OF
matter, il it contains account OF murders, sui
cides, prodig,es, or monstrous births.
Some of these tales excite horror. and others
disgust; yet the fashion reigns like tyrant, to
relish wonders and almost to relish nothing else.
Is this reasonable taste? Is the history OF New
gate the only one worth reading? Are oddities
only to be hunted? Pray tell Us, men OF INK, II
our free presses are to diffuse Information, and
the poor lSUoidut p'Op'ss Soh > - w '>'>'
way than by newspapers, what knowledge are
we to CLEAN from the laundering lies. or the tire
some truths about thunder storms, that, strange
&C. tell! kill oxen or burn barns; aud cats, that
hiring ,wo.headed kittens; and sows, that eat
their own pigs! The growing OF hen Is sup
oosed TO forebnde cuckodOm; and the ticking OF
little bug in the wall threatens yellow fever -
II seems really as il our newspapers were bu.
sy TO spread superstition Omens. and dreams,
and prodiges, are recorded, as it they we're
w,rth mindine One would think our ... ILL,
"o'''' ~, Ior r,vsnan readers who were SHY
Were 20 r,aks account Of such thiHss. Werl
,,cule some people for their credu!ity; yet 1t all
the trumpery Of our papers IS believed; we nave
little right to laugh at any set OF people on earth;
and if it is not believed, why is it printed.
Surely, extraordinary events nave not the pest
title to our studous attention. 10 study nature
or man, we ought to know things that are IN the
ordinary course, not the unaccountaole things
that happen out OF IT..
This country is said to measure seven hundred
millions of acres, and is inhabited oy almost SIX
m;lI;ons of people. Who can doubt, then, that
a great many strange things Will happen every
seven wears? There will be thunder showers,
that will split tough white oak trees; and hail
storms that will cost some farmers the full amount
Of tueutu ,hillings to mend their glass windows;
,bere will he tayerns, and boxing matches. aud
elections. and gousing, and drinking, and love,
and murder, and running in debt, and running
away. and suicide. Now, it man supposes
eioht. or ten. or twenty dozen Of these amusing
events will happen in single year, is he not just
"a wise as another man, who reads fifty columns
Of amazing particulars. and OF course, knows
that they have happenels
| This state has almost one hundred thousand
dwelling houses; it would be strange, u All OF
them should escape fire for twelve months. Yet
is il very profitable for man to become a deep
student of all the accidents, by which they are
con,umeds He should take good care OF his
chimney corner, and put fender before the back
log, before he goes to bed. Having done this,
he NAV let his aunt or grandmother reau oy DAY,
or mediate by night. the terrible newspaper ar
| tices of fire; how maid dropped asleep reading
romance. and the bed clothes took lire; how
boy. searching in the garnet for hoard Of nuts,
kindIed some flax: and how mouse, warming
his tail. caught 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
,error-and some, horror and disgust. Now
what instruction is there in these endless won
ders? Who is the wiser or happier Tor reading
the accounts of lheml On the contrary, do they
not shock tender mind. and addle shallow bra'nss
They make thousand old maids, aud eight or
ten thousand BOBBY boys. afraid to 90 to bed
alone. Worse than this happens; for some &C.
centric mind, are turned to mischief by such &C.
counts as they receive Of troops OF incendiaries
burning our cities: the spirit OF imitation is con-
tagious; and boys are found unaccountably bent
to do as men do. When the man Hew from the
steeple of the North Church fifty years ago, eye
nv unlucky boy thought Of nothing but flying
from sisnPost.
II was once fashion to stab heretics; aud Ra.
vaille. who stabbed Henry the fourth Of France,
the assassin of the duke Of Guise. and OF the
duke of Buckingham. with many Others only
folIowed the fashion. Is it not in the power OF
newspapers to spread fashions; and BY DINING
burnings and murders in every body's ears to
detaiu all rash and 'oischiesOus temPe's on such
subjects, long enough to wear out the first I'm.
nressiop of horror, and prepare the N to act what
ibev so Familiarity contemplate Yet there
seems to be sort Of rivaship among printers
who shall have the most wonders, and the stran.
| -. ii ,,ost horrible crimes, The taste Will