Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-05-07

THE PRESS.
Extract from Mr. HAsHa,s report on the sab.
ject of the public printing. read ia the House
Of Representatives, February 81. 1895.
That the art OF printing has done more
10 enIigten and exalt the human mind,
than all the other arts together, viii per
haps be denied Ivy no one, who will take
the trouble TO investigate the history OF
his race. Its discovery forms an era 10
human annals. Beyond il NIL - dreary
and obscure. except here & there bright
spot, TO relieve the eve from the painful
contemplation of a darkness so universal
Art and science, u is true, had made con.
siderable progress in some favored com.
munities, but a knowledge ot the discoye-
rIcs and improvements upon which we de-
light 10 dwell. was confined 20 fortunate
few, who, however they might have been
inclined 10 disseminate what they knew,
had il not in their power 10 effect an OBJ
ject so full of patriotism aud benevolenee.
The living mass that makes ap all. OF what
is denominsted either savage or barbarous
nations, aud constitutes a vast majority OF
the most highly cultivated nations of an.
tiquily. was doomed 10 perpetual igao-
rance and degradation IN the moral world.
no mode of escape could be devised for
them Books were scarce; The process
Of multiplying them by copies, The work
OF clerks, and The enormous prices con.
sequent upon tits mode of multiplication,
must forever have shut out a large portion
Of such nations from the principal sources
Of mental enjoyment
Printing, at single blow demolished
these barriers. IL threw open all the doors
of the temple. and permitted The poor aud
ignorant 10 walk in unmolested, 10 gaze
upon the respondent beauties that adein-
ed its walls, and 10 bear off the invalua.
bic treasures that filled lis eouris--treas
ures that were the accumulation OF ages,
aud which liIl that moment had been con-
cealed from the eye Of The multitude. A
great moral revolution was effected IN the
twinkling of an eye. Before that period,
kings, mobiles, and governors, were every
thing, and the people nothing. From that
period the people became every thing and
kings, mobiles, and governors. nothing
The literal existence Of this contrast, Of
this astonishing transformation, u is true,
has not been realized, but the work has
been going on. The rays OF tight are fal-
ling on the most benighted regions; the
force Of truth is breaking through all OPP.
position and the period is not far distant
when man will stand forth in The freedom,
the dignity. and the majesty Of his nature,
liberated from the shackles that have so
long degraded body and soul; when the
people will be completely sovereign and
an enlightened public opinion shall be the
only rule of action TO all in authority, from
the highest to the lowest station. This
time will come, and this will be the work
Of the press.
Ought this great moral engine 70 be
free ? Whatever difference Of opinion
may have existed elsewhere upon this sub
iect, there seems 10 ha. G been none among
our ancestors. censorship Of the press
has been established under most, II not
all the tyrannical governments Of Europe
The court of Rome set The example IN the
latter part of the fifteenth century other
despotic governments adopted the prinei-
pie and made the press propagate such
sentiments aud opinions only, as suited the
views of those who controlled IFS move
ments, No works Of any kind, could see
the light. but such as had been licensed
by the government. The people. so Tar
from being blessed by the art. which sees
med TO have been invented for their use
alone, we're not only deprived OF its bene-
fits, but had its immense power turned
against themselves, and their country
Hooded with doctrines and opinions cali
cuated TO rivet their chains more firmly.
and TO doom them TO perpetual seryl'
tude. :.
| To the honor Of our ancestors, be 1t
known, that this censorship Of the press
was first abolished in England. This great
event took place in the year 1904. Since
that time the English press has been free
J A censorship is unknown in this country.
The lofty spirit OF American liberty would
trample upon an effort 10 limit the free-
dom of discussion. Truth courts inyesti'
CATION, and he who fears il. Is generally
conscious that truth is against him.
Freedom Of speech and OF the press are
one and the same thing. In a small com
mupity, all may assemble for deiloerauon'
and hear what the other has TO advance
for the general good. This was the case
in some Of The ancient republics pu' y
4 large country This cannot be; and resort
must be had 10 the press, for the ciicoia
ton Of facts and opinions that are eopnec'
ted with the public interest.