The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-01-20

I NEWSPAPERS. Ii is au astonishing fact, that in
country free rs ours is, and where every votcr
once or twice year is called upon to Discharge n
duty at the ballol-box, there are many persons who
never read newspaper and who know but little
more what is gomg1n in their own country than in
the dominions of tie Grand Mogol What they
learn of their own political aiairs, they learn from
verbal communications, subject as it is To various
pcrversions, colorings, and eptions-and
acting upon such communications only, they ven-
ture TO discharge the high aud holy, and of course
responsible duty of Judge over mems actions and
principles They venture upon attempting to set
tie the affairs of great nation, extending through
various degeces of latitude and embodying an inn
mcnse variety of interests and prejudccs-and this
without the study or qualifications demanded even
IN the teacher of a common country school, extend
ing not over twenty feet square What n Judge
Newspapers in this country one of the neces-
saries of life, second only to food and clothing and
impcriously demanding the attention and forc,hought
OF men, as fire aud habitaiions. Think of living in
thus world, aud of knowing nothing of what is 90
ing on within it Think of n revolution here, and
an earthquake thereof movements and acitntons
IN one place Influencing the dcs,nes Of nations and
the world for years, and Of improvements aud ad-
vanccs in other places, ecvatng aud cnnobling he
condition OF man--and yet n free man, standing in
free country, standing amidst all, affected by all,
aud yet ignorant OF oil Whata blank, cipher
is such man How little above "a mere animal.
who eats as he cats, brca,hcs as he breathcs, and
above whom he is, only in the faculty Of speech
For what is intellect without, facts iniormation d-
roction, calculation What but mere slumbering
rakcd up, smothered ember, needing the tanning
breeze of what is going in the world, what the
world does as inspired by what it knows--and that
breeze. the news of the day, the hurry, the hustle
aud excitement of the time in which we live, move
and think Talk of past knowledge tisa good
foundation on which TO build. Bat the supersiruc--
ture is To be reared now. This moments knowl-
edge is worth all past tlmc and he who would ben
eft mankind, or do honor to himself, must come
forth into the world, aud know what the world is
doing, and shape and embody its energies.
History is important, every body grants.-Sci-
ence is important, in all estimation. Politics are
govcrnment,-and as government is good or bad,
so is people prosperous wrctchcd, generally
speaking But here, in n newspaper, we hive the
history Of the day all spread before us with vtali-
ty and freshness no historian equal. The very
things themselves, not their shadowy ghosts fit be-
fore you. The substance out Of which history is 10
be woven, is upon the tabc.-Mcn talk for them
selyes-and no historians talk for them. You are
living among all, aud are interested in all-and will
you refuse to buy, TO read ny, to study, what you
nre so much interested in : But newspapers are
more Than historians They parade before you nil
the inventions aud discoveries Of the times, s,--ihcy
irle with you, sport with you, as well as ins,ruc.
you. BY your own frc-sdc, far from the scenes of
interest, no matter whether you are in the crowded
city, or in remote country house, yet they bring
all before you, and to the very lfe-and you are as
well aud better Informed by them MS hc who has
seen and participated in all. You need not stir
from your farm, or your own chair, from your he'd
even; and vet these little messengers, silent and
specchless they are, will take you into the wide
world and show forth all that is going on.