The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-10-28
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
II has been remarked, that the only two
Americans, whose names are familiar to
foreigners are Washington and Franklin.
Great as is the fame of these distinguished
men, as the father of his country and the
successful champion of her rights, there is
a peculiar reputation attached TO the latter,
in which he has never had his superior
We allude to his practical common sense.
Gifted with great powers of intellect, his
faculties were devoted TO what may be term
ed the every day concerns of life. In this
point of view the results of his experience
and observations are especially valuable.
Possessing most happy manner of con-
veying his ideas in plain and forcible Ian
guage, he uttered to the world precepts that
the most learned must appreciate whilst the.
plainest intellect can comprehend them.
His wisdom was that which busies itself
with the numbcrless fragments which col
lectedly form the sum of human happiness,
and whilst other great minds have been sat
isied with the general effect, without de-
scending to details, there was nothing so
small as to escape the vigilance of his search
ing intelligence. The precepts Of Franklin
are chiefly TO be valued because his habits
of life furnished practical illustrations of the
soundness of his views. Independent in
feeling and untiring in industry, from a
small beginning he succeeded in elevating
himself TO position in which he attracted
the attention and respect, not of nation,
but of the whole civilized world, and he
has handed down to posterity fame which
must endure as long as sound sense has adj
mirers and advocates. The following re-
marks in reference TO the department OF
persons connected with the public press are
worthy of being written in characters of
gold, and should form the rule of conduct OF
those who unfortunately too often permit
unworthy private sentiments TO mingIe
themselves with the discharge of their pro-
fessional duties:
Franklin's advice 10 Editors.-In the
conduct of my newspaper carefully ex-
cludod all libelling and personal abuse
which is oflate becoming SO disgraceful to
our country. Whenever | was solicited to
insert any thing of that kind, and the writer
pleaded, as he generally did, the liberty of
the press, and that a newspaper was like a
stage coach in which any one that would
pay had a right to place, my answer was,
that would print the piece separately if
desired, and the author might have as many
copies as he pleased to distribute himself,
but that ! would not take upon me to spread
his detraction; and that having tontracted
with my subscribers to furnish them with
what might be either useful or entertaining,
ceuld not fill their papers with private al
tercations in which they had no concern.
without doing them manifest injustice.
Now many of our printers make no scruple
ofgratilying the malice of individuals, bv
false accusations Of the fairest characters a.
mong ourselves, augmenting animosity even
TO the producing of duels. These things I
mention as a caution to young printers, and
that they may be encouraged not to polIute
the press and disgrace their profession bv
such Infamous practices, but refuse steadily.
as they may see by my example, that such
course of conduct will not on the whole be
injurious TO their interests.
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AUTUMN.