Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1838-02-01
nnsTanIAL coc.vnNrtoN.

ttNriEttEN-i thank ynu Tor The
honor you have done me. Though am
not VAN enough 10 NscFilc this di7inc-
ton 20 any tang else than nay year..
nave long passed for the veteran. %
aud by courtesy. for tho VENERABLE. %
Editor at the Enquigrr-lnd s.ihough
the eprhet might have been gwen q
me long before 1 deserved ~. yet am
sensible that years are giving nae some
title 20 u. and that every dav "a culy
calculated To confirm n. aa, su3e,
that none Of you. gentlemen. wall envy
ue either tho advantage 81 ny Se8r,.
or the prciensionS they may give me
To the honOrs of this Char.
But Nth al nv experience. have
acquired but little knov ledge OF Paslil
meuiaiy L.. Fortunately, / shaft
have bUt hti,e Occ1,ion tor II. Our
COnVenlion !, TOO small. Ia cprrr.r. o
the VebcnrnCe of Debate. No ions
or violent discussions are is,lv 60 dis
tub the order ct oaf pt,.se-Jiass nj
may SAFELY trGSi - ,ha, s,iIit 4! tar
Inony. tor winch. y9u kEonc our este
has been so long ana so igsily ctlehra
ted, Tor our proieciie against Gi,sr4sr
We have assembled hare, gentle.
rnen. under the hope VI uprola- the
character aud CoGCi.Iyt ~ the impr!t-
ant Profession Of which W are men-
bers. The Press - mdcec tie "Grrat
Mlsician' OF the age. Wher. -or it's
cs:ablIshed, a IS ditSIsing hght al!
around u. !, is promoting he progress
u: every art. II IS extending the sphere
ut every science. Ia our own cora,fy.
At IS a necessary aScnt-lnl "A proper.
w conductcl, It would be an iheaima-
be instrument. How can tree Go.
Nernment be wisely administered with
out 1T How can = tree People &C.
quire the knowledge of facts All q
characters, which Is 80 necessary 90 The
proper selection Of their agont.: A
Republican Govern meut presnr7,ses
indeed, thai the People can 2 -,rn
thensclves-and how can n Ps1ule
continue free. unless they ate coll ut.
ened: The Pres, IS the great iastru.
ment OF information. /, - an cssea.
tal part OF the comTosi;ion of a free
society which is scattered over so cx-
tensive Territory rs that of The L. :
The fact veuies tie theory. Scarcely
do Ne settle Village in The far y est"
scarcely have We erected an inn. a
blacksmith shop. aud 4 store. before
our inqnIsllive copn!ryWen begin II
think ola Press. II has been pronounc.
ed, The art pTeServa'ive If al att. 30
50 tlmili1r are we with iiI value. that
We almost wonder how the ancien.s
could have got along without j..
But, sirs, the Press j. generally al
more benefit to others. then IT /. TO IL,
own conductors. No Profession is more
Irksome or laboTious. None impose,
such serious sacrifices, a. this does,
upon the conscientious Editor. ri,
laoors are still beginning, never end
ing. lie is constantly ro,liay the
stone o? Si'yPhus up The mountain.
anf 1. IS forever rolling back upon hun.
lie IS toi:ing day aud night. lie Is
literally prisoner in his own castle.
Exercise and fresh ar are too frequent.
ly denied to him. You, " no know
The secrets ofyour Prison house" can
only know what exer'ions /, requires.
and what privalions il imposes upon
you. You know. for you only have
seen and ielt II, 70 what cares both OF
body and mind. he is subjected-hov
tedious are bis yigiIs; how anAiously he
'its by bis solitary FIRE, in the depth OF
the night listening for the returning
footsteps oiihe poor Devil " no is bring.
ln5 bin back the proofs Of ne manu-
script, which. Wrh The spider, inpe.
nuiiy. be had been cor PEELED 10 spin
out OF his own brain.
And where il the conpeusa,ion
winch he reaps for so m5ry sacrifices
and servIce-sor 50 severe and labori
Gus an exercise Of go important pro.
tessIonl You must have been more
fortunate, gentlemen, than have b, en-
u you have acquired the treasures OF
CIgsu', or ihe purse Of Fortun Aus
nave served as long an apprentice shin
Is any OF you, but can lay claim 10
no such acquisition. we are rich only
~ our Ledgers. We never nre-"b1t
always to be blessed" We arc tho
martyrs to that expanded system Of m.
discriminate credit. which has over.
spread our country-but no other cias,
ol society has suffered rs much by IL as
VIC have. Our Cornueopias are 6llsA.
but no' With gold and silver. nor. even
viii. bank notes. but With our subscri
bers' billa ], IS time for Us % chance
The system. and correct the evil. Til,
> one OF the great objects, for which
we have convened here to-day. We
must adopt some measure to prevent
the multiplication, or promote the col.
lection. Of the debts With which our
Offices have been 50 sofely taxed. we
must DO that justice 10 ourselves. which
50 many others refuse 10 ur. We have
not met here, gentlemen, to combine
against Society, by raising our wage.
but TO compare our respective uiua.
ton', to examine tie evils under v birb
We are al laboring. 70 devise some
measures Of relief, % advise esch Other
aud to come 70 some arrangements f,f
the collection Of our debts.
Bat this - not al. gcn'ienen-uor
70 u The most important duty zhieh so