Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-09-05
NEWSPAPER PRESS.

sons Tavern, Lord LYSpRUksr presided, sup
ported on the right by Lord BRou0niN and the
Lord Mi'oS. and on TIE eft by the Nabob Of
Onde, SIR NJ. A. Surr. president Of the Royal
Academy. The following Is an extract from the
remarks Of Lord LYSpHuRsr, delivered On the
occasion:
Ladies' and Gentlemen 81 am about TO
detaIn You for a few minutes, while !
propose 10 YOU toast. wbich, connected
as 1t is with ;he objects Of this meeting.
cannot tail 10 be received With the great
est APPRECIATION ; before lit down. mean
TO propose the prosperity Of tina, institu.
ton which We are assembled this dsy TO
support. (Cbeen) There is no object
Of enevolence-hons OF real benevo.
lence-whch does not readily find sup.
por, IN this country; but upon the presen,
occasion Ne are stimulated 20 additional
exertions from a feeling OF the gratitude
ahich we owe TO the persons for whose
benefit this association has been founded.
| am sure that every person will he will
Ing. ~ | am, 10 acknowledge in the most
ample terms the information, the insjruc-
zion. aud the amusement derived from
tho public press Of this country. (Chrers.)
So accustomed are We TO receive this
information aud this amusement. tina,
he SanI oil At has become indispensable,
aud It may be almost considered a me-
cessary of lite. Should any person con.
slider that am guilty Of exaggersiion. /
will beg him 20 recall 10 his recollection,
if he has ever resided in the country,
that unfortunate day which is distinguish
ed as ;hc blank post day, when all expe-
renee that great void occasioned by the
absence OF their usual instructor and com
ramon. (Cheers.) In other publca-
tons there may be more profound learn.
ing there may be greater depth Of sci.
ence, there possibly may be more refine
ment and greater polish Of diciIon -
such publications are the produce Of
months, perhaps Of years. of toll but YOU
must recollect that the newspaper, which
IS a volume, and a volume Of no incon.
siderable size. is tho production Of day.
and frequently greater part Of IL is the
production at a night (cheers y vet ev-
cry person who looks over It's pages, and
sees the mass Of information IL contains,
the amount OF instruction IL imparis, the
me-partieularly when he sees The same
repeated day by dsy-that il is a most
marvellous and almost miraculous per.
Gformanee. (Cheers) II contains the
daily history Of the world ; IT contains the
daily history Of man. bis deliberations.
his thoughts, his pleasures. his pursuits
And sure am. that every person who
adverts TO these circumstances will agree
with me in The propriety Of what have
already stated. and which now repeat
that IL We were not accustomed 10 the
daily sight Of such production. il would
be deemed impossible. and 1t is slmos,
miraculous. Am | not fairly entitled
then. TO state that the persons Vho are
members Of this association are not merely
entitled from a feeling OF benevolence 10
our assistance. but that for their labours,
| from which We so extensively profit, eve
~ exer,ion shonld be made to repay the
deb, Of gratitude which we all owe 10
them (Cheers.)
When we look 10 the history OF the
aneients, we find traces OF the circulation
OF news. There were news letters among
the Romans. but they were confined TO a
few. The newspapers gould not exist
without the printing press. and IL is 10 the
art OF printing and 10 the almost inoredi-
bic mechanical Improvements lately made
in that art. that we owe the existence Of
the presen, siupendous power Cheers
IL is singular Circumstance. snd wor.
Thy remark, that the first English news.
paper, called the English Mercury, was
published under the direction OF that great
statesman. Lord Burleigh, who was the
FIRST 10 observe the great moral effect IL
would produce There were in circula.
ton TO very great extent the most ex-
trAordinary descriptions Of the Spanish
armament-s panic was beginning 10
spread among the inhabi'ants-Lord Bur.
leigh. with views showing bis powerful
aud sia,esmsn.like intelligence. adopted
= mode Of counteTaciing this by the sirong
moral influence OF the press. and he pub.
lIshed = newspaper ~ order 10 correct the
/ mis.siaiemenis which had been made. and
/ 10 teach The country TO eoofde 10 iis own
sxeTiiOns and its own resources. This
Nss The first appearance of q newspaper.
sbd u vas attended Si'b consequences
] Wv itff"h Nt' f'fi'aWtf aAfN WIN tNhAlih VIZ
most favorable for tbs inhabrsnN Of tbs
Island al were aware Of the fate Of The
I spanish expedition. lCheers. For
some time The public press crrpl slowly
on: u eoafinoed. indeed. 20 make sdvan.
ces but e Vss not ull 6hy OF sixty wears
aso thsi u took those fapid strides which
have brought u 20 iis present commanding
/ position Ia 1871 there we're - million
newspspers sold in Crest Britain. and
since that time The number hss been
vastly extended. ! know iha, some
/ thinking persons ere struck viih The sian.
defs. tho lslssboods. end The cslumnies.
whieh appear IN some newspape's. and
I fnd 90 their Embellishments more 81 loss
than Of gaIn 10 the public Hear.
viii meet such persons With ibis SIN
gle observation. II they v,ll satisfy me
that Vutboui newspapers there Will be no
SANDER no fi.ehood and no calumny.