The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-18
WHOLE NO. 72s
THE DAILY PRESS.

This is an age of light and knowledge; each
days Journal, like the mornings sun, comes
with food Of intelligence in its train. Ii is
true il belongs 10 the scandal of the hour, 10 I'M
deryalue the daily press, as too licentlous, too
prying, too searching. A portion of this impu-
tation is well founded But the compass that
guides the mariner across the trackless ocean,
has its variations. The air that we inhale
is sometimes tainted with pestilence, - the
sun, that in general invites vegetation TO IN
fold its buds and spread its blossoms under its
genial influence, now aud then, by its excessive
heat, destroys the plant itself-but we do not for
these reasons fling away the compass, refuse TO
inhale the atmosphere, or hide ourselves in some
cavern from the SUM-. Indeed, we should no
more abandon the Press, than we should shut
our eyes against The sun because he has few
spots in his face.
And enlightened press is the patron of the
arts and sciences II is the upholier Of every
virtue, and the contemner Of every vice. II
supports the pulpit. II stands by the judiciary.
1t sustains the laws. II cheers the statesman and
applauds the patriot. 1t urges all men TO pur-
sue course of honest industry. Besides il is
our morning companion nor does hail, or sleet,
or snow, stop its journey TO our domicis. Ii
brings feast, al early dawn, to every mans
door, The newspaper is the unbound book Of
knowledge, giving the earliest information Of
every thing that is important Has some de-
vout divine, in the overflowings of christian
love, uttered discourse of surprising excel
ence, you shall find il in the press. And shall
our distant voyagers, on remote seas, exploring
new continents, make any discovery, you shall
have the minute history of them all, in the daily
press; or should some poor lone widow wish
to tell her story of distress modesy to the world,
she will resort TO the benevolence of the press.
Chemistry goes to the press TO spread her
daily deeds Of wonder before a community, ever |
anxious to know her secrets Botany, too,
paints her flowers and tells their virtues, in the |
journal of the day. There is scarcely any intel
ligence that does not find its way to some one
OF our numberless papers. All that has yet
been discovered Of Pompeii and Herculaneum-
cities that have slept entombed for ages, have
been reported to every reader of daily press
There are some who think the readings of
newspaper are too superficial. But we believe
when the press teens, as it does now, with ex-
tracts from the ablest critics, the soundest law
yers, and the most learned phosophers-whe
whole books are issued in a single paper, and
when highly finished articles are presented
daily, from the most refined and polished men Of
the age, thai a new character should be stamped
upon the daily press; and that by general con
sent it should be acknowledged to be not only |
the great school book and school master, but the
most gifted lecturer of the age.
The newspaper crosses every seaand traverses
every lake. 1t climbs the mountains and fingers
in the valleys. Ii describes the tops of the Alps,
and the craters of burning Etna and Vesuvius.
1t visits the frozen North and the fiery South
II pictures TO US every race of men that have
lived, and counts all the be lists of the forest and
the fishes of the great deep. 1t tells US that the
bird Of Paradise, of unriralled plumdge, is
mute, and that the drab-coiored mocking-brd
sings every note Of the grove /; as if Providence
had intended thus to balance accounts between
them. It teaches us lessons on philosophy,
drawn from the ablest masters. Atoms and
irorlds fall alike within its descriptive range
II shows that the falling tear and the ponderous
earth, both illustrate the power of our God, who
balanceth the worlds upon nothing.
"That very law which moulds tear,
l.. And bids it tricke from it's source:
That power preserves the earth sphere,
And guides the planets in their course"
In one word the newspaper may be said TO
be the speaking leaf that describes all parts of
creation-a true transcript of the worlds face,
day by day mirrored forth-the knowledge of
millions issued to millions.-Phii. Am. Sen.