New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1842-03-15
1Thc Penny aDrcs..,


us the hight Of extravaganza and folly.
The Penny Press
The Erpress Of Yesterday has an article upon
The comparative influence, circulation and value Of
the large and the cheap newspapers Respectively
which mingles truth with error so dex,erouSlv and
with such evident obliquity Of purpose that we can
well refrain from noticing ii. It purporls tc
be demurrer TO some prctcnsons sci up for the
cheap Press by the Philadelphia Ledger, but,
though ostensby calculated for the meridian Of
Philadelphia, it is obviously intended to answer
for this and the adjoining States. In this view
let examine of its positions.
III" E'.1re's "ee"rts that the cheap datr Press
is OF necessity neutral protessedly On Politics
and other disputed matters, and therefore cannot
speak out on any important question exercise any
positive influence Does the Express PROFOUND
this rule as Of universal application Does it moi
happen to recall any instance 10 which il does moi
apply, and that not in a very obscure or distant
corner Of tho earth
The Express objects that the cheap Press is
generally without character edited by nobodies,
and speaking the opinions Of nobody in particular;
this rule intended TO have universal application
Nor is the circulation of the Penny Press a
reguia, circuation, says the Express There is
great mistake here. OF the 10000 copies OF
The Tribune circulated daily at least ] ,000 90
Instantly to regular subscribers, who count on it rs
as nuchas on their morning meal. a small portion
not onc-,enth-of each days edition is sold hv
boys in the streets, steamboat landings. rail
road stations. So Of other cheap papers The
most violent storm would not diminish their az
gregsate circulation for the day onc-tenlh; while
1t would probably increase the extent of their pc
rusul, by keeping many persons unengrossed By
their daily cmployments.
The Express asserts thut the cheap Press has
no Mail subscription. This NAV be true of a por-
t'on OF that Press but the assertion evnccs great
lack OF discrimination. Is the Express anxious to
measure its Mai circulation with ours If so.
II shall he accommodated
Again, the Express objects tina, the Penny Press
only give an iader or abstract of the news
Now we ehalsbc happy TO measure the average or
aggregate amount of reading matter given in The
Tribune during the eleven months of its exist
sncc against that of the Ten Dollar Press OF this
City. One or two papers have probably published
more tllan VIC; bu, IRE confident the average
would be in favor And, as compared with
an average Of tho large Daily Papers throughout
the Union, conideAl that we have exceed.
ed them by AT least twenty-five percent
So much Tor the contrast Of the standing of tie
large and small papers, and the value Of their cir
cnlation, propounded by the Express. We are
tempted TO say word 10 the avidity and extent
OF their pc7usal by the public and their quotation
by Tue Country Press. but we will leave remarks
on those points to the reading community. We
nave one question, however, to PROFOUND in all
rarl'estness TO the Express: and We douh, not ii
Will be answered with direc,ness and courtesy. |.
tiis IN view Q. the existing provisions of law
on the subject, ought tie Weekly I;s,s of Ic,,crs
remaining uncaed for NJ the Post One. - he
published in journals having comparatively n s,noil
circulation exclusively among those who's, ,,,er.
are never advertised or residing GU, OF the CITY
should they be advertised in the journals having
by fal the larger circulation and (by,hc Express J.
own showing} almost entirely IN the City and
among that portion OF its speculation whose Letters
are apt to DE advertised? We pause for reply
I The M.yoR,rr CONVENTION met last
evening at the Broadway House, and organised by
electing PETER 5. Ttrus President, and THoM.
AS McELRArH and JAMES Z. kELLuM. Sec
'e;arles We understand nothing WAS done by the
Convention after its organization but 10 receive the
names OF Candidates for nomination: after which
they adjourned to meet again Monday neNt
~ Mr.. JOIN 5. w. Hows delivers AN Elocu.
t;nnary Lecture, with Readings, this evening "a,