The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-28
From the Baltimore .7neilean
REPRESENTATIVE POwER-THE PUBLIC
PRESS

As general truth it may be said that all power N
this country is representative power. The lhoN ur
ais that exercise il do so not by any inherent is -,
their own--but as agents Fidelity to their uus'
constitutes their sole claim TO honor anu oo"'
ton. ac;al
Our nubl,c men in Legislative and other oihelai
posts have the responsible task OF giving snap
form and definite action to power 'hiouS ns which
teal medium of laws. Their posltioh % on u naar
affords room for much Discretion,
a final and an inevitable responsibility , himself
A renresentatiye in Congress may mario" '.h'I ~
;n,a nero mouth-piece of party WITHIN ms ui'
trct he NAV become the tool oil party ~
on larger scale and act IN concert Wis - SECTIONAL
he NAV be known the representative oi 1Io,as
;,ras,s REGARDLESS of the general welfare nc may
he an automaton moving only as he IS moveu' nc may
again be an active agent perver.ng the co. ,b
his place for the advancement OF himself anu io' 's
Acknowledgement OF party a..
eS7a better sense a representative, if his capacity
"a small NAV seek truly advance the interests 0,
his particular district as his chief end wthou.
10 party considerations. Or with statesman ~
crafty he may view himself as puonc iessinaJIa
whose duty it is to consult the good oil the Whoie
country, and for this end he takes comprehensive
range of all interests and seeks to adopt publc mea
sures accordingly.
But there is a representative power IN the country
of which legislators are but the instruments po"
er commensurate in extent with the sphere oil human
reason-emanating from the blended elements oil h'i-
man know ledge thought and feeling and conce
! ing the mighty spirit Of them a-the power OF the
Pass !,
It's abuses may be terrible as its influence Is
great--but the power exists and It's force Is uo'io
| strated even by its abuses.
| Take the periodical press. newspaper acquire
n distin ctye character from the moment oil us es'p
the exponent of some principles the asserter oil doc
trines, ideas, notions, of some sort or announcer nc
ground it occupies may be narrow or broad but who
shall put limits to the energy, the skill, the power
with which its spirit shall be put forth to mngle III
the, general current oil influences that RUE over hu
man thought and action.
| A press may be the organ and instrument oil lac
tion-of sect and it may give its influence to pro-
mote discord to stir the strife OF selfish passions
| provoke and stimulate fierce animosities, ana pro
| long resentments the most yindictiye There are
too many such--but true freedom recognises none o.
them. .,
1t is as the representative of sound principles and
general interests that the press exercises real ana per
manent influence. Through the friendly intercourse
of exchanges and of mutual transfers among presses
| of this kind throughout the Union what vast con
stituency may single Journal represent IL addresses
itself to the intelligent the rational the parlotic, al
| over the country-and its voice is echoed PACK a.
| their own Mind communicates with mind across TN
mountains the seaboard holds converse with the Val
lev of the Missssippi and the public sentiment draw
| ing its pabulum from the daily offerings which arr
| mnistered to it on every hand, acquires unanmity
concentration and power
| WINE the utpoSitories Vi one ~ iSPiN 'S =
power in Congress are falling under the reproach
an imperfect fu6lment OF their duties, ana are pe
lieved to be in many instances perverting the lunc
tons of their stations in of party arrangement
and ntrgues the people themselves are far in advance
of their legislative delegates, and it is the public pres
that now constitutes the true representation OF TN
4 country. The voice of the people finds utteranc
there's it speaks in tones Of rebuke, OF remonstrance
of indignation. A crisis is at hand the approach 0
which is foretokened by thousand signs which tn
politicians will not read or which they cannot under
stand 1t is well that in the intelligent press OF tn
country power may be found, not wholly dehn
quent, in the time of need.