The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-10
From the Philadelphia Ledger
THE DUTY OF NEWSPAPERS.

A newspaper must be either the leader or the fol-
loqcer Of public opinion the creator or the creature
of the public mind If the first, it will be instru
ment of good or evil, according the principles
which it is conducted, and the capacity Of its conduc-
ors for comprehendng and dschargng their duties
If the second, it will be instrument of evil under
almost any circumstances. paper may be very ho-
nestly yet very neficientIy conducted, for its
gers may always mean right without proving what is
right and such paper may be exceedingly mischiev-
Gus, and it's very honesty will give ii a currency in
disseminating error which would not be obtained by
one of bad or doubtful character Hence to be USE
full, paper should be under management, both able
and honest, under the guidance Of those who seek
justice, but who have intelligence to comprehend and
resolution to do it. A paper conducted with sufi-
cient ability to create public opinion is angel of
mercy in the hands Of conscientious managers,
messenger of wrath in the hands Of managers with
out scruples. But when paper aspires merely to
follow public opinion, to be its creature, its echo,
"To catch the manners, living, as they rise p
it will whether conducted with ability or imbecility,
exert corruping influences bad leader of public
opinion poisons the fountain of thought and feeling
bad follower, the stream.
An honest leader of public opinion in seeking its
interest," always seeks the public good, and in
pursuing it, s always governed by general principles
Such paper, in the very commencement of its ca
reer, proposes to itself goal point of arrival and
certain course for reaching it, Its conductors say,
stbe dignity, prosperity and safety of humanity are
object, the only means of our success the
principles on which they depend are eternal, and our
duty aim at object through these principles is
obvious" Such paper will pursue its steadi-
ly unawed by the raging around it, and will
finally reach its destination amid the gratitude of all
who intended right, and the respect even of those
who did not. 1t will be consistent while papers of
opposite character will continually rail at it for incon
sistency. The honest and intelligent will always know
where find it, because they will always know where
to seek it, While its detractors will complain of neUer
being able find it, and their complaint will be just,
because they will always seek it in their own crooked
paths, into which it never wanders 1e0u.e
The course of such paper is always conservative.
1t always aims not merely at maintaining things as
they are, but rendering things they ought to be;
and therefore it seeks to promote good or
strain evil by any means inconsistent with fundamen-
tai principles by any means tending to counteract
the good which it would promote, or fraught with
more evil than those which it seeks to correct Thus
if it the public mind rushing blindy into one ex-
tremity does strive, for the purpose of prevent
ing the mischief, to persuade it to turn round and
rush precpitatey into the opposite. 1t strives to
stop the mpeuous mass, and lead it back to reflection.
1t excIams, "Stop Inquire where you are rushing,
and what you are pursuing or flying, and what will
be the end!"
But dishonest follower of public opinion, and such
mere followers can be honest, seeks merely ts
momentary interest, without regard to the means
of promoting it, and is therefore never guided by ge
neral principles If it comprehends such principles, it
ing upon them as supports. To the conscience OF
such paper, all means are alike which promote its
object; for regards dollar one hundred cents,
whether be the wages of sin or the reward OF nte-
gritty. 1t can live only upon excitement, and there
fore is always destructive, neper conservative Ac-
cordingy, if the public mind rushing into the
it says to ITSELF "Let us stimulate this fren-
zy, along with this crowd, and collect all that we
from it in the race" Or if il should see its ne-
rest in turning the crowd with equal fury in oppo
site direction il exclaims "Beware of the Schuylki
but rush, Tor safety, into the Delaware!!"
Snch papers live only upon error and delusIon,
and are therefore continually striving to mslead the
public mind; and as error and delusion are the
result of excitement and of sober reflection, they
are continually fabricaing statements, continually
presentings things in false lights and Disgusting them
in exaggerated hues. They are continually insisting
that all their devious wanderings strait course
their innumcrube changes the very perfection of con-
sistency; and they never act from honest motives
they necessarily ascribe corrupt influences to those
whose straight and independent is beyond their