The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-08-24

We have been favored with an address oeil-
yered before the literary societies OF hanaoP"
Macon College, Va, by Governor p'LMh"'
which sbould be read both by the youth ana Tue
men of our country. The produc"oh 70 o".
the best of the class that we have seem
regret that our space will not permit US 10 eoP,
il entire. We give, however, an extract ""N'
will be found interesting 10 the editonai co'P'
.Great changes and certainly great improyemenls
too have been made throughout the civlllzee "v''u
in the newspaper or periodical press nc nu''s
and talent Of those now engaged ~ conducting ~,
rary and political journals entille Them 10 DC oon
cred among the professions winch exercise the
est influence in forming the taste and character OF our
age. The scope and importance Of me petion'ca'
press have been vastly extended IL - uush ho'o
now than mere chronicle OF events. ~ Is lar nui
| being content with sketching Porua " w..
thoughts of men, and puri6es or poliutes 'he uhe'
fountains of public opinion The editor now M, nc,
| station Of great responsibility to society iu,"
the duties Of his trust he should possess hgh "o'
and intellectual attainments lie Is not o"'y III
ness testying TO the world, under the strongest ou
cations TO tell the truth, the whole lrulh ana noun
ing but the TRUTH" but he is also an advocate, cum
seor retained by the people, to silt the 'acts wno,
| he presents, and deduce conclusions OF t'ie u''"o'
10 private feelings and public Justice'-
The sophstry or chicanery Of other advocates may
lie revised aud corrcc ed before calmer or more
astule tribunal but the editor, especially the po'i,l
cal editor stands at the bar OF the supreme Dench
| whose decisions are final and whose errors may ~
fatal Whoever undertakes to instruct others ih 'n'
| great concern of Government, should himself %
| well informed whoever attempts, weekly OF oa"y
to lecture his countrymen on The Poiicy OF measu'e
and the qualifications Of statesmen, should hnsei' U
more than q statesman, more than legislator vi
| udge-he should be philosopher.
The labors of the periodical press are becouin
daily more suudivdcd Wo have already snientihc
literary legal, medical ecclesiastical, political, ayr
cultural, mechanical and commercial, besides var
Gus other miscellaneous Journals, devoted to IN
tastes and pursuits of every interest and sect OF on
country. Information is derived from these source
by many to whom libraries and books are inaccess
Bile, who have not leisure for their examination
Much the larger portion OF our fellow-cizens rel
on these The perfect freedom OF the pres
in the United States brings every subject under IN
focus of public opinion. This striking characteristic
of institutions rests the anXIom that erro
ceases to be dangerous when reason is left free
combat il, ard experience has taught US the wsdor
of this axiom less by the utility OF subJectng on
highest interests to the test Of reason than by IN
danger of trusting to the passions OF ribad and
ceDtous press. The freedom of the press, like tn
freedom Of the CITIZEN is under the saluary restrain
of oblig atoms imposed by just regard for the RICH
and the feelings of others. Ii is safer to trust the
centousness of liberty $50 far as the press sconcerf
ed TO the corrective of public opinion than to pow
er IN government which may prove the licentiousne'
Of despotism. When this remedy fails the gener;
corruption of the press will only indicate the speed
decline and downfall of the Republic"