Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-07-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
THE NEWSPAPER PRESS.

j II 1NC w 7 hCSS.
"By thee, religion, liberty and laws, =,
Exert their Influence and advance their cause" "
CowPER.
The power Of the newspaper press in
this country is prodigious, and it is 10 be
regretted that it is not oftener found in the
hands Of those better fitted to discharge
its importan, trusts. Cupidity is the be-
setting sin of American newspaper rub.
fishers. 1t is found that administering 10
the depraved tastes and appelites of COM
munity, consulting the passion and ca
price Of The hour, and guiding their course
by the variable breath Of the multitude,
is more profit able task than steering un-
deviatingly by fixed principles, and ad-
dressing themselves with inhexible con-
slancy 10 the better judgments Of men,
But the fault is not altogether with the
newspaper publishers. There is def
cient moral sense in the public. which
lies al the bottom of the evil. Expert
ence teaches that those who live to
please, mus, please 10 live" He who
strives to be reformer, and to discharge
bis high trust, with fidelity 10 the general
interests of mankind, will be sadly ad-
monished by his dwiudled receipts, that he
has mol chosen The path Of profit, although,
perhaps, it may be that of honor and JUS
tice. l,is not the journal which, is con
Quoted with the highest intelligence and
the purest morality, which is best sup
ported.
. Wortl, ha pr,,soJ h,t
While vice, with gardens, villas, coatly boards.
Rare plate. aud cups embossed, the worlds re-
wards.
Although these remarks are intended for
the newspapers generally, they apply most
em7hatically to the party press Of this
country. We have often depIored the
surveillance of this department; of our
country's literature, and especially Of a
large portion Of the Democratic press Of
Ohio. We called the attention of our
cotemporaries 10 this subject some months
ago, in an article which we are happy TO
find copied into the Washington Union,
Richmond Enquirer, Boston Post and
mauy Other-afIl,A+ A+..-:--:r-i-r--yrr-
of the day, and which, we believe, has
had salutary effect, both at home and
abroad. In that we took the ground. that
there could be no danger Of collisions
among ourselves, arising from any inde-
pendent expressions of opinions on party
subjects, provided our intentions were
honest, aud we sought only promulsate
The truth. As partisan editors, truth"
was said to be The only platform on which
we could all stand, although harmony
nigh, be acquired by (orsakins it, and al
lowing one man to dictate our faith, in
which case we would all be slaves. This
alternative was s.presen,ed to the democrat
ic press Of Ohio, and The choice has been
in favor of liberty; liberty Of thought,
and of speech. The change in The tone
of our democratic papers has been mark
ed by the most casual observers, and we
congratulate The democracy upon the
event. Jefferson said. thar 1--WE had
nothing to fear from error, so long as truth
was left free to combat it," Lei us then
cherish a spirit Of independence among
the fraternity, study the faith as delivered
TO US by the Father OF the Republic, and
teach it, irrespective Of other mems opin,
ions. Let Us follow truth wherever it
leads, aud respect'it wherever it is found.
In politics, let us moi follow men at The
expense Of principle, nor be so devoted to
party as 10 be blind TO The virtues of our
enemies, or The faults of our friends. Let
our motto ever be, "Fiat juslicia ruat
ceIum," LET justice be done though the
heavens fall !"