Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-09-12
THE ENQUIRER.
Richmond, september 10.
press of Our Country.

,,be more general diffusion OF inioi nation
among our people is greatly 10 DC oes''e". ~ o"~
denies IN, lis peculiar importance IN ms cou"-
-, i -, r,,,lv appreciated by many Inc mo-
narchical Governments oi EufoP' a''1 -
be unshaken, though their suoJec's niaav ~
vances-,bough they re,rosrate IN e'si''I""o.
Pn, n. nos;,;on NAV lie safely maintained, 'na'
;f,be American people do no, improve 'heir ~
vernment mns fall
since mora, and p,elleciual strength are Sc,
vere,v ,,;ed by the possession and exercise =,
,,o,.a. ,ho r,na and wisdom OF the people shouo
be in proportion to The magnitude oil Inc 'fus' .u'
6ded 10 their charge. Ii they be not 'n' W
yernnen,wjll be 100 good Tor The people ." ""o"
i onera,cs Is. then, the American Government
100 GOOD for The American peoples lnu, 'a', !"
/ no ne onera,;on has been salutary-ou' IT.
"a, sufficient, 10 determine the question
ia TocopeviIle profoundly remafSs mat 'ne
,.,,. .,aa.s or national existence, are The only
periods a, which it is possible 10 I'iia'''"'' '"e
co,ople,c logic OF lesislaiion-anu "heii w Ps'
ceire nation in the enjoymen! OF 'liiS advantage
49, wa hasten 10 conclude that il is wise, we
sb,pld do well 10 remember that II IS young
\ ar Government, grows older, lis penis IN
crease; as our population grows more Dense anu
opr territory more extensive hostile interests
spr,ns up. sectional preludices are exci'eo' Strong
o,ss;ons aroused. This conflict oil interests mas
commenced As it grows warmer, a deeper
foundation OF popular intelligence viii DC neces-
..,y C,r The preservation OF our Government
cor,;nnsl advances in knowledge and morally
must more fully impress upon The people Of taese
States the excellence OF their Consilutioh' anu
valne of their Unon-a iervent patriotism must
avalon in all serious difficulties, concillaioFy
spirit OF compromse-or, internal SINE VIII ue-
s,roy this Republic, and sound, throughout 'ne
world. The dealh-knel OF free Government.
II then The moral and intellectual advance
men, of The American people IS essential 70 'he
INTEGRITY OF or Union and The existence Of our
Government our columns cannot be better en-
Moved Than in pointing ont BY what means iEeh
Improvement may be effected
Nothing else exerls, in this country, an m
duence unon popular sentiment So omn potent
for good or Tor evil, as the newspaper press
The public haraneues OF politicians make, II
i ,rue no inconsiderable impression. But their
eaec, is confined 10 times OF high perry excite
men,; il does not, then, extend 10 all sections OF
The land-anG the newspapers furnish most oil our
s,ump orators with their facts and their argu-
menls.
Eminent individuals may DO much 10 improve
The condition Of the people: but their persona IN
fuence is small, compared with that which ihey
exer; through the press. It is in the power oil
great man, if the sphere OF his acquaintance De
extended, 10 change the views OF hundreds, per
hans by wha, he SAYS in conversation: millions
feel The force of what nc prints in lie papers
II he makes speech, the press is me venice
which bears il 10 his constituents, which gives II
10 the world Ii he wants TO remove popular
prejudice. he mus: address lhc people BY Inc press
Ifhe has important reforms 10 propose, or WISH
&C 10 buihl M new systems for their benefit lGe
peonle mus. be spoken TO; they constitute The
final arpsa,e ,ribunal-,hey are the supreme
oow,r in Amcrica-and their Minister, their or
gan of communication. is Tie newspaper press.
A powerful influence is exerted upon The cha
rac,er Of its citizens BY the educational system OF
a country. But this, TOO, must, in our Republic,
greatly depend, Tor lis efficiency, upon the news
naper press In most the States, the common
school system is defective; in ALL it admits OF
improvement; and while party wrangles con-
sumo The time and talents OF our Legislators, an
alarming apathy exists in the great cause Of cdu-
cation. II these defects are to be removed-if
this apathy is 10 be ever changed into action, the
nrcss must be The lever 10 effect it lis inces-
SAINT arpeals must awaken the people 10 The i'm
porance of the subjec.-and public opinion, aid
ed by The ballo,-box, will compel all classes OF
politicians TO lend their sincere cooperation to
further the good work Of popular instruction.
Standard works and public documents are &C
cessible 10 few Few are fitted by education 10
receive beneG, from their perusal. In thousands
Of log cabins throughout the land, no book will be
found-in thousands, none calculated 10 develope
the mind or form the opinions on subjects OF i'm
portance. But newspapers find their way into
every nook Of the country. They reach the
mounaineer on his cliff, the pioneer in the viii
derness. They pass from hand TO hand, from
| cabin 10 cabin-are discussed with coffee al The
breakfast table, with brandy at The groS-shop
Even valuable books are suffered TO moulder
| from disuse on dus,-covered shelves, while vapid
journals are lhumbed into fragments BY multi
plici,y of readers. Folos and quarlos deter by
their method, brighten By their size: papers come
in The most alluring form, al the most seasonable
hour. and their columns hold sufficient variety to
CRAFTY the tastes Of all. The gay city belle would
not lake up the paper 10 scan its advertisements;
the grey-headed merchant would not consult il
| for the fashions; the love-sick schoo-boy does
MOI read essays upon the Tariff; nCr does the
heated politician dwell on stories OF romance
But each one will soon find other things 10 attract
attention besides The subject for which The jour
nal was referred TO- When one has seated him
self and opened paper, breach is made in the
fortress ofhis aziness. II is less trouble 10 him
TO continue reading than il would be 10 change ms
occupation. The eye Involuntary glances from
I. column 10 column The butcher learns more
than The price of pork; the planter learns more
than the state fthe cotton market. The plough.
boy sees some thrilling anecdole-some phy
apothecm; chord of reflection is touched in his
brain, The slumbering fires Of his genius are en-
kindled The description OF new invention
meets The young mechanics eye; his ambition re-
ceives slimulus-his creative faculties are pu
in motion.
The influence Of the newspaper press is moi
confined 10 the sphere of politics. it extends 10 the
heart, 10 the character TO the mind. Newspapers
control the moral judgments as well as The polili
. cal opinions Of numbers; they furnish many with
every notion which they Go not derive from inter.
course with others or their own observation
Thousands, old and young, partake Of no intellec-
tual food bu, thai which they derive from the jour
mails Of the day; and upon these, the influence Of
The mess is The more nowerlul as il is The less