Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-07-10
Published every Thursday
Neutral

On the subject of political neutrality in periodicals,
the Albany Atlas makes these sensible remarks, in an
article concerning the Democratic Monthly Reviews
"The Democratic Review has acquired, during an
existence of six or seven years, a high reputation with
the reading public. 1t claims to be, and desires TO be
considered a political journal. tits received as such,
and the public support il as such, with a liberality
would not be extended to a merely literary enterprise.
The success of the work shows that in this country,
as in England, literature must identify itself with
politics. Not only the established Quarterly Reviews
Of England, but the monthly magazines are political,
and the poets, travellers and essayists of England
almost universally array themselves, or are forced by
this system, under the hostile banners of the Govern
ment or the opposition. 1t Is only the most inferior
and e~phemeral portion of the periodical literature of
England that is without a political character. Ii was
thought a heresy some years since, by the overwise of
our own country, to unite politics with Literature, and
our Quarterly Reviews feared so much to be political,
that they were not even national-they. became poor
copyists of the feeblest literary talk Of the British
Reviewers" fa.-
These observations apply with much greater force
to newspapers than 10 magazines. The notion that
a newspaper. emitting to take part in matters which
are of chief importance to the community, can be
more interesting or more useful than those which
make such discussions a prominent feature, is absurd;
and could hardly be tolerated by a mind of more
stamina than that of a loye-sick novel-reading girl.
Political papers may occasionally be coarse and
abusive towards opponents, it is true; but this very
collision may nevertheless serve to bring out the true
fire Of the flint. Such abuse and coarseness, is but
the mere effervescence of antagonistic principles, and
in most instances only tends to render ~pungently
agreeable to many what otherwise might be nauseous
and insipid. He who supposes that the great mass of
sensible and intelligent people of this country will
forego participation in the discussion of subjects of
primary importance TO their political and social we'll
being, for vain and frivolous amusement of any
description. only displays great weakness, and will
find himself in the end miserably mistaken. IF it be
true, that he is a b~enefactor of mankind who merely
causes two blades of grass to grow where one only
would be produced naturally, how much more honora-
BILE and benefcent is that vocation which leads men to
seek out new principles and means of human
improvement and happiness, or even to assist in
applying to that end, the principles and means already
established and recognized! 1t is such considerations
as these, latent if not expressed, which influence
the conductors of political periodicals, especially
of a liberal order of sentiment, and of those who aid
and support them and it will be a lamentable era for
the free institutions of this country when the reverse
shall be true, and the people shall become content with
a parlor and boudoir literature, instead of one built
upon the sublime basis of human liberty and progress.