The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-08

man California Company of New York, and met his
of D. F, Wallace. of the same company Alexander II.
Baldwin, Of Elmira wounded by receiving the con-
tents Of gun fired ut another person lie viii recover
"REwARp1Ne EDITORS. Upon Gen. Jacksons
first election to the Presidency, several editors
were appointed to office. The Opposition" ut
tered grieyous complaints against this practice, de-
nounclng It as an innovation. let the practice was
no novelty, and the lOudest of the compliments
against General jackson had worked hard in the
ordinary business of partisan SANDER, and would
have been clamorous for office, had Mr. Adams
been elected At least, we infer this from witness
ing the alacrlty of these very compliments in de-
rson. And since General Taylor's election, not a
few editors, and some of them not little dlstln-
guished for their rancor during the campaign, have
been very busy at Washington in the usual routine
of officc-seeking and have also been very busy in
the newspapers, with little paragraphs and dts,
and it " is saids, about the nomination of this and
the appointment of that editor. If these gentlemen
may he relied on all the important offices are alrea-
dy monopolized by editors. But we trust that they
are doomed to disappointment; that the President
will make all legitimate distinctions between parti-
san services during the campaign, and capacity
and fidelity.
But should editors be excluded from office Does
the profession of an editor dsqualify for Office !
Must editors be prescribed class We say that,
as general rule, to which the exceptions should
be very few, editors ought to be excluded from
office and we would found the rule, upon the cor
rupting tendency of opening Office to editors, and
not upon their want OF qualifications for office.
Edltorship is profession of high responsibilities
and consequently requires no slight share of intel
lectua and moral instinct and cultivation. Editors
continually. urge. "the power of the press" con-
tnually strive to prove that the press is the most
powerful OF engines, and when free, will over:
power all fyrannes, reform all abuses, remove all
moral evils Making due allowance for profess
sgonsl exaggeraton, we certainly concede much
porer 10 The press; more than to any other inst-
tuition. And If II be thus powerful for good, it
/. equally powerful for evil If then thus powerful
:, certainly ought TO be in good hands, to insure
the exercise Of it's power for good, to prevent the
exercise Of its power for evil. Thus, as its power
and responsibilities are proporti0nate, the editorial
profession IL not within everybody capacity, more
than satcsnanship, the pulpit, or military com
mand. II few make good statesmen, good
clergymcn, good generals, few can make good
editors.
An editor is public teacher. In free country,
where newspapers abound, and where the public
seek light of the PRESS an editor should be able to
expound principles moral POLITICAL legal, and their
application to the details Of daily life lie should
know too much of moral philosophy, of law, both
raj science, history leadhis readers astray, or
to be incapable Of setting them right when led
astIay by others. He should be always ready,
with the proper principle, with, its application
to the case in hand with proper illustrations. His
gun should be always loaded, and sufficiently to
hit any mark, however high, however distant, how
ever large, however low, however small, however
near. And he should be bold, earnest, Just, devot-
ed to public good, with the highest estimate of his
responsibilities, and an nfexible determination to
consecrate his powers and opportunities to human
improvement, individual and social. All the devo-
ton, the. sesacrifice, the high aspiration. the
conservation OF self to great public end, which
are required of the clergyman, the physician the
teacher of the school, required still more of the
editor. The clergyman seeks the health of the
soul, the physician that OF the body, and the
thy in maturity and age. The editor seeks all
these, and therefore covers the field of each. But
he covers more. lie goes beyond the cergyman's
school, and seeks the health, physical and moral,
of his country, of the world We have not de-
scribcd an g Admirable Crichton," who appears
but once in centuries. We have indicated nothing
beyond the reach of respectable talents, enlarged
duty. Therefore we say that the world contains
men enough fit for editors but who, to be properly
qualified, must devote themselves to the editorial
profession, sole object, and not as an object Sc
condary and subservient to something else
All this being admitted, (and what enlightened
mind will deny 1t y how can an editor faithfully
fulfil his high mission, who makes politics tempo
IaLy trade, OF which the profit is to be office
With an office as his Interior object, soon to be
reached and to be reached as the reward of parti-
san services, and the resul of partisan success he
will place that success above all other consdcra-
tons, and will expect, when successful, to be re-
warded IN proportion TO zeal and activity. This
encourages him in aduation of his candidates,
SANDER of their opponents and brings him to that
detestable maxim, all is fair in politics." The
results are, corrupt, slanderous, vituperative
press, dishonesty in political action, deprivation of
morals, public and private. We would have edi-
tors continually feel that they are like the Judi
The reach of partizan promotion, too
high, too pure too proud to be reached by hope or
fear of partizan loss and gain Like the Judge the
editor should wear the ermine, robe too white to
be touched with impunity by the poluting hand of
political trade. lie who ought to be the master of
politicians, should be too proud of his high mission
TO be their hired servant. We commend this to the
notice ofhe President ofthe United States.-Phiia.
delphia Ledger.