New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-30

American q more q Jcsr4aIst, that is. a writer
who ssizes upon TIE events Of the day and holds
them Up now IN this aspect now in that aingng
% them the nost condensed and lively hght he
does not seek 70 make elaborate essays; bis anbi-
tion hes rot in fne writing; he sPe0ds no loag
hours in polishing The tarn Of bis periods All thst
preszPposes certsin degree Of leisure AID perhaps
hind Of taste TO which he Is a stranger. At any
rate, he hes too many things to look after too many
subjects 70 discuss, too large round Of affairs to
understand ard write about 70 caltivate with assi
duty the mere perfumeries snd pigeon wings Of
his profession. From necessity he had rather %
brief and pointed than elegant aud classical; his
best triumph as a writer, is an occasional felicity
which 10, after al, often AZ accident Il is re.
nHrkable that the only paragraph writers are
Americans. In fact paragraphs are q natural In
veHtion Of the more youthful period Of journalism
before great variety Of talent or thorough study
and treatment Of subjects are required in the edi
orslcolumns ofpewspspers. Thetendency seems
to be to abandon them ~ the Press 10 improved.
Take for instance file OF any leading London jour
raj Of sixty or even thirty years ago and you will
find these brief pithy editorials quite frequent
though the same paper has since ceased 10 use
them. And yet e paragraph Of two or three
brief sentences viii often have more force and pro-
duce greater effect the convictions OF It's read.
ers than the same idea expanded .hroagh two or
three columns, though set forth with the richest
resources Of the language and illustrated and sup
ported by all the suggestions Of Wit and learning
Not that the whole warfare OF journalism can BE-
accomplished with light weapons. But toe Editor
should have every sort Of arms in bis arsenal and
hAow when to strike with the small sword and
when TO IRE onhis big guns For the rest this kind
Of writing requires genius do il in perfection
Many quil-driver will turn of indefinite length,
Of correct and even elegahs English, not defcen.
in sense either, who cannot achieve a dozen lines,
such as everybody shall read aud nobody sorsetthe
pointof Well this sort Of writing is peculiarly
American. German or French paper may EN-.
poy it, but never in its editorial columns nor on
subjects which have q serious importance. Con.
ceive If you can Of genuine paragraph among the
editorial articles of the London Times, or the Jour.
nal des Debats. The thing is impossible; il would
be against all the rules il would infringe on the
stately dignity Of the journal. The American Edi.
tor is luckily shackled by no such considera-
ton. On the contrary, he prefers an article OF
ten lines to one Of ten hundred, provided he
can thereby bit the nail on the head. And If
be has one or two long articles, be seeks TO
relieve them by several short ones Thus his solid
leader some question requiring thorough discus
sion, may be preceded by one or two paragraphs
on subjects Of most immediate importance. By
this means his more elaborate and carefuIly reason
ed articles are as it were, combined with matters
Of universal interest and gain force and freshness
from the connection. And, indeed, he feels himself
under no absolute obligation to have "leader at
all. His first business ia to have the news, that
being what the public most desires to read, and
accordingly be does not hesitate TO occupy the col.
umns else given TO his own disquisitions, with the
latest and most important intelligence that has
reached him, whether il be 10 the shape Of tee.
graphic dispatch or the letter Of correspondent.
American journalism is no less remarkable for
its variety and comprehensivenen than the Ger.
man. 1t has, perhaps, an even greater range Of
subjects, at the same time that II s superior In
certain living interest with which II treats them.
The American regards nothing with indifference,
and even where he does not take sides a parti
san, he carries with him degree Of genuine SYM
PATTY 10 the event and its actors which renders him
an excellent observer and reporter. He Is no dull
snalyser, and sees the thing before he attempts to
speculate on n philosophy and consequences. He
10 the most practical Of men, and thus bis enthus.
asm-of which he has a large stook-conoen.rates
itself upon persons and deeds, and makes him
almost. part Of the occurrence he describes. His
element is action, and his method rapidity. His
al ness il he has one, too exct&be patriotism,
and the habit OF forever gloriylng his country its
Institutions and it's people, as If they stood in need
Of laudaton, as well Of rather iercey or even gas
eousy resentiDg any foreign diTespecs to thesame,
a. II bis own confidence in their parssve supe-
riority were somewhat shsky. This fault howev.
en- grows out Of certain mmsturity OF tho national
and with the rapid rate A. which
cur journalism goes ahead 10 ought soon TO be free
Of such imPoltic exsggersiious
1t is true that our American brevity, speed, and
variety, are too often accompanied by a superficial
apprehension Of idess, and an imperfect knowt
edge Of facts, especially such as have happened at
distance characteristics nstural to youth than
creditable 10 the energy and pretensons Of man.
hood, and which may well make as regret the pen
etration Of the French, and the thorough informs.
ton Of the Germans. But these are faults which
every day helps to diminish, and which must
soon be reduced 70 mere exceptions Moreover,
they are faults which Indicate deficient organizs-
ton in the editing Of newspapers quite as much as
personal deficiency In the writers Most Of our
ie aiding pspers have hitherto depended on single
individuals, not merely TO give the tone 10 their
columns bat also to write almos. everything In the
wsy Of editorials. Bot this has already changed
within few years, and is destined
to entire alteration The time will soon arrive, If
il has 10, arrived already, when the chief editor
Of daily paper, which aspires 10 circulation and
Influence, wIl bot Presume ? treat every topic that
sy arise, or to veDtureno every region Of thought