The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-03-01
The MeWsnanar.

l .
try. But really, all put together, they are
nothingto the NEWSPAPER. We speak
not Of any existing newspaper, least Of all,
OF ours. 1t is only day-bral1e with news
paperdom. Its sun is about to rise. The
hight only comes in streaks. Yet, even
now, 1t is the newspaper that does nine
tenths Of the teaching, preaching and gov
erning. 1t is the light of every man and
every woman's life-the every day light.
All Libraries are not much now 10 the news
paper. 1t is to the editor to whom all now
60 to get their opinions forged out, in the
rough, at least. This is no denial of the
independence ofmanlfind generally We
don't say the public swallow of course what
every newspaper says. No danger Of that
But take newspaperdom generally, SO far
as any individual comes in contact with it,
his opinion is the compounded result Of its
discussion.
1t is said that the corps editorial only
re-echo the popular voice-each catching
up a portion thereof Not exactly so.
Bunkumvillc is not the only village that
has an 'Independcnt Echo" Editors, able
or feeble, are in great measure self-nspir-
ed prophets, and more than any other class
originate the influence which moves man.
kind.
Is the intellectual and moral force of the
newspaper, as it now exists, worthy of the
immense advantage which its position gives
i! We will not complain Of the want of
editorial seminaries totrain young editors
for their responsible posts, nor that every
ambitious blunder-head who thinks he can
get money or fame by it takes up the quill
and the scissors. Time cures that-shortly.
The chair editorial may be called the very
stool Of education, as we'll as Of penitence.
MANY man has learned more self lnowl-
edge there in a week than he ever did be-
fore.-Of the multitudes who try the life
editorial, the public at last has the very
cream.
Still, no newspaper has yet realised the
great idea of the thing. We have news
papers for parties, for sects, for classes, for
professions; we want a newspaper for all.
That is the prime, fundamental, essential
idea of the thing-a daguerreotype Of the
great world as tits. A quoddam commune
ricul,tua, an all pervadlng cement Of socl-
ETY..
1t is only small part Of an editors duty
10 make known his own opinions. That
he might do in book. That he should do
in his newspaper, Of course, or he IS not
qualified for his post. Buthis great admission
is to bring out in the same sheet, distinctly
and truly, and in all their own force, the
opinions and sentiments Of all the classes,
sects, and parties, which mingle in the
movements aud struggles oflife. Without
unshipping his own faith, or sitting his own
sympathies, he should manage 10 bring out
in fair and just proportion the thoughts and
feelings Of all extremes and all means OF so
ciety, that his reader may be instructed,
and really know what is going on IN every
part of it. His business IS not to supply
ignorance, Of which bis readers have en-
ough already, but facts and verlties.
If law, politics, medicine and divinity
should have their pick Of talents, much
more the press. He who, having the means,
shall have tie wisdom to combine into one
sheet, for the instruction and amusement Of
all a selection from the best talents ol all
+, sorts, always employing to write on the sub
iect uppermost il the public mind at the
j time. the man who knows most about II, cost
what it may, will begin to realize what
the press can do. Were the subject right
" taken hold Of and half dozen OF Hoe
fastest presses put to their possibles, to print
papers edited on the omnibus principle,
and laying the best ofall sorts OF talent un-
: der contribution, the party press would cease
to exist. To that it must come at last.
The newspaper will rise above party and I'D
sect, and be the great area on which all will
meet to study each other. It must become
the organ not only Of the latest intelligence
and the freshest gable, but Of the profound
est thought.
When we think Of what newspaper
ought 10 be and might be, and then OF what
the sheet now before you, kind reader, is
we feel small enough. We are ready tc
sink through any little knot hole out o
such responsibility. But then we com
fort ourselves that if you don't like our slack
: baked Johnny cake, we can say to you a;
: a Yankee woman once said to us, "Iain
: short cake | know, that never had no
thing to do with.
The longer we live the nearer we ap
: proach the conclusion, that it requires {
! great many men to make newspaper sucf
as it should be.-B0St0n Chfo'rofgpe.