New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-30

nish, more capable Of discovering and ac-
knowledging the good deeds or intentions OF
a party antagonist, than waists prototype OF
1871, 1911 or 1881. journals Of opposite
convictions still earnestly and pointedly
differ, as they should; bat there IS far less
of invective. sweeping denunciation and
vindictive personality embodiedin their dis
cussions and reel procal criticisms than Tor
merly. The readers Of the more influential
journals Of either party are no longer taught
to regard the candidates and leaders OF the
opposite party as necessarily villains, out
laws and traitors. There is remaining
substratum of the Press which discourses
very much in the old way, but it does not
enjoy very marked consideration; while
the practice of publishing the most import
ant statistics, the most essential documents
relied on by the adverse organization has
given to the leading journals a character
and a consideration formerly unknown. 1t
has come to be understood that the first
duty Of Journalist IS to lay before his read
ers all the facts material to the formation
of q Just judgment on questions Of public
policy, afterward prohering such comments
as are calculated to elucidate and enforce
their lessons. The aids thus afforded by
the journals to the formation of a judgment
on any public question are immeasurably
greater now than they were forty years ago.
But with the expansion of our own Coun-
try and the march of Civilization render
ing the interests of communities more nu-
merous and complicated than formerly, the
necessity for ample and accurate informa-
ton on public affairs is also increased. 1t
is more difficult for an ignorant man to vote
safely, and less likely that he will do So
than it was in the last age. He needs an
acquaintance with a great variety OF facts;
he needs not only to know that these facts
exist, but to be qualified to give each Its
proper weight and prominence. Wrong
judgments are usually based on the excess
sive and distorted consequence accorded to
certain isolated truths. To be qualified for
a safe discharge of his electoral response
bilities, voter must be sure not only that
his party prepossessions are based on facts
but that these facts are held in due accord
ance with and relation to all other facts
which bear vitality on the questions at issue.
This, therefore, is the condemnation Of
much of the light reading of the day;
not that it is absolutely, necessarily per-
nicious, but that it often tempts to the ne
elect and disesteem of writings far more es-
sential We believe there was no volume
of sermons or professedly devotional exer-
cises published in 1850 which OF itself is
calculated to influence so many young
minds bene6cially-to teach them to trust
in Virtue and loathe the ways of Vice-as
Dickenss David Copperield;' and yet
youth who devotes all his reading hours to
works Of Imagination, even though each
were in itself so wholesome as this, would
enter upon the stage of responsible action
most wretchedly qualified for the discharge
of his civil and social duties. And thus an
exclusive addiction to the magazine and
kindred periodical literature OF our day can
have no other result than to unfit its de-
voices for true and beneficcnt lives. As
well might our youth of both sexes be nour-
ished exclusive on sugar and its various
products as accustomed to read onl y novels,
tales, poems, &c. with meager synopsis
of transporting events, in the vain presump-
ton that, because such reading is attrac-
tive, and usually not immoral, it will suf-
fee of itself to qualify them for an enlighs-
ened and conscientious discharge of the
diversified responsibilities Of life.
We think our influential and public
spirited citizens are remiss in performing
their duty to the Political Press. Many
of them will freely spend their hundreds
of dollars in Presidential canvass to difuse
through their several Counties the views
of public policy they deem correct and
important, when they might have effected
their end far more certainly and at COM
paratively no expense, had they in concert
and seasonably promoted the circulation
therein of such journals as would most
ably, efficiently have presented these
views. There are few Counties in the
Union in which the circulation of able Po-
itical Journals might not be doubled by
concerted effort of their most influential
and public-spirited citizens-none in which
such circulation would not make itself
manifest in future Elections. The chief