Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-05-08
The Duties of the Press.

Under the above heading the New Orleans
Della publishes the following sensible remarks:
i" Many persons have very extensive idea
of the duty of editors. They think it is the
chief function of that much prosecuted frater-
nifty to reform all abuses and evils, to examine
into all complaints and grievances, and to
avenge all wIongs, public or private, general
or individual In fine, in their view, an editor
should be a Hercules, to go forth, and, by his
individual exertons, abate all the plaques that
afflict mankind. AS humble workers in this
responsible position, we desire to disclaim any
such views of our powers and duties. The
frequent complaints of particular evils, the
eternal bores 10 which we are subjected by
persons who are troubled by some particular
grievance, induce US to define our position and
views on this question.
"Every day, often in our editorial Office,
and more frequently when we trust ourselves
on the streets, We are assaulted by some we'll
meaning person with the inquiries, why don't
you come out against that thing or that per-
son1 why don't you look into that horrible act
of malfeasance of public officerl why do you
allow that judgment (in which the interrogation
is no doubt party) to pass by without COM
ment or censure1 in fine, why don't you give
your particular and special attention to my lit
tie grievance in preference 10 the thousand
others which may be dinned in your earsr
"These inquiries are addressed to us with
all the assumption and importance of regular
subscriber, who pays us the very handsome
sum of ten dollars year, or, perhaps, of an
advertiser; and in that case, the interrogation
is even more rigorous. WELL we reply,
that seems TO be pretty hard case. But is
there not another side to the question: 'Of
course not Perhaps so; but suppose we
launch out against the evil you complain of,
and we prove to be in error 4 Then Ill see
you through the business Very well, we
are permitted, then, to make use of your name
as our authority1' 'Oh, no, no l don't wish
to get in the papers. You can examine the
matter yourself we would if we had time,
but we have not; but, if you will get all the
facts il authentic form, we will examine them,
and if the matter calls for comment, we will
give it, This, Of course, the complainant has
no time to do, and so he leaves, muttering
something about the timidity of the press, its
Indifference to public grievances, or its general
corruption.
ho tn he
do not aspire to be general reformers. We
have not the time or power, if we had the in
cination, to expose and denounce tithe of
the evils that exist in the world. We like to
undertake no more than we can perform-
People or papers who are eternally abusing
every body and every thing, become, after
while, like the boy in the fable, who, when
the wolf really came, cried in vain for help
After all, there is more of good than evil in
this world, and we prefer the pleasure of ex-
hbting the former TO nauseating on the latter.
This, however, does not relieve US of the
duty of exposing and denouncing, from good
motives, notorious acts of malfeasance, wrong
doing or corruption. We say from good mo-
tives; by this we mean without personal feel
ings, without vituperation and malice
"There is another duty, however, of pub
lie journal which is not sufficiently appreciated
by many persons it is that of impartiality-of
a thorough examination of every subject to be
commented on. Editors must look into all
subjects, especially those relating to individn-
ais, with the temper of judges, swaying to
neither side, but hearing both and giving fair
and full showing to both parties. We are
frequently pestered by people who wish us to
rush into controversy on their statement of
case; but when responsibility is incurred,