The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-06


cs.y--at le4stA within ths period Of my reeollec-
ton, if not within that specified By him.
maintain that y proportion as it has acquired
influence and power, it has los rs integrity and
its decency. r. has now become in great
measure the generator as well as the organ Of
public sentiment, and the most potent ola the
engines of popular government A eomblna-
ton OF the public press, though II may not be
able to persuade the people that black is the
white Of your eye, can so pervcrt and mystiiy
the most obvious truths, that it is impossible to
detect the real color Of anything The people
no longer think for themselves, or resort TO
those safe and uncring guides, which God has
implanted in the mind of every rational being.
Instead of bringing their reason, and their COM
mon sense---which is the result Of experience
and reason combined--to bear on any political
subject, they resort to newspaper, which in al
most all cases is the mere organ OF party, and
and as such never permit anything to appear
in its columns that does not accord with the
interests Of its patrons, except for the purpose
of holding it up to public execration. 4,
All persons of reflection and experience must
have observed TINT to pass ones life, or sue
ccssion Of years, in seeing and studying but one
side Of question, almost invariably contracts
the mind, and generates the most narrow, IN
yeterate prejudices Nay, both in religious and
political concerns, 1t not unirequently produces
species Of monomania; and if 1t does not
IT ake madmen, procreates a plentiful crop Of
bigots in faith, and exclusives in politics. Hence,
it must inevitably happen that those who see but
one ucwspaper--which is mostly the case with
all our rural popnlation--are led blindly by the
nose at the pleasure of the oracle: or if they sec
at all, IL is only through his spectacles. The
best guides for an interrupted people, is their
own good sense and good principles
Were these oracles sincere in the principles
they PROFOUND to the people, and actuated by
patriotic regard to what they believed the true
interests of their country, their influence might
still be- on the whole, salutary. But this, |
fear-nay, ! know--is not generally the case.
| don't mean to condemn them indiscriminately,
for | am aware there are some-perhaps many
But il is perfectly notorious that the newspaper
press, as body, is not Independent, and, there
fore, not to be relied upon as monitor and
guide to the people. Every one who sees what
is passing before him, knows that large portion
of newspapers are established by political lead
ers pot for the purpose of proclaiming and de-
Tending the rights Of the whole people Of the
Union, but administering to the personal inter-
est and ambition of those on whom they depend.
If it is necessary TO that object, to advocate the
truth, very well but if to maintain false issues
and false principles, why, very well too-the
oracle is equally expert at either. Those who
have most distinguished themselves in the cleo
ton of President, or in directing the policy Of
a State, are pretty sure to come in for share
of the oaves aud fishes. This we see every
day. The diplomatic corps abounds with exam-
Piles of this species Of Executive gratitude, and
Congress is no longer the fruitful soil whence
these thrifty shrubs are transplanted. The other
departments of Government are also plentilully
sprinklcd with editors Of newspapers, who have
been thus rewarded for enlightening or deceiv-
ing the people, as the case may be. 1t may, in
fact, be truly said, that the public press has be-
come the centre of power--and wherever that
is found, there is the focus of corruption.
With this power, and these temptations, it is
not to be wondered at that the newspaper press
has gradually degenerated in political morality,
while it has greatly improved in talent. But
this only makes it the more dangerous. An in
strument Of such prodigious power--one which
requires all the combined force Of European
despotsm to kee., il down, is all but omnipo-
tent for good or for evil. If melted by wisdom,
integrity, and patriotism, it is benefactorand a
blessing to mankind; if by a sordid and grow
cling selfi,lncss, by sectaran feelings, or by
principled ambition, it is the curse of all curses
the traitor Of all traitors-the third and last
Adam, whose transgressions will bring either
dcspotsm, or anarchy, ruin, and desolation on
the human race. When the press unites in pro-
claiming the truth, it is the trumpet of the arch
angel when it combines in support Of a lie, it
is no better than the freeing Of iends.
There, Mr. MoRsE, have thrown Tub to the
whale, in hopes Of making diversion in your
favor. All ask Of you in return is, to use
your best efforts to modify Che postage bill so as
to produce the greatest convenience and econ
omy to the people at large, rather than to privi-
legged orders. And have only to say to you,
Mcssrs. Editors, that if you publish this, you
may not be as bold as the member from Louis
lana, but you will certainly be as dsinterested
as your humble servant, who, in order to dodge
the porcupinc quilts, begs leave to subscribe
himself NOBODY.
s-y" Our correspondent Nobody is evil
IDENTIFY somebody" in what the western folks
call "a scrimmage:" and has come most man
sailant Of newspaper-don.