The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-17


Mr. Peter Crawford as Coun Gilman of the Eighteenth
district the grounds of illegality; bat for want
OF jurisdiction, il was decided that the professor be
permitted to withdraw his communication.
The steamship Franklin is TO lay over in this port
for the next trip, in order that she may be put in
thorough order for winter service. This is ia
vDrite steamer, has generally made good trips, aud
has afforded most excellent accommodations for pas
seugers.
Independent Journalism--The Party Press-
the New York Herald.
1t is not many days since we had occasion to
refer TO the Cincinnati Enquirer as one of a
class OF journals which mistake vituperation
for argument, and regard abusive personalities
as the most conclusive style of reasoning. We
classed il, five mistake not, with the Richmond
Enquirer and the Ohio Statesman, quoted
from each enough to show what sort Of men
their writer's were, and inferred from their de-
graded tone and total want Of intellectual vigor
that the party press was fast approaching its
downfall II is not likely that the Cincinnati
Enquirer would have been noticed a second
time in these columns had its language con-
tnued to exhibit the same vulgarity and indie
cency. Whether in consequence Of our rebuke,
however or from other causes, it has assumed,
in an article which we publish in another CO.
lumn, a tone more BETTING the organ Of large
circle Of respectable citizens and though it is
obvious, from the language applied to our
selves that the disguise of gentleman sat IN
easily on the writer, we think we may once
more venture to introduce the paper to our
readers.
The drift Of the article we copy may be sum-
med up in one sentence. The Enquirer main
tains that independent journals are generally
corrupt and mercenary, and are neither as ho
nest nor as reliable guides for the community as
the party press. We have constantly asserted,
on the contrary, and now repeat that indepcn-
dent newspapers are the highest form Of jour
palism; that party journals are blind guides
and that in every intellectual and highly civil
lied community the independent press is fast and
justly superseding all other periodical litera-
ture. This fact, we hold, is obvious from the
universal history of journalism. The first shape
that newspapers have assumed in their infancy,
in every country, has been that which the literal
teehhiS VI tuSii ihuiSatSS. pt,pCls VI UcWSj
local and foreign. and nothing more. Politicians
and parties soon discovered the service these
/" news letters" as they have been called, could
render to their cause. by expressing opinions as
well as narrating facts; and the vast difficulties
against which early journals have always had
to contend, supplied an equally cogent mo-
tive for the alliance on the part of
the newspaper. This led to bar
gain by which the politicians or the party,
in exchange Tor the written support of the
newspaper, agreed to give its proprietor their
pecuniary support and hence arose the party
press, which never pretended or could be any
thing more than tool in the hands of its
clique of supporters. A good party paper can
not be honest 1t must exaggerate on the one
side. and suppress on the other. 1t plays false
to its party if if publishes facts that are calcu-
lated to injure them. however important they
may be. 1t cannot afford to render justice to
its opponents /; for justice to them would often
be injury to its friends. 1t is bound to change
its course whenever the party choose to alter
their tactics and must often-as in the case OF
the Richmond Enquirer which styled Jackson
"a blood-thirsty tyrant at one time, and at
another hailed him as /" the conpeer Of Washing.
ton - exhibit the most ridiculous inconsistent
r. "a "a.