The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-07-26
A.Good Newspaper

The Rev. Mr.: BurnaP i'll he = II -
png Men," says: j., -, a,
of erhaps oug ght to beg pardon ofthe SHADE te
ve,rly aotus when ayo%, that censlaercsee
ysa. 1,onas iStents Of one good newspaper, as
ssm reason - @ ror RI than all he ever wfotes lis
that hath the Sstorjsh @ compliment tths 81 press Is
in the.journals of9no 10. IU i mare important
Etohim than history eeas ,s asst :. aoas sTbe lat
ter,is not wthoutits s,e pass a g norfsnce for
though the history of the :. ~ ~ natteThow
remote, may be accountes nasio"s reading
| yetiit is not merely So sAs-aTsc scinl;ne Of tie
mind aloneit is useful; but-it isS. tbs IassonsS
which it teaches, the revelatioas dss .ha racter
which it hangs out forthe guidance osSrates.
showing the havens to be sought. and The sfeals
rocks, whirpools and qucksands to be ayoidecS
that its. greatest. Importance consist. =. =
Apart from these uses, the, ,persuat Of the his
tory of the past is no better than novel read
ing, butvicwed as: an aid IN shaping present
conduct. .studiedi connection with currentshis-
tory it appears o,us not only important but
indispensable to both the; Statesman and Nor.
alst-to allwbose position and abilities enable
them to affect; the public mind and the, public
interests, ,sfor veal or woe Ahdaywe have no
doubt, that the reverend author himself is Of
the same opinion: whle:we agree fully with
lin, that historical reading Hshould begin not
with the men ofour own time" Here then we,
are brought back to the, newspaper Itwere
unnecessary for US to waste words in giving
any reasons additional to that mentioned by
the author, for agreeing in his opinion relative
to the.value-of a newspaper. Such a one
.one truly worthy Of theSuane does contain the:
current history Of its owns times Todeserve.
the character, it must be impartial, industrious
seeking truth, and thataonly, through every ac:
cessible avenue. +;sE$ z.,ss.a ,, ss9'
1t must have no partial purpose to serve re-,
quiring the aid of sophistry inargument, rthe.
perversion of occurring facts for, its advance.
ment. Itmust consider itself as lighting its
lamp not alone for the. present time 1.-THE minds,
formed under its guidance now, &illbe called,
to actnot for themselves alone, but for poster
ty the future historian will look to it rillu@
mination, to aid.in directing the conduct ofhis
own times, by the lesson it may afford, and
other lands will search by its aid for, our pres,
ent conduct and character; how. important
does it not appear, that its light Should not be:
false To one holding such views the condf
tion ofthe newspaper press in The country must
bring reflections anything but agreeable. He;
sees both the past and current history efhis own
country daily falsifed, ,Swhie the passing events
of other lands are given with all fidelity to
truth, which is afforded by 1.-The means of OBJ:
tanning information; and while ample justice is
done to the eminent men of other nations,
the beneiactorsy of his own are treated as IL
or the DenItentiafy.- -TIe rs cOrue1IHeu 10 tle'
pain of bearing the odium character abroad 6y
those who .deduce the characters ofthe people
at large from that given to. our most eminent 'nt
public men by partial historians of the present
time, bv men here who would traduce our ma. !.
tional faith, nJure domestic business and rum,
our credit in the eyes Of other nations, if.such
course should seem necessary to the advance.
ment of a particulyr purpose, such as the OBJ.
tainment of political power by one party or
set of men, or the retaining oft by another:-
The public taste. has been, and is fast be-
coming improved; and the: time is not distant,
when good newspaper" deemed byone scho-
lar or gentlemen at least more valuable than
ali the writings at present. People are in.
creasins in the desire andrapacity to exercise
their own Judgment; and they cannot long con-
time to purchase falsehood and dictation at
dear rate, while truth and freedomin mind can col
be had cheap. - r.