The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-20
The Daily Press.

cans of thought, and influence, and mediums
through which to become acquainted with the
nass;np events of their times. Go back as
far as we may we shall find that men longed
for information-and strove by all means to
acquire it. Even as far back as the Medean
and Persian Empire, we read of couriers who
were sent by the powerful and wealthy, to
bring them news from distant nations. Da-
RUS L., the son of Hystaspes, had couriers,
with saddled horses, to stand ready at differ
ent stations throughout his Empire, situated
one days journey from each other, insorder
to obtain news from the provinces without
delay. Similar means were resorted to by
the Roman Emperors, to obtain intelligence
ofpassing events in distant parts OF their do
minions. 1t was soon found that these couri-
ers, with their news from all nations lumber
ing at their backs" could accommodate only
q few-the few that were able to employ
them There were no people in those days
to combine and carry out plans for gathering
information for themselves. The rich and the
powerful could, at long intervals. hear the
..news''-but even the comparatively enlight-
ened Greeks and Romans could not. by any
systematic means, satisfy their longings for
information of events occurring III distant
places. Old Herodotus, of Halicarnassus,
seems to have been the earliest, or, rather,
most eminent newsmonger among the Greeks.
But he had to travel for years to find small
number of facts-and perhaps his whole nine
books, SO much cherished by his countrymen'
contain less solid information than we now
can gather from the columns of single num-
Der of daily newspaper. And we have no
doubt that our brother, Syme, beginning with
the ''reap-hook,' which he remembers so
well, and with the aid of his Intelligencer,
might compile, with but little effort, far
more interesting work than that of HerOdo-
tus.' The ancients were as fond of news as
the moderns but the day had not yet arrived
when they could, without stint, crafty their
curiosity Paul himself declares that "all the
Athenans and strangers at the Areopagus,
spent their time in nothing else, but either to
tell, or to hear some new thing 1t was not
until 1868 that the art was discovered of Civ
ing news to the masses in systematic and
regular manner This idea was original with
the Venetians. Information received was
drawn up by scribes in written Sheets (nottzae
scritte,) and these were read, in an appointed
place. to all who wished to hear the news, at
the small price ola ga@etta-a small coin no
longer in use. This means of spreading news
continued long after the invention of print
ing.
Even after the invention of metallic types
it was long before newspapers (which TOOK
the place of the noti=ie scratte) came INTO gen
eral circulation. They were seldom relia BILE,
and issued at distant intervals. indeed their
want of truth was so great as to give rise W
well known German proverb, whieh Is
sometimes used, even to this day "er "St
4rie gedruckt,"-(h lies like print 1t
requires great stretch of creduilty 10 sup
pose it applicable to any portion OF the I'M
maculate press of modern times.
We do not propose, in this articie 10 enter
upon the history of newspapers although the
subject is one of great interest. Our object
is simnlv to call attention to the vast change
which has taken place in Journalism within
the last forty or fifty years. Go back even to
1900, and what was newspaper What
were even the best city Journals None
were larger than the DAILY DISPATCH, and
none were printed more than once week.
They were printed on large uncouth type, on
miserable paper, and contained less matter
than one page of our paper. The "news"
contained in them was from a week to
.walvemonths old. It was no uncommon
thing to see in a New York paper, Ninety
DAYS later from Europe Three weeks lat
err from Jamaica, -" A fortnight later from
Albany A modern journalist would con
slider items of such an age as almost forming
part of ancient history. But we should re
member that in those days were no steam
boats no telegraphs, no railroads.
Without going into the intermediate his
tory of Journalism, and noticing the gradual
Improvement which has occurred, let us
merely see what the Newspaper has become
in our day. 1t is no longer the slow coach, >
the messenger Of doubtful tidings, that once
week, spreads before its readers the news
Of last week or last month. 1t has become
the great enlightener Of the world. It's eye is
everywhere and its ear ever open, to catch
the first murmurs of coming intelligence
The world looks to it, as to its oracle. The
time has gone by when the great heaving
masses of men that populate this globe are
dependent upon the oral and occasional in.
struction of a few enlightened minds. In the
middle ages men had no other resource
There was no sitting of truth, little knowledge
of facts, and no discussion could arise where
all were of one opinion, for the same reason
that all colors agree in the dark
How different with the men of this day
The daily paper tells whole community be
fore breakfast what has happened within tn
last twenty four hours, over half continent
and what has occurred within few week
in the most distant regions of the earth
The art Of printing has been well called tn
Art preseryaiiye Of all Arts. 1t fnrnishe
genius wings wlierewith to soar; It embalm
the better portions Of the wise and great, pre-