The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-03-11
WORTHY OF REMEuBRANcr.

Our excellent friend, J. A. BRisGs, Esq
Of Cleveland, lately wrote letter 10 rath.
ering Of printers that has much sound wisdom
and good sense in it. We copy few para.
graphs and commend them to the attention OF
all:
Every young man who is graduate Of o
well-regulated newspaper office, should be
qualified, when he is twenty-onc years old, to
conduct newspaper. 1t is Ia fact, that, until
within few years, all the editors Of newspa-
pers in this country were printers. Joseph
Gales, the able and accomplished editor Of the
National Intelligencer, is practical printer
and for all most half a century, has published
the model paper OF the world Horace Creole,
is noble example for young printers to im
tate. He had no advantages Of BIRTH Of edu
cation, of wealth, of family. But by life o.
daily toll at the case, and the press, and the
desk; and by industry, integrity, virtue anC
communion with books and papers, he ha:
made himself one of the PEERS of our mighty
realm, and with his TRIBUNE welJs more po
litical influence than any editor in our Union
Let me say frankly and candidly, that in my
opinion, the abolition of the old apprenticeship
system is working no good to your profession
nor to society. That old system was a rigid
one, and many things about it hard for the
flesh and spirit to bear; g. yet it was a school,
of selt-denial, of economy, and of hope, in
which it was well for the young man to be
educated. Ipresume can make the asser-
ton without any doubt Of its truth, that the
best and most accomplished printers in this
Union, are men who served a regular appren-
tceship. You cannot make go3d, steady, in
tclligent, elegant printers without this system
have said there were many things about it
that used to be hard. But it is well to bear
burthens when we. are young, as it gives
strength to carry more weight in after years.
~ A regular term Of apprenticeship should be
prerequisite for employment in every office
Were this the rule, You would have better
printers, better men, and intemperance and
it's kindred vices, would not be frequent among
printers. But as the practice now is, it leads
to unsteady, wandering lives, throws young
men, or rather boys, out into the world, before
they have strength to battle with, or virtuous
principles to resist, its many temptations, and
thus many are ensnared, engulfed, destroyed
Wherever they are they are restless spirits:
not being good workmen, they complain Of
their wages, are iormest in all strikes and are
always tax upon the sober and industrious.
AS "travelng jours," they call for "help," g.
when hey get "job," they only remain long
enough to obtain money for "a drunk or 'a
start"
In conclusion, let me say, if printers would
elevate and ennoble their profession; if they
would make all Of its members useful respec-
table, honorable, they will at once adopt regu-
lar apprenticeship system, that shall have as
much uniformity as possible throughout our
country.
You may deem my opinions antiquated.
They are at least honestly entertained, and be
lieved to be correct. With many thanks for
your kind invitation, believe me,
Yours truly,
JAMES A. BRIGGS.