The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-24


~ the European Journals-Russian Gold
I'm America.
The only journals in Europe that can be said
to en- oy any thing like freedom Of thought and
discussion are the English newspapers, but yet
they are very far fir m realizing our idea of
independence. Even the best and most widely
circulated Of them are the slaves of political
parties and clique, and we have seen how on
questions of vital interest to the country at
large, they are trammelled by the various views
and pre- udices of the particular sections of the
community on which their circulation depends
Any attempt to free themselves from the mar
row circle Of the influences by which they are
shackled, and to give effect to their own I'M
BIASED sentiments, is certain to be followed by
imputations of corruption and dishonesty, in
many instances but two well founded, for but
few have the moral courage to sacrifice their
material interests to the advocacy Of any par
ticular views at variance with those of the par
ties and coteries of which they are the organs
without being assured of some equivalent ad-
vantage.
Even the London Times, which monopolizes
the largest share of the public favor, owing to
the enterprise and ability with which it is con-
Quoted, has been unable to escape suspicious,
which its position ought to have ensured it
against and the extraordinary revolutions of
opinion that we from time to time witness in
the columns of that journal, are to be attributed
to no more convincing cause than the serious
diminutions in its circulation, effected by its
occasional efforts to vindicate its independence
II. ;tzx II.
policy to be adopted towards Russia, brought
upon it the charge of having accepted large
bribe from the Emperor to advocate his in
| terests- an accusation which, from its alb
surdity, we would have supposed that Jour-
nal of its great pecuniary resources might have
afforded to treat with the contempt that
it merited. There is no doubt that the opinions
expressed by the Times were dictated solely by
an honest conviction of the perils to which the
country was likely to be exposed by the course
to which it was urged by the opposition pres /,
and we will probably yet see the political sa-
gacty of it's recommendations fully borne out
by the results Of the hazardous contest in which
| England has embarked. Be that as it may.
| 'sthe leading Journal was soon forced to change
its tone, by considerations entirely irrespective
Of the justice and expediency of the questions
at issue. 1t found, as we are credibly informe |;
that its alleged Russian tendencies were Sc
riously affecting its circulation, and having no
Russian reserve to fall back upon, as was gene
rally supposed like a prudent tactican it i'm
| medately beat retreat, and has since, with all
the zeal of a new convert, distinguished itself
by the fiery energy Of its partisanship on the
opposite side.
OF the other leading London journals it is
hardly necessary to speak. The Chronicle,
after having passed from the proprietorship Of
Sir John Easthope, is now in the hands of
Baron Rothschild, and is consequently the faith
! full reflex of the narrow and selfish views of the
| Stock Exchange; whilst the Post is the organ
of the aristocracy, and dare not give expression
| to an opinion that might jar with the sensitive
nerves of the fashionable coteries in May Fair.
The Herald is a relic of a bygone age, when
higotry and intolerance were rampant in the
land, and is dependent for support on a class
now luckily rapidly passing away; and the
DAILY .NttCs, after sinking an enormous CAPT
/ tai in its efforts to supplant the Times, only
drags on precarious existence by constituting
itself the organ of the European revolutionists.
| 1t would be mockery TO talk of the freedom
or independence of.any portion Of the CONT
mental press. The French journals, which per-
haps formerly carried those conditions to the
verge of abuse, are now paying the penalty Of
their excuses in mutism as complete as the
stiffness of the tomb; whilst the same despotc
influences chain down and paralyze the liberty
of thought and discussion over almost the
whole of the continent. In Belgium, which
some how or other has come to be regarded by
the other continental Powers as sort of neu-
trail ground on which their quarrels may be
emptied, may be occasionally seen enunciated
through the columns of some journal Of small
circulation, opinions of family liberal tnge,
timorously expressed, and in most instances
dictated by desire to fatter and conciliatc
the English government King Leopold is too
adroit politician and has too difficult a card
to play between the opposing interests that
threaten to swallow him up, not to permit, for
his own sake, q reasonable layity in this re-
spect to the journals under his control.
Such is virtually the amount of freedom and
independence enjoyed by the newspaper press
of Europe. Where nominally free, the Euro
pean journals are in reality as great slaves as
under the despotic restrictions that impose
penalties for the violation of tyrannical ordi-
nances. Can we wonder, then, that all the in
formation that we derive through their medium
respecting the incidents Of the great struggle
in which their respective governments are now
engaged, should come to us in such distorted
and perverted shape az to render it difficult,
nay, sometimes impossible, to draw correct con-
illusions as to the facts which they profess to
convey to us? Still less ought we to feel sur
prised that in their ignorance of the real state
of public feeling in this country, and OF the
wide latitude of opinion which it is the con-