Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-11-14
G2GLE N.Y..
THE PRINTING PRESS.

The stick OF type hath more Of might.
Than warrior hosts or fortress wall,
And II shall batter towers TO dust
That laugh nj siege or cannon ball.
How customary it is to call the Press
the noblest bulwark OF our rights, the
palladium Of liberty, &c., and it Ger
tainly deserves these titles. But the besl
things are too often abused, and the
Press is perverted from these glorious OBJ
Jects to become the engine Of malice
and the disseminator Of falsehood. Po.
lllcal opposition engenlcrs personal en-.
nifty, anl resentment leads to the base
resort of calumny. 1t has been Justly
said that he who aspires TO q public of.
lice must pass through fiery ordeal
every action Of his life that will admit
ol ccnsure is arrayed against him, and
if his life has been so uncxcep,ionabIe
as to disappont this array. misrcprescn
tatlon and slander are employed in its
stead. The common infrmitics of hu.
man nature a,e in him particular objects
Of r,dicule--his closet and frcside are
invaded. and his private feelings tortured
by the scurfility Of his opponents
These effects do not arise from the liber.
ly OF the Press, but from its licentious.
ness il is serious evil, and that man
who could devise remedy, wou!I truly
be benclactor to his country. The
virtues of a saint aud the talents of an
angel cannot secure a man from caIum.
ny The best oil our Countrymen, Wash.
lngton, Jefferson, Franklin, and others
innumerab!e have suffered by vile and
cowaflly delraciion.
The effect Of this universal censure is
TO make many good and able men stand
alool from political contests, and with
hold their talents that might otherwise
be beneficial to the community; it rem
ders some men in Office obduratc and al.
most insensibIe to public opinion, and
thus one Of The best effects Of the Press
its restraint Oh public oGicers--is de.
stroyed.
The conductors Of the Press should be
men Of liberal principles and strict IN.
tegrily; firm in gooL cause, and un.
Hing TO undertake bad one ;--such
men are real crcii, and advantage to
their country. But when SO much
prejudice and passion are vsiblc--such
injustice and indecency--we cannot but
regret that persons SO unfit for the bust
ness should be placed at the head of the
chief organ Of communication with the
public. Besides the mischief they occa.
sion at home, they lower us in the esli
nation of foreign nations.
Printers have noble employment
Men, whose names are
Sruns h igh on the bead roll of Time,
and inscribed on the gates Of Immortal
ity, have adopted it as their calling
Lord ERsKlNE was Printer! FRANK
LIN, "who gave liberty to America, and
scattered torrents Of light upon Europe
was Printer !! BERANoER, the grea
French Poet, was Printer! THEIRS
the great French historian, was Pr;n
ter Printers have become our legsIa
tors,--not in Jurisprudence, me.cly, bu
through the wide and widely cxiendin:
domains Of politics, philosophy, the fin,
arts, poetry, and criticism. AS leading
Editors. they have welded pens tia. con
troll the dpslinies or Nations
ELF n brilliant star
| Were stricken from the dome Of night
pEINrisG Press, ii planted there,
! Would Oil the vacuum to haif,
And give, pc,haps, better light"
And with this high estimate of The
power of his grant Arr. the f. li,or Dro.
nIs /, =.
4 thc WO!lh, ana lhns Ge goes lofth with