The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-10-20
PUBLISHERS, FESTIVAL.
Remarks OG Rev. T.. ~. Chaplin. in reply
"a n Toast upon thr Frintjm. Press in
nm Age Of Sucam and EDcctriciiy.

Remark. cG Rev. r.. ~. Chaplin. in reply
Ia n T~a-s upon the Frinsim. Press im
nm Age Of Sscans and Electricity.
SIR There are some things which over
whclm opposition and disdan alliance The
man who tries to drown the thunder of Mag
ara with his voice.arpears not more in>icnif
cant than the poet or orator who undo rtakes
TO illustrate and culogize it. II is very much
so with "The Printing Press of the Age Of
Steam and Electricity" As it far ontrun>
the rivalry of human speech, and delivers It's
message to millions in 4av. so it is. in itself,
much more eloquent than arv.hing that can
be said about it, At least. sir, ii stands
before us harncsScd TO those twin powers OF
Might and Switinrs> and more like an intel
lig"nt being than a machine, with ITS sim
fingers picks up and Scatters into the world
its burdens of Thought. 10 GO about no>"lc>>
as snow flakes. but potent As thunder. II Is
quite certain that the proioundr>t Suggestions
it cxritcs are inrx,,licabie, and that what can
be spoken is very obvious.
And so. sir. As yon have invited me TO
speak upon this theme. if merely reiera'c
that which has been thought and spoken
many times over. must refer YOU for my a
poloov TO the theme itself.
Mr.. President. the printing press OF the
age OF steam and electricity. stands before Us
in the thrcr-tol aSpcct-aS Indicator OF me
chanical and general progress. as an actual
power. and as an agent of great and hench
cent uses. \ few words upon each of these
very obvious points.
doubt whether we can select an ilu>tra
ton Of the mechanical progress "i' the last
four hundred wears that is so ohvion> and Tan
cible as the printing press For. IN tn" first
place. within that period there has been II"
other mechanical agent OF such direct and
momcntouS importance. We divide time III
toepoch> and crises perhaps too much. 'or""t-
ting that there is no period or event wfnrh
is sudden and complete in itself. hut that his
toriral changes work in sublime unity and 81
lencr. like the elements which filter anon"
the ribs Of the earth. But If ever. out OF un
inspired history. there was a Ia'ra''" >l1n
and embodied symbol of crisis and Chang. for
the world. il appeared in that crrHk inG. cum-
sv machine of Faust and Gin'trnh""r.
Yes. that was queer. poltentuu> rrel'rrr.
that rickctv thing OF wood and ron, that ramr
stalking INTO the world among king> and
priests. thrones and castles. and o'lu.~ f.u lll
Responsibilities There was rcvoutioni>t
there was a troublesome democrat. thc,. WAS
voice for the groanInH people. there was a
prophet of tree and b"au'ifu! 'hourht. thcr,.
was A working preacher thar should tear the
chained Word of God from the pillars of no
na>,eri,S and scatter it all OVER the world.
and kindIe the Iirht to read it hv.
And if the printing press was thus irrr"r-
tant. both As an agent and symbol OF improve
mcnt. it is equally tru" that the greatest III
vent,ons and discoveries since that time have
been allied with it, and in some WAY brought
TO serve its vast ends.
Surely the applications OF steam power are
not more >pcnd,Ilv illustrated even in The
rail-car and the steamship great instruments
of civilization As they are than in 'hc work
inc OF a hundred marvellous pieces of ma
,hincrv 20 publish and multiply those vrhi-
,,,.S of intelligence. oct OF which ali genuine
civilization Il wS.
Surely. the electric TELEGRAPH and The
man is here tonight whose name is mprri>h-
ably link ed with it, and who. If he lives hnt
few wears longer. will see its living nerve
stretching around the olos". and feel rhe
heart Of China heating against his own. y
surely, the electric telegraph demonstrates
its capacity in no other way so wonderfully
as a reporter for the daily papcr-br'nginr
the last word from fusion conventions and
con-iu. ion caucuScs. telling us that Scha>'o-
pol is a: |, myth taken. rcvcalin" the mid
night interior of scnatcS. touching our SYM
pahic> with glimpse of poor. trvrr>mift"n
Norfolk. and dagu"rreofvWnC III" passing
!lf. an! interest of a world upon our break
fast table.
saw then. that the printing press, ,hro'
all the staHes Of It's Improvement. may be- IA
ken as the tirtin" symbol of the mechanical
progress of the last four hundred wears
And row. in order that Won r.lv r,a.iz"
the marvel Of that progress, | only ask Won
10 90 back in Imagination to the work ->ho,
of Gutenberg. striking oil that copy of the
Bible which is lodged scarcely more than 4
mile from this spot or INTO the presence OF
Cax,on. holding up daup sheet of the His
tories Of Trov." or the "Gollcn LEGEND :
and then Just take walk through the va~
manufactures of our IIarperS and ApplctonS
Bccin down cellar. with the best hand the,
have in the shop. the old fire eater that tue.
: away there with forty OF fifty horsepower
and keeps everything moving. and all hand
busy and then 90 on and 90 up. throncl
Chinese walls OF printing paper. and cata
combs Of type. and armies Of wr'l-cmplov"'
men and healthy, happy cirS. each with a,
appointed task. and look at the iron arm
p lifting and folding. the whzzing wheels. III,
. enormous slabs Of pressure. the drIicat,
, stamps-the countless agents. that with in
conceivable quicknc>S work between th
: manuscript and the printed book. turnin.
brains (whcrc they do not themselves turni>l
| the original materlal) int" lead. aud lead in
TO print. and print INTO folded sheets. AM
sheets into volumes. and volumes into ntln
ences of different and llimitablc power
P Now. certainly. this is a vast sweep Of me
p chanical improvements hnt Won will ot,erv,
. that it is not m.chuuicaI improvement merely
: for it is absurd to talk of mere mcchanira
: improvement" as though it involved every
: thing else. 1t pre- -suPpo>rs a prior improve
: ment, a development and enlightenment OF
: the common mini that is represented in the>,
:, marvellous agents ard it argues a co-cxiSt
, ent improvement in the public intelligence
which creates the demand for those produc
tons.
But, sir. the printing press and the age Of
steam and electricity is likewS an actual AM
mighty power. Let its tendencies ba!anc
; which way they may. for good or for evil her
t it stands: and no man. with half soul i,
: him, would chain it if he could I SuppoS
5 there is no agent of our time that has 50 mncl
: power as the printing press. considering al
;, the Influences that are involved with it.
;. do not saw that it is the most excellent power
e that it is better in quality or mighter in pro
I nOrtion to lis area than some others. | thinl