Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-08-15
Editorial Independence,


We cannot do better than transfer to our editoTi-
al culnn. the following editorial from the veneer
able EDITOR Of the National IntelIigencer. There
are few Of US who do not at times receive similar
communications, and would that the press would
ever sustain The position OF the Inteligencer.-
'3Iany men OF many minds is about the fist SEN
tenee scsibbed by youths in their first plate.
He a no admits The simple truth Of the senlnce,
must see how vain would be the effort OF the
editor who would attempt 10 Trim his sails TO
suit either prejudces or passions, the faRcies or
capricss Of each of his thousand readers. Were
he actua,ed by no higher motive than the desire
TO please, how futile would be his effort. But we
trust that the mission of the press is better
understood than this would indicate, md its aim
higher than 10 please where this must be attained
by the sacrifice of Independence aud truth. In
stances are not uufrequeut where single sub
scriber visits the Condemnation Of his dissent
upon the publishers by withdrawins'ns below, and
not always holding such receipt as is there ind-
Gated. Snch is his right, but should it affect the
editors. M! His object should he the diffusion
OF intelligence and the promotion OF the great in-
teresis Of Truth among men. TO these his efforts
should be directed and never should he act con
trsry to his honest convictions or stoop to panter
either tothe passions rthe caprces of his readers
"INDnxA, july 90, 1856.
''GENTLENEN: l have been reader Of your
paper for several Gears past, and have read it with
both pleasure anc profit. The course you seem
inclined to take of late two bjectS does
not suit me. 1t may afford you pleasure to pc
ruSe' such articles as the one you copy from the
IoL rnal of Commerce in your paper of the Path,
bnt il does dot allord me any to read them. | am
heartily tired of Southern threats OF dissolution
and Northern 'UnIon saving by cowardly cutrlSh
HcQueScence in any measure calcula ed to inl-
prove the price ofnegroeS. have The TeceII of
your agent for payment up to December 8, 1855.
Please stop my paper n0lT. am not an Aboti-
OniSl, but an one of the many thousand men
who will no longer submit to the IawIess extzn-
Sion of slavery"
What was said of Cardinal WoLsEr nearly three
centuries ago, namely, thai CHS opinion
his IaU," might have been said with equal truth OF
hundreds before hun, and may be said of thOus
andS at the present day. In this free country, and
in this enlightened and progressive age more es
peciaily, man's Gown opinion" is becoming the
only claw" by which he will consent TO be gov
eTned. Nor is this all: he is not satisfied with ma
king his own opinion law to himself, as deSpOuc
and Interchangeable as that of the Medes and Per-
SLAMS, but he insists its being Law to Others,
or they incur his lie and prose npilOn. In this
stage Of IeiCrm[! p III the science nf SeLfgOvern-
Inent, editor Of public journals must onen meet
with incidents that prove the desperate abSuEdlty
of hoping like the old mau IN the fable, 10 please
every body. Those who have patriotism and III
dependence enough to pursue the straight path OF
duty, SweTving neither 10 the right TO the left
IN their determination 10 maintain the unchanging
principles which constitute the only sure fOunda-
uon Of happiness to individuals or nations, must
be sometimes annoyed, but much oflener amused,
at the rude and imperonS chldings they receive
for daring 10 think and speak according to the no.
nest dictates Of theTU Judgment.
Our paper has surely been long enough before
the pubic under ITS present conductors for every
reader to have become farmilisr with the prince:
pies which have uniformly Characterized its col
umns And yet itwoUld seem. to judge from the
above example, that are expected TO be the
defenders and supporters of every absurd ism
which the political meoiogy OF the day has brought
into vogue. We must either give up our indie
pendeRc and become partisans, or we must cease
10 speak Of the dOings OF sayings OF any OF the
numerous factions which are daily sprnging up in
the hot.bedS Of political ianarclSln, like mush
rooms after an autumn shower. II is not thus
we read our rights or cur duties. We Pander 10
no mans depT-ved appetite; we minister TO no
mans inflated ptlIe or unTuTy passion. We eau
entertain respect for flibuSters, demhgogueS,
faraTics, whether high or low, OF however bril-
liant intellect OF exalted in popular favor; nay,
the higher such rise i'll the gifts Of nature and
OIL lOElQnE Int less can We respect lhtlQ, lOI Ill
that superiority lies their greater power &c do MIS-
chief
A public journal which came into existence with
the first meeting of Congress al the constitutions
seat of government, which was for muny years The
only public journal that gave regular and con
nected history OF the proceedings vi that body and
Of the Government, and whlch IN fifty-hve years
has never, from fear OF favor, departed from the
principles of conduct which it publicly avowed on
lis imitation, must, in the very nature of things
have been looked upon with appreciation by The
calm and rejecting portions of both the great
parties which then, aud Tor long series oil
years Afterwards divided the political opinions
Of the country. If this had not been the case
it could never have outlIved the conlagratlon
Of its Office by the public enemy in 1874, and the
subsequent unhUly efforts to put it down during
the reigh of prescription. II has come through
the fires OF persecution unScaIhsd; II has neVrl
quailed under the frowRs nor been influenced by
the aatIe,ing smiles of the high IN place
ltls not likely that the editors ot paner who
have been thus true to themselves, thus consistent
IN their bearing towards all men aud all parties,
fearless in deEounCing wrong and defending right
should at this protIacted Period OF their abOrs sub
init 10 the dictation Of any man or set Of men. We
are not unwilling 10 admit that we may have com
mitieti many errorS of judgment, for we have Eeve
pretended to be free Irom the common lot of hui
inanitY; but we have dared TO be honest in the
worst OF times, aud e are growing too old now
either be frightened by the threats of loss
dueed by the promises of profit to become other
wise. We shall continue to write and TO selec
such articles for our paper, dSpleaSe whom II may
as IN our Judgment seems most conducive 10 the
gSeat end we have in view-ths preservation oil
our Constitution and the restoration Of peace anu
harmony throughout the Union.
u'Fhe authorities of Boston have licensed about
sixty boys to sell papers, tooth picks. shoe strings