Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-08-12
.paPIsTs AND READER.

TUESDAY. MORNING, AgGbSI Y, looo:
s8PFFs AND READER.
It's smAsine 70 witness the expressions and
,uotires which appear at times in the minds OF
soniss the Eeadks5 of newspapers, A very
common error prevails with some readers, that
theasaspaper should reflect his own views and
notioSs exaetiy, and whenever it ceases TO do so
he must cease reading it Not unfre4uently
s,aefljR reader win sit down and gTavely address
tnssaitiftOr, telling him that such remark or
sac6an editorial does not reflect his views, and
tiBesSssisoffe the paper must be stopped. lie sup
possSit Is punishment upon the press, and ne
arises foia the act AFith all the conscious digni.
ty offs judge who. has just pronounced SEN
tenes 81 death upon criminal, and equally sat
;sfiied ttdt ne has performed a killing act Such
uersSns forget the true mission of the press, at
The anna TINA that they sadly OyeETate their
own. powers Of Conformation. That mission IS
not 10 be controlled by such pigTny or mercena-
~ considerations It's mission is higher andno-
bier. and should never be permitted 10 swerve
for snyssuch petty motives as those appealed to
by such readers. It is not the true mission Of
the press to Pander to any class; tits motifs true
mission to seek mere popularity. 1tlo0ks high
er, aud should be held to its aim by free peo-
Pile. 1t is the mission Of the press to enforce
truth and combat error, to unyeil the secretim-
port of dangerous principles, to carry truth and
Light TO every fireside, to uphold the right and
oppose the wrong, to endeayor by calm appeal
to treason to enforce good principles, to eschew
all appeal to passion and prejudice, and above
all to act from motives of truth and never TO
panler 70 other the prejudices, passions or af-
fsctions, even, Of its readers.
The paper that does this need never fear for
results. Passion may control some, disappoint.
meut Others, bnt in the end the sound second
sober thought of freernen win approve the right
and condemn the wrong. For our own part We
ask not the patronage Of men too narrow to ap-s
presiate right, too selfish TO approve it and too
bigoted 10 hear its voice.
~ ''Tae thief ae'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion Of the law"
And so Is It unfortunately too often tho case
with men too narrow to admit the possibility of
their being in error, and too weakminded TO an
swcr the arguments which convict them Of it.
Instead df reading for the sake of truth, instead
of trying ttcnselyesin the calm crucible ofrea-
son.and reflection, and thus allowing themselves
70 overcome their passions, prejudices and err
rors; instead Of combating by reason and argu-
Insnt the opinions they disapprove Of; they
bundle up their wrath for the editor, and vainly
imagine that their little squib, shot at him, will
annihilate alike the editor, the paper and the
principlesit iuculcates. Not so yeti The press
is a little too strong to be put down either by
passion, bisotrY intolerance or Ignorance It
has It's Foundation in truth, and never will It
surreudsv TO error, He is,a narrow man, AS
narrow as his own act, who suPposes that pa
per must change It's current in the channel of
truth because you. do not reflect the views of a
man, who ..does you the honor" to read your
paper at the rate of 81 per. annum, too often
charge on the books without any hope of balan-
cling the account
We had an abolitionist to order his paper
discontinued .bceause you are opposed to the
election of Fremont, that great traveller, which
did not expect from q man Of your sense, and
shall not patronize you longer When the
worthy creature has been receiving he1ntclli-
gcncer about three years and has never paid
copper as yet Now would not paper be pref
thy engaged to listen to such trash Suppose
that every ono of 5000 readers were to dictate
each his Rne for tbepaper, What should be done?
Why we will tell you. If such thing should
happen to the editors of the 1ntelligencer, they
would continue in the future as in the past to
take that course which they 6sliere to be right
and advocate those principles which they believe
to be correct regardless of consequences. They
would endeaTori to present their views fairly and
eourteodsly, but never would we swerve from
what we believed to be in accordance with truth
antIth bestinterests of society. We acknowl-
cnSeno right Of dictation in any one,-wc will
hear courteous arguments from all. The press
which panders to prejudice, which shirks its
duty because it fears the mobile rage" Of minds
too narrow for the habtntion of truth and reason,
which will tolerate error and treason for the sake
of gain or for fear of loss is too contemplate to
be classed as newspaper. 1t is prostitute,
hariof and unworthy place in tho notice of
free aud intelligent people. Every man has
right to take what paper he pleascs and to dis
continue when his time is up No one compels
him to read and he should remember that he &C.
quires no right to control the honest convictions
of others thereby. We have been four years
editorof the Intelligencer, and during that peri
cd weihave never uttered sentiment which We
did not entertain, never knowingly advocated
what NE thought was wrong, and have devoted
our humble Efforts to the prouioGSn Of intelli-
gence, sound principles and conservative prog
ressamoug our readers. Their approval is our
witness thus far and We shall continue to labor.
fOrtheif approval and well being by perseverance
in the same line of conduct as heretofore. Upon
no other terms DO we desire the approval Of en-
lighssasd men, aud we are confident that upon
none others would they bessow IL "Be sure