Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-10-22

THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
Under this head the Baltimore Sun of Mon
day has the following article, which, rs it is APP
plicable to ourselves VIC transfer it to our col
umns, and which we are sure our readers will
all endorse
The province and duties of the independent
press arc often misunderstood, and still oftener
fnisTePresanted. An independent paper, it must
be remembered, is not neutral one. 1t is the
boast of the last never to have an opinion of its
own, to veer about with every wind of popular
fancy, to tracSlc to whatever or whomsoevcr
happens 70 be in the ascendant, and in Il word
TO sacrifice truth continually to the fceting in
tercst Of the hour. But the independent press
has higher character to support 1t bows the
knee to none of the false Baals of the times It
serves truth and justice even at the expense of
ohloquy. 1t SOts out to teach the people not to
COVER before them, and, lift is honest and bold
Nnever abandons this aim. 1t does not, how
ever, undertake all this with the selEsufjciency
nf ignorance. but rather with the cautious and
comprehensive charity of disciplined WISDOM
1t, therefore. omitS no opportunity to learn des-
pises 10 source from which facts NAV be gather
ed, leaves no lahorS untred which will assist to-
wards the perfect elimination of truth 1t does
not pronounce haEty judgments, but when it
speaks, it speaks out decidedly.
The superiority of the independent press over
the partzan. is, however, rs great as over the
Neutral. Partizan papers, like corporations,
have no souls of their own. They are made o.
yer, without hope of redemption, to an unrelen-
ting master, whose lghtest bchests they are COM
PEELED to obey. They do not dare to see things
with their own eyes, but only through the eyes
ofthe great noUliHis ttn16ra, who stands direct.
ing and watching out ofsight, and who pulls the
wires which makes them move and dictates the
words they have to utter. They are but pup
pets The real showmen is their party. This
is principal cause of the reckless personalities
3 the needless assertions, and the constant mis-.
representations ofthe arguments of their oppo-
nsnts, which disgrace the partizan press; for
men are never so violent as when they feel that
they act, not for themselves personally, but for
faction or a party.
The independ IMPRESS. as it actuallyexiste e. Il
short, we know, of this ideal. But while COM
paratiye perfection is possible to the independ-
eat press it is hopelessy out reach of the neu-
tTal or partizan. The neutral press is almost
invariably stupid. 1t blinks and winks like on
owl in the light but never has anything really to
say except to boot inarticulately at times to keep
upits own courage. The partizan press is racy
enough, but as rule is generally wrong. 1t
lives and breathes in an atmosphere of exaeger.
alton; it makes Specries, through the mists out
OF harmless gateposts; itfollos ,oiI o. t6esoisDs
engendercd by It's surroundings; SO that he who
trusts implicitly to it will be tortured with con-
slant alarms, or led aStray into political ouap.
mires innumberable Itis only the independent
press which can join vigor to truth, or be racy
without being wrong. Sometimes when the in
dependant press attacks partizan follics there is
cry that it is no longer impartial; but an indie
pendent press, which never ccnSured party.
would soon cease 10 be trustworthy. The time
viii come when neutral and partizan papers will
simost cease to be for there is no press. in the
.ong run which can DO trusted except the indie
pendent press.