The Trinity journal., 1856-10-18
Degradation Of the Press.

The press of the United States, permitted
as it is and should be to freely express the
opinions of its conductors, wedS Il fearful
influence upon the popular mind, Arraycd
on the side of right, its thunder tones seem
like the voice of the Omnipotcnt, and the
spirit of justice and patriotism breathed from
its columns infuscs itself into the hearts Of
its readers and becomes immortal. On the
side Of the wrong, in the hands of the I'M
Scrupuous end ignorant its influence is per-
nicious beyond expression, blasting almost
beyond recovery. Man is prone to evil
He has been SO since the creation, under all
circumstances and through all ages, and one
liccntious journal can do more towards de-
basing people than twenty honest papers
can retrieve
What proportion Of the press of the Uni
ted States is honestly conducted and how
many of the sixty or more papers in Caiior-
MIA are there, the opinions of whose editors
are not for sale ? We dare not answer the
question, for the truth, if arrived at, would
appal the reader While we see many Jour
nails in this State ably and honorab'y con-
Quoted, we cannot shut our eyes to the fact
that a still greater number are in the hands
of men whose want of character is n dis
grace to journalism and a scourgc and curse
to the people We hnor that scores of these
sheets can be, and are brbed into silence
upon matters which it is their duty to eX-
pose, and brought into the advocacy Of opin-
ions rotten with raScality and fraud.
There is not State in the Union Of the
~ linn pf Vl n "a 1, Il
rs many papers as manage to exc out an eX-
iStcnce in California For two years past
there has been perfect mania for starting
newspapers, not only in this city, but thro'-
out the interior, and in the effort TO sustain
them, their proprictorS have prosecuted the
Itrle talent and influence they possessed to
any and everything Offering Il means Of sup
port A journal cannot be honestly con
ductcd and live, without being willing and
attic to sacrifice itself for principle, and breast
the hurricane of adversely which an indcpen-
dent expression Of opinion continually sub
jectS them to. Papers, in this city particu-
larry, cannot G06rd to be either honest or in
dependent, for their hope Of life is in floating
down with the popular tide, though it lead
to pcrdition, and not in stcmming and turn
ing it into a safer channel.
1t is useless to complain of evils unless
we can suggest a remedy for them For this
growing yenality of the press, alike morally
and physically bancfuI to the State, the rem
cdy rests with the people. Let thcmno lon
Ger patronizc papers without character or
stability in any shape or form, and they will
soon cease to exist Let the scurrilous sheets
that live by libel and " baclmai' draw
their subsistence alone from their victims,
and not receive the encouragement Of an
honest cent, aud they will not long remain
to deal out moral death to society. TO pa
tronlze papers supported by dishonest or
disreputable means, is to become accessory
to their rascality and shame. Withdraw
your countenance from all such, and the city.
and State will be rid of the worthless, dan
gerous and immoral newspaper trash with
which you are flooded GoLia Era.