Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-15
X IC III M OND w HIG.
NEWSPAPERs-ARP RPfIC


No element has contributed SO much to the ponpl,r In
eigence those channels OF accommodation which com.
under the general head Of newspapers
The historian drives into the volumes the mast
and drags from dusty oos the records of an age n,ere
ung only rs part OF history or from whose pages bloody
revolutions and political agitaons the dehronng
and deede Of empires under the lead of ambitious men
and various parties faithfully portrayed They are the
h; o Ge pas', iai OF meaning aud advice to the
Observing mind, and pointing significantly the future
IN this Is The that floats upon the
f q Tins, vhcse Jeect upon the dark and turbid
som The wreck ofbopcs ana e fragments Trune from
utny patriotic tcart History the dark unpublished
np which the magical fingers Of genius has touched and
he startling events OF another age with the master
spirits OF the times in which they moved rise before us In
obedience 10 the summons.
vast panorama moves before the mental vision tho
tr'ie IN politics and relgioneemen that have surged
the world and from whose fruitfaness we're hatched the
conflicts which shed the blood OF patriots and martyrs and
consigned to the dungeons many a noble heart
This Is history painted by artistic hands from dim mem
nory, and anuquated manuscripts. The Newspaper /,
the canvass upon which the pencil the contempora
neous history OF the times Its columns when politica
excitement is high reflect the reason as well a. tho ms
SION oi the people News commerce. literature polite,
and religion mingled and afford the reader or the
student view or insight into passing events The world
Is fruitful IN all those details that go make up a nevs
paper and the daily press Of this republic Is history f
he Government and the pecuarities of people The
learning OF the world for centuries was locked mn
IN mouasteries, where grim monks with the hood
aud cowl monopolized the thoughts OF men OF renius
eAetCheu upon rough manuscripts. uututored ind
looked 10 tradition Tor their knowledge OF the past and as
the story of passed IRON mouth TO mouth
aud was eagerly caught and those
the hresde at the festive board or the tented field II
came down from generation to generation portion Of il
may be incorporated into history while IL formed the
groundwork OF many pleasing fiction woven by the ar
tc hand oi modern masters from the rough and tangled
threads OF tradition.
We have been led into these reflections from having
seen copy or fac smile Of the New England Couran
published at Boston, paper which states in note Il
BENJAMIN Hin in nuaa,
Nhere advertisements taken in 1t is fac smile OF
the first paper ever issued by the ilusrious phloso
pher and printer and the number before us was printed
on press once used by him. 1t is little single sheet
whose size does not exceed six by inches the ortbo
gpy peculiar to that period preserved and the letters
similar to those in old volumes whose Typography
is known the black letter the most prominent Of which
Is the letter which, under the ancient regime conform
I'd closely to the modern Even the typographical er
rors are copied, well the paper upon which IL was
printed The number in our possession, is from 'Mou
day, February 4th Monday Februiry lltb lT23r and
ts leading article is characteristic. No editors names
are published anc the conclusion from the article is ap
parent that several writer's engaged upon this i'm
Denss sheet There is spirit Of humor in il that we can
not better Illustrate than by publishing a few extracts
from its leader, as the writer IT, preface:
BY this time the Reader perceves that more than one
are engaged in the prefent Undertaking Yet there one
ferion, an inhabitant Of this Town Boston, whom we
honor as Doctor in tie Chair perpetual Dictator
The Society had defngd to prefent the Public with his
Eges, but that the Lmuer to whom he was preiented
Tor Draught OF bis Counenance decryed and this he is
ready TO offer upon Oathl Nineteen Features in his Face
more than ever he behed any Humane Village before
which 10 raifed the Price of his Picture that ON,
Matter himself forbid the Extravaganza of coming up TO
It, And then beides the Lmner, objected Schism in
his face which splits it from his forehead in r.it Ins
down to his Chin in fneh fort, that Mr.. Painter protes
It is double Face, and hen have -Four Pounds for the
PoutTailure However tho this doube Face has foilt
as OF pretty Picture, ye; we all reOced fee old janus
in our Company.
There i Man in Boston better qualified than old ia
mas Tor Conrdnteer, or ii you plcaie, O5serraoy be.
Ing man Of iueh remarkable OPeks look two ways
once.
As for lis Morals, he is Clearly Chriftan as the
Country Prie expreies. A Man Of good Temper cour.
teous Department. found Judgment; a mortal Halter OF
Nonienie, Foppery, Formally, and endlefs Ceremony
Al Tor his Club, they aim greater Happnefs or
Honour than the Pubck be made know that il the
utmoit of their Ambition upon and do all magi
uable good Offices to good old Janus the Couranteer who
Is and always will be the Readers humble Servant
5. Gente Readers de6gn never to let paper pafs
without Latin Motto if We can pofihly pick one up
which carries Charm in it to the Vulgar and the learned
admire the pleaiure Of confirming We houd have obi.
ged the World with Greek crap two but the Printer
has no Types aud therefore the candid Reader
not to mpute the detect to Ignorance for Doctor
can fay all the Greek Letters by heart.
In another place the object the paper stated in the
following paragraph:
The main dsgn of thi, Weekly Paper will be to enter
tain the Town with the mott conca and divertiug Incl.
dents of Humane Lie, which in 70 large Place as Boston
will not fail OF universal Excmpifcaton Norfhal be
wanting to l up thee Papers with grateful Interperon
OF more iou- Morals which may be drawn from the mot
ludicrous and odd Parts OF Life.
For the benefit Of commercial readers, among the
advertisements, only two in number, appears the follow
THE Philadelphia bouIed Flower to be fold bv
Mr. william CLARK in Merchants Row, a. Twenty Shns
The seflaudation onewspapers so common nova days
has It's parallel, but in a much more modest manner
in the papers hundred years ago but the deca-
OF the centcnsran sheet stands in striking contrast
with the modern system frequently iudllged in of self
pulling, or nhaon to obtain importance As evidence
| OF this, submit from FRANKLIN'S paper the follow
| ing appendix, prelaced as follows.
- This paper hdr,g ,rih 70 general an Aceep-
lance ." Tor" and Cs"tTy, as 70 require far greater
Number Of than 10 be printed haH there is Of the other
Diick Papers: aud b>g befIdes more generally read
BY rat Number Of Borroers, ,co DO not take tim the
p"1li.''r m"ks ProPsr 70 gre i' P@6fek Notice for
qeEts inherited i tie pi5ick Prints rhich they naay
hdr> printed h this Paper at a moieraie Priee.
These extracts appeared hundred aud thirty three
years ago and what change within tina; timel This Re-
public not known and the King OF England compIau.
ed TO his Parliament that he ccumnavg gated by con-
spratos both at home and abroad who wished to alien
ate the affections OF his subjects. He sat uneasy upon
his throne; AID while the mind Of English Majesty was
troubled with suspci1ns Of dark conspiracy and in
terna within his domions in the wilderness of
America that far-oG world in the Western Hemisphere
the germ Of Empire had been planted which des-
tined grow aud rival the greatest Powers of the earth
Il nurturcd in the Wild forests OF continent un.
der the frd auspices OF the savages and developed by
the friendly Of the "mOther country" Like the rock
In the wilderness it 0fs and the pure waters Of
freedom gushcd forth under the blow. The forests
have been lcvclej the savages driven back Agricul.
turo has triumphcd literature sciccc and the have
been encouraged, until this mighty coufcderacy bounded
smost by the entire North North American continent
smiles under the blessings Of Providence like garden
and contains free industrious and intelligent people.
The newspaper press has been powerful auxiliary in
this mighty revolution it has disseminated Intelligence
among the people by alOding them cheap reading en-
bracug topics interesting 20 every mind IL is alone
In retired and costly libraries that statesmen educated
nov. they spring from various pursuits aud conditions
hc traiDcl 10y experience hard fortune overcome
difficulties, aud drawing their and their knowl.
edge O events Of political history and other stores ON
the Pass is hs library of The million, aud in the
hands Of able heads and patriotic hearts is powerful for
good.
More than a century has passed since Frankin's little
sheet published, its circulation limited 10 few
and m articles confined the contracted resources which
in the way Of news, primitive history furnished The
Revolution glorious n IL results, ouly for our own
country but mankind At large, established hope in The
new world around which clustered the intelligent Of 9TH
or rLmc. ConIrl.t hundred and thirtH Eclra n-n