Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-11-20
THE CHRONICLE.
MONDAY. NOV. I6, 1857.
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Pernici0uS NeWspapers---Mo l.

EeIulCiOuS NeWSpipelS---IaO l.
While few public journals are orprofess
to be devoted exclusively or directly to the
promotion of virtue and religion, we hold
that none should be supported in an en-
lightened Christian community which are
palpably hostile TO either. There are ques-
tions of policy constantly arising, as to the
tendency of which honest men may differ,
and which the liberal minded of every sect
and party will tolerate. We are expected
- give the news of the day and such purely
business information as our subscribers may
require, accompanied by such miscellane-
Gus matter as may be necessary to fill up
our columns, leaving professcdly religious
journals toperform their part in their more
appropriate spheres. But our numerous
news journals should in no wise oppose
morals and religion, and trample upon
wholesome laws, without incurring the
condemnation and loss of patronage cf all
respectable men. For what true parent
will bring into the bosom Of his or her
family medium of contamination Of their
morals or injury of their estates? What
avails it to send children to Sunday school
and to hear Gods Word proclaimed, and
TO procure for them sound periodicals and
reading matter, if, at the same time, every
attempt for their good is counteracted BY
bad newspapers, magazines and books ?
Invariably, an evil publication leaves q
stain upon the youthful heart, which cor
rupts it as the rust-stain eats the finest
steel. "Can man touch pitch, and not
be defled ?"
We make no invidious comparisons or
special reference, when We say that very
many newspapers are moral and pecuni-
ary curse to mankind. Their publishers
have no higher aim than to make money
at whatever cost to their own souls or to
the best interests of their patrons. The
question often arises, among conscientious
aud thoughtful men, Whether their fam
lies would not be better of, without, than
with, the majority of news journais-whe-
ther their evil practices do not far outweigh
their few virtuous precepts We propose
to notice, in plain but truthful terms some
of the most glariDg outrages against whole
some laws, common honesty, and public
decency, which mar too many of our news
papers, and are thereby an injury to all
And in so doing, We frankly and cheer
fully confess that the great and growing
evils countenanced, we do not ascribe so
much to any intention or irish to DO wrong,
as to thoughtIessness and rant Of indepea-
dence
Certainly, it is the imperative duty of
every Editor to study to promote the best
Interests of has patrons, morally, intellect
ually, and pecuniarily. What would be
thought Of an Editor who should week
after week wilfully misinform and misdi-
rect his patrons, and infict lasting injuries
upon them, for the sake of few dollars
paid by some unpriucipled advcnturer or
adventurers What would you think Of
the physician, who, bro't into your family
for the good of one member, should (for
pay introduce into it an infectious disease?
or of the lawyer who would in one partic-
ular advise you to your disadvantage,
because bribed by an adversary! Now aee
are paid and expected to guard and warn
our readers against fraud and imposture,as
far as VIC may safely and properly do so,
(of which each must judge for himself j
certainly, We can not betray them into the
hands Of cheats and knaves. When we
are ourselves deceived, We should be more
wary thereafter, and not hope to make
amends by imposing in odr turn upon those
who confde in our integrity and friend
ship. In short, We should make the into
rests of our readers, our interests, and do
nothing-either in our writings, selections,
or adrertisiny-to the injury of our honest
patrons.
"AA righ' our Bro Editors will say,
"'chat then why, good sirs, score of
you are every week violating these obvious,
wholesome, common sense principles
inaicting palpable and enormous injuries
upon the very men and women who feed
and befriend you-degrading the charac-
ter Of the press-and injuring yourselves
aud ourselves in business, by aiding, thro'
your respective journals,
LOTTERY GAMBLING
WEBSTER hrienu Ie6nos lot,aries IN he 7