New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-25

strong are his convictions in regard ~ the evil of
Slavery, that be- looks the Free States alone ~
afordng any hope Of the progress of American
principles
The significance of America in the Development, IN
the march Of the Christian world, ia fully and eA-
clusiyely embodied in the Free States h1n"ni'y,
history, philosophy, civilization ignore os
repudiate the Slavery connection. Wltnout Tue rec
States, America would lose the brilliant haIo whlch
marks her the harbingor OF the future as the lore
most among the nations Of the earth. Inc o'a'e
States have hitherto passed unnoeed under the fss-
clnation emanatng from the holy labaruIn uniuried
and held in the hand Of the intelligent, active, labo-
rous, seli-improying freemen Of the Union. The
Slave States separated and alone, would sink at the
best into absolute n-gu6cancy would become of less
interest than are the Papuans Polynesisns for the
great association ot mankind II by an unforeseen ca
lamty, Free America should become palsled IN IFS on
ward course, II ever slavery policy shouid pteya IN
nal apparton the historical horizon VIII De an
abortion, rocia mistake Then she VIII stand there
branded for future generations and future ages-the
gn Of disgrace burning for eternity On the brow oil
this fallen genius OF humanity.
Leaving the further exhibition of the philosophi-
cal ressonings of the author the influence and
destiny Of America, as opening teo wide held
for our limited space and as OF too profound
character for rapid abstract, We come to the less
theoretical portions Of the volume, which are not
little remarkable for their shrewdness of obser
yation acute but not unkindly criticism aud pun
gent spciness of expression.
Tie American Press is the subject of an able
chapter. In few pointed words he describes
this Institution a. the chiyalry of the age. "She
is 10 dissolve pr,judices dsentange the truth, elu
cidate, if not solve daily social, political and ad-
ministrstiye problems, defend the oppressed, the
poor. bring TO daylight abuses, discuss with con-
scientous independence the acts not Only of those
to whom society in any way or manner ntrusts the
regulation of it, affairs, but even of private indi
| vduals when their actions bear upon the COM
munity."
The Press il one Of the youngest powers and COM
ponents of society. IT. significance extends more rap
idly than that Of all its predecessors, and hence me
Press has III enemies detractors and traducers is
LOT in this respect il in common with all the other
.ocial phenomena and with all new Inventions which
in the succession of time have appeared dspo-sessed,
or weakened the powers firmly established, and for
longer or shorter periods ruling without contest over
the whole or Il part of society. Every new phenome-
non as an idea a fact Il necessarily srle with
the past which procaims the menacing ne" conner 10
be mischievous, destructive and subversVe. Otten
eminent generous and partly, at least, progressive
minds with difficulty accept new creation, which dls
turbs their repose their preconceived ideas and orces
on them a change Of Judgment modification IN their
and acting agencies. The history of human events OF
human culture and progress, is continual record oil
such changes evokng opposition; men in the aggre-
gate well single individuals, reluctantly supl
| 10 changes Thus, for example, Erasmus, while ap-
plauChng Luther was still devoted 10 the parry wncn
was assailed by that audacious refoner The assaults,
the discredit which the champions OF the past OF It's
secret proceedings OF the darkness shelterng ABUSES
and ignorance attempt TO throw the Press, recoi
| and vanish and even the most inveterate enemies
recognize and submit to its increasing, an-embracng
| and wholesome action. The Press resisted out
| ragged yilifed or undervalued by those only who
-hruk from light, who prefer benumbing cold TO the
| Intellectual warmth which daily expanded by the
| Press. Her power grows in proportion to the DIN
| cultes and impediments thrown IN her way. hltant
aims. abuses often against the shrvelng and rotten
past the condition Of the Press IL TO be the bea-
for the present the harbinger of the future. She
| becomes daily more aud more the compass, well
the expression Of the moral tone of society aud Is so
even in the appreciation OF her enemies, OF tyrants,
ebsoutists. cOnrplrers against justice, reason and
plogreS-; al OF whom hate but bow TO her. and ac-
coidiug 20 the old saying, od| dnm metHr mus her
suprC macy daily becomes reality; and shaking oil
otGer powers and influence She will soon stand para
mount to all crushing out her most fierce antagonists.
| This powerful engine becomes of good or evil
| import, according it is welded by pure or I'M
| pure minds. Like everything in the mental and IN
the material world, it oscllates between good and
evil. and can therefore exert destructive and de-
character But publicity and freedom carry cure
| within themselves and in q healthy condition OF
society, where the Press stands face to face with
an enlightened community, the bad and unprncipled
Press will find no support, and will finally die in its
| own corruption. OF the advantages of the Press
| in this country, account OF its cheapness and
| popular cha racter, the author remarks:
| The American journalist must strike cord vibrat-
| ing freely and powerfully in the masses; he must
cary away lis public; he must either find access TO
the popular mind. insinuate himself honestly INTO H.
| or overpower the public by his superiority. There
must exist mental attraction between the two ne
Pres must inspire awake, incite, push onward the
| mass but it must likewise IN certain manner mar
monte with the moral aud social tendency OF The peo
| ple which otherwise would abandon repulslve ad-
yirerS. The cheapncss OF the Press and the large
nun Der of readers give the assurance always md
ing public and also that the d1Iinest shadow
inc and mark Of opinion will be uttered, eucidated
| with the utmost independence All these reciprocal
conditions for the existence OF Press equal to her
mission can be found only among intelligent masses
| among people in the ful meaning OF the word And
such people hitherto exists nowhere IN Europe, or If
IL exists il l. IL such small proportions that those data
Disappear in the general appreciation. Even III En-
Gland the Press has been to the most recent epoch
luxury within the reach, not within the appetite OF
| the people at large-nOt an attraction Tor IT, In
Enciand-es is the with the socaled independent
| Press in some States OF the Continent-almost the
whole Press il in the hands of clques, using II tor GER
tain direct purposes. Thus il becomes the organ OF
| these individual aims and schemes, and the, what
are called in Europe, better classes, forming almost
exclusively the clientage of the Press are after ALL
commonly led astray. But the independence, the VAST
number II newspapers, the competition, the wachfu
ness over each other the aggregate of various opinions
reechoed the Press all these combined conditions
result in elucidating al questions from al possible
ides in bringing al the facts in their true light TO the
4 ~ a. and ffrfh