Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-10-09
From the washisessa UtlSa.
The Hewsuauor Pre- ---'-'--..,',

No institution Of society c6n1 bar . mo-
mcnt's comparison with this great engine
this great organ Of human mind. r H,A eppi.
versal-and the only universd-Icyer 0k edQ.
cation. It is an estate by ITSELF embracing
within the range of its influence elements
which enter into every relation Of human
economy and life. There is no hidden receAs
of society which it does not penetrate. tits
a statesman, lawyer. a physician, clergy
man, a teacher, mechanic, farmer, man
ufacturer, q man Of lcasuTe, of letters, and
science, 1t controls the State and it controls
lhe Chnrch-it directs the family, the legis-
lator, the magistrate, and the minister. None
riss above its influence, none sink below its
authority. 1t is the most pervading, power
full, and bcnefccnt institution Of ancient or
modern society. 1t is more in harmony with
the Divine intelligence, moro minute, incom.
prchcnsblc, insTutable, and yet more simple,
ineligible, and influential in effectiHg the
ends ofhuman progress, in clcvating tho char.
actcr and securing the culture Of man, than
any and all other agencies combined. This
may be regarded at first as an extravaganza as-
sumption. individuals may dcride the news.
paper press, may assail its integrity, question
its morality, and deny its controlling influence
over the will, judgment and actions Of men;
but such persons would measure the volumeof
the sea by the ripplcs upon its surface, bound
the earth by the horizon of their own visions,
and estimate the economy Of nature by the
gifts which have been strown around their
own hearthstoncs.
If the newspaper press is capable Of almost
infinite good, by disseminating truth, by cor
recting fasehood, by giving character to ma
tions and of writing their history, We conccdc
it is also capable Of doing vast mischief 1t is
no part of our belief, that it is anywhere in
the neighborhood Of pcrfcction Nor is It
possible to WELD an engine so complicated
and powcrful-to drive machine Of such gi.
gantic proportions-without violating some Of
the rights of individuals, nor without offend
ing moral principles and sensibiIities. We
have few perfect governments, lawyers, states.
men, mechanics, or teachers. Perfection Is
not stamped on mind or matter.
The newspaper press is Democratic insti.
tuition in its every feature, labor, and effect;
in its free speech. opinions, and economy; in
the mind that directs it, and in the judgment
and taste that patronizc it. 1t is an element
in the social and political government-repre-
sentative, deliberate, and pcrvading; address
sing the citizens and the magistrate, uphold
ing and sustaining the good, rcbuking and
condemning the offender. 1t feeds and stimu-
ntes the mind with perpetual means of action;
teaches the ignorant to read, to spell, to write,
to think; draws it out of channels and leads
il into the daylight Of the worlds deeds and
thus hberalizes, cnlarges, and expands It,
The newspaper press of the United States has
published more valuable matter within twelve
month thnn the combined press of the world
published in the first five years Of this century,
Linked to the electric telegraph, and facilita-
ted in its transmission by the vast system of
N 90
chanical organ Of speech, almost infinite in its
scope, its resources, variety, capacity, and ra-
pidity OF utterance. 1t IL not so much the
product as the promoter and author Of genius
and enterprise.
The aggregate matter thrown off daily and
weekly in the United States, neUrly all Of
~hirh Is rcdd By tie people, is absolutely be-
yond computation. That it is demanded, paid
for, and pcruscd by the American public -
that it is rapidly increasing in amount, inhu-
ence and power, are facts which point with
significant prophecy to the office it holds and
the authority it is destined to WELD over tho
mind Of the nation. 1t is tho greatest power
in the State, and from its very nature, places
every other, to greater or less extent, in
subjectiOn to its laws 1t is, too, q c0nserva.
tive, dsintcrcstcd democratic power, diffusiuK
its blessings, clcvating and purifying those It
would govern.
The newspaper press is the great lcveler Of
the age, on an ascending, not n descending
scale; because, it opens to all the fountains Of
knowledge and provokes and insurcs univer-
sal inquiry and judgment That it has dis
scminated error, immortality and vice; that It
has been vehicle Of SANDER and maIevolence;
that it has fomcntcd pride and vanity; that It
has blown up human bubbles and pricked
them into ridiculous collapse; that it has fos-
tered speculation, and been more or less SUBJ
scrvient to schemes of fraud and ambition,
none can doubt No party can subsist year
without it. To strike it down would be to
instatc Babel Of infinite tongues-to para
lyZe and confound all existing order and ac.
ton in the social and political systems. We
like to bcratc and undcrratc it, but we could
do nothing without it.
We dislike to praise it or acknowledge its
power. Many habitually deny iH influence,
and constantly court its favor and its encour-
agemcnt. 1t has made more regulations for
public men, more fortunes in business and
more professional character for individuals,
than have ever been made otherwise by abiN-
ty, energy and skill. 1t is a great beneficiary
for politicians, their main reliance, and their
only means of acquiring public notoriety. It
is the ordnance department Of politics-thC
aTSenal ana magazine from which Small minds
draw their weapons and ammunition for politi.
cal warfare. 1t furnishes them with all their
data, Analyses their subjects, draws theircun.
clusions, and confers upon them the distinc.
tion Of ostensible authorship. 1t is, with its
thousands Of editors, still an impersonality.
The press speaks; we listen to 1t, not a. the
voice Of ono, but as the impersonal organ Of
many. tits assailcd by dwarfs and struts,
who often affect to treat it with disdain, to
the infinite amusement Of It's labOriOus con.
ductors.
George Of Cappadocis, born at Epiphania,
in Cincilica. was a low parasite, who got . Ii.
crative contract to supply the army with hA.
con. A rogue and informer, he got rich and
had to run from justice. Hesaved his money,
embraced Arianism, collected = library, and
got promoted by faction to the Epsseopal
throne of Alexandra. When Julien eams..A.