Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-07-21
The Newspaper Prcss

this great organ of human mind Le~
universel- and the only uuiverssl-l.r.Aa
education. 1t is an estate by itsels o.I'
cling within the range of its infpenooel- e-''La
ments which enter into every relation os I's :
man economy and life There is no L;34
recess OF society which 1t docs not peuetrs,l
IL Is a statesman lawyer, pbyscisn
clergyman, a teacher, mechanic SNu's
| manufacturer, a man of leisure of IA.4i'
and science. 1t controls the Stat '.''efs ven
controls the Church-it directs tbo saugH
the legislator, the magistrate. and ,Ly
ter. None rise above its Inference -. i"eis-
below its authority. 1t is the mos. 80 SnE
ding, powerful, and benifcent inst;,s!P.s'a. Psf'a.
oncient or modern society. II i Ou
harmony with the Divine inteIfgo,o--- --''e IN
minute, incomprehensible. insrr9taLi' I0't
yet more simple, ineligible. and - ;raa sea
! in effectiDg the ends Of huo,an -,...ueDtlss
elevating the character aal sccurin,, eaS, ,,,, P
turo of man, than any and all aeeEc;a, - 'u,-
| bined. This may be regarded q, a., sO'L[
extravagant assumption. Individual @
| dcride the newspaper press, maT assaiI -
| tie ytrity, question Its morality. aud d. -.
| controlling influence over the will
ineut, and actions Of men; but such r:-s-ss
would measure the volume Of the sea h. -
rippies upon Its surface, bound the earl -
| Inc npTlZDn OI IHeAE own VISIONS. and -
mate the economy of nature by the c;a.
which have been strcwn around their ovn
hearthstones,
If the newspaper press is capable Of slmcs,
iniuite good, by di seminating truth. BY o.,
recting faischood. by giving character tor
tions, and of writing their history, we copceds
it is also capable OF doing vast mischief l.
is no part of our belief that it is anvwber.i5
the reighborhood of perfection Nor Is !,
possible to WELD an engine so compie,toi
and powerful-to drive machine Of such p;
gantic proportions-wit violating soueef
the rights of individuals, or without oFen5rg
moral principles and sensbilitics We Lsys
few perfect governments, lawyers, statesns,
mechanics or teachers. Perfection IS q.
stamped on mind or matter.
The newspaper press is democrats ins,i-
tuition In Its every feature, labor, and effect;
in its free speech, opinions and economy; in
the mind that directs it, and in the iudgmen,
ana taste that patronize it. 1t IS an element
in the see al government-represen ie-
liberate, and pervading: addressing the CHI
zen and the magistrate, upholding and sus-
taiu;ng the good, rebukiug and condenning
the offender, 1t feeds and stimulates tie
mind with perpetual means of action: teaches
, the ignorant to read. ID spell to write {,
think; draws 1t cut of cham, is and leads +:
into thc daylight of the worl 5 deeds; .r!
thus hbcralizes, enlarEcs, ana exPatds II -
The newspaper press Of the United States =.
published more valuable matter wi-hia 4
twcvcmonth, than the combac1 press IF the
world published id the first five years Of the
: present century. Linked TO the electric tel
, egraph, and facilitated in Its Transmission By
: the vast system of railroads nov in operation,
: 1t Is a great mechanical organ of speech, a.
most infinite il It's scope, its resources, ysTie-
ty, capacity, and rapidity of utterauce. Iis
, not So much tie praduct the pVaUnntnr AZ
. ! author of genius and enterprise,
q The aggregate matter thrown Of daily and
: weekly in the United States nearly aIg
+ ,ehich IS read by The peoplc, is absolute! te-
: yond computation. That it Is demanded,
=. paid for; and peruscd by the American pub
lie: that it is rapidly Increasing in amount.
: Influence and power, are facts which Polli
:, with siguifcent prophecy te the Office /; holds
= and the authority it Is destined 10 WELD over
i the mind of the nation 1t is the greaai
: power in the State, and from It's verT Datus
places every other. to a greater or less extent,
in subjection to It's laws. Itis. too. conSer-
vative, disiuterestcd democratic power, difu-
sing Its blessings, elevaiing aud purifying
those it would govern.
* The newspaper press is The great le7elier OF
e age, on an ascending, not descending scale;
lie because, it opens to all the fountains of knoEl-
o edge and provoles and insures universal II
OF quiry and judgment. That it has dissemns-
Is ted error, lmmorallty and vice; that It has
ID been vehicle of slander and malevolencs;
80 that it has fomented pride and vanity; that
Is has blown up human bubbles and prickei
5e them into ridiculous collapse; that 1t has los
be tered speculation, and been more or less sub
P servient to schemes of fraud and ambition
e. none can doubt. No party could exist yea'
ct without it. To strike it down would be 70
ot insiu Babel of Infinite tongues-to PaFs-
1t I'VE and confound all existing order and &C.
n ton in the social and political systems. We
ne like to berate and underTate it, but We cold
Us do nothing without it.
2re We dislike to praise 1t or acknowledge IL
We power. Many habitually deny its influence
lse and as constantly court its favor and us eu
up couragement. 1t has made more reputation
bat for public men, more fortunes ID business a,
lily more professional character for lndlyidultI "
OF than have ever been made otherwise hy ao.I
ity, energy and skill. 1t a greatt. oeheH.- 90
ry for politicians, their main reliance az
their only means of acquiring public motors
rec ty 1t is the ordnance department h@ E:b
tics-the arsenal and magazine fr0I .nn;. Su-o,
ave small minds draw their weapons ana ~A,la, y,
pc lion for political warfare 1t furnishes .Iy
on with all their data, analyses their saOlsr~ Wv
on draws their conclusions, aud coniGS =.
the them the distinction of cstensbe authOLSIt IN
on 1t is, with its thousands of editors sun i:'.
ed impersonality. The press speaks; We l,'sr :
lars to it, not as the voice of one but as Tue u1
personal organ of many. 1t is assa..s ."o,t
ars, dwsrfs and struts, who often affect 10 usf g
day with disdain, to the infinite amusement %
ing, laborious conductors.
ed,
was nx-A sn;r;,u,I fnncral was held at Low
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