New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-08-25


1t is but Justice to the American Press to say that
its moral improvement Of late years has been i'm
mense. 1t has reformed its habits of disputatOn and
abandoned the rather Homeric rudeness of language
the eloquence of which it seemed to borBw from the
vocabulary Of the street corners it has ceased to be
on the watch for gIatnitOus defamation; it is
day by day more deeply impressed with the sense Of
its mission it has. in fine come to understand that
the first requisite in the attainment of real mpor-
tance is dignity OF position aud loyal and moderate
use of the power it exercises. But aside from the
improvement it has made in this respect there are
certain points IN which American journalism leaves
much yet to reform. One of these points-and per-
haps, the principal one at this tme-is the needless
dragging into premature publicity of the details OF
certain events before they have fallen into the egiti
mate domain of general notoriety. An occurrence,
no matter how it had come to the knowledge of the
reporters is Immediately served up as food for the
curiosity OF the readers without restriction conceal
ment too often without sGr1ples as to correctness,
and invariably without any care as to the possible
consequences of such disclosure. The spirit of COM
petition the rivalry in being well informed, the de-
sire to give the earliest accounts banishes all other
considerations in the chase Of news. This transfor
nation of journalism into kind of race is explained
and even justified by the advantages which result
from it under numerous circumstances but in certain
given cases it supernduces great inconvenience and
transforms a right badly exercised into Vertable
abuse. How often does the uterneddling of the
press in the proceedings OF judicial trials contribute
to the defeat of the ends of nstice How often does
/ the nCOnsderate publication of mere rumDr work
irreparable injury to the credit of merchant to the
honor of a woman or to the peace Of family? The
deHial or retractiOn may Immediately follow yet
OF rnmor, even the most erroneous and devoid OF
! foundation, when once thrown upon the winds OF
publicity, it can be said, as Basil said OF ealumny
''there yet remains part of it,
/ From this indiscrminate dragging into publicity,
to say, there arises another still more troublesome
and in all respects improbable result, viz facility
in transgTessng the limits within which the lngest
CATION Of the press ought invariably to restrain itself,
an overlapping of the narrow but inviolabe barrier
which separates public occurrences from the affairs Of
private life.
Certain circumstances may at any time make a
name notorious SO as to deprive him who bears it of
his individual property in it, and render it kind Of
common property open to the inqasittons of every
body An inquiry into antecedents is iusthable only
in the case of person accused of some offence and
even then certain degree ns moderation should be
exercised to stop at ne very threshold Of facts
which would prove useless in the advancement of
justice.
In those who have everything to gain and nothing
to lose, this research becomes highly condemnahle
and niquitOus for in that case vain curiosity can
be the only object, and very often may lead to fatal
results.
These remarks are suggested by the unfortunate
adventure of Miss Blount with Rivere. In our iudg-
men, this is of the cases. the minute details of
which ought not for an instant to have been taken
from the family circle, until the public adjudication
of the courts egtimatey called for the discussions Of
the press. The daily disclosures OF the slightest incl
dents connected with this case have not only CON
stanty defeated the efforts of the police but have
aggravated from day to day the consequences of this
dep0rabe romance, 50 far as the future OF the young
ET, who is the heroine, is concerned.
RiYere, alone, being the subject of legal prosecu-
ton, he alone should have been made the subject Of
investigation. Far from being confined to him, how.
ever this investigation has gone to the very bottom
of the private affairs of the Blount family So far
in this case all bounds have been passed it is moi
only the present of this family which the press
up to the curiosity of its readers, but also its most
cret past Each morning some newspaper from the
interior brings US its revelations concerning the his
tory OF Mr.. or Mrs Bount, and we learn this among
. thousand other things, that their own marriage
some twenty years ago, was the result of an elope
ment. BY whatever argument these indiscretons
may be pallated, and in whatever figured dress they
may be clothed, their publication is no longer news
but really scandal.
We notice this abuse by the way, because occasion
offers it to pen but this particular case is not an
accidental exception it is evil Of every day oc-
currence It behooves the press to consider aud learn
how to conine the domain OF news within the limit
of its rfght-withn the spirit Of its sphere.