Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-04-10

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No insnention lot society Jean 6eaf omenfs
comparison with this great engine this great
Of the human mind. II is universal and the
" universal Of education. Il 81 AN estateby
itself embracing within the range Of it's nfaen6es
elements which enter into every relation Of hpuhp
economy and life. There is no hidden recess Of 30,
cety which it does not penetrate Il is Statesman
mechanic, farmer, manufacturer, man of leis-
ure Of letters and science. 1t controls the State
and it controls the Church-it directs the family,
the legislator, the magistrate, and the minister
None rise above its influence, none sink below its
authority. 1t is the most pervading, powerful and
beneficial institution of ancient modern society.
1t is more in harmony with the Divine intelligence,
more minute ncomprehensible, inscrutable, and yet
more simple, ineligible, and influential in efecting
the ends Of human progress in elevating the char.
acer and securing the culture OF man than any and
all other agencies combined. This may be regard
ed at first as an extravagant assumption. Indivd-
uals may derde the newspaper press may assail its
integrity question its morality, and deny its con-
trolling influence the will, judgment, and &C.
tons of men, but such persons would measure the vol
of the by the rpples 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 strewn around their own hearth-stones
If the newspaper press is capable of almost in
finite good, by disseminating truth, by correcting
falsehood. by giving character to nations and Of
writing their history, we 'concede it is also capa'
BILE of doing vast mischief 1t is no part of our
belief that it is anywhere in the neighborhood Of
perfection. Nor is it possible to WELD an engine
so complicated and powerful-to drive machire
Of such gigantic Experimentation violating
some of the rights of individuals, or without Of
tending moral principles and sensiblties. We
have few perfect governments, lawyers, statesmen
mechanics, or teachers. Perfection is not stamped
on mind or matter.
The newspaper press IS democratic institution
in its every feature, labor, and effect in its free
speech, opinions and economy in the mind that d.
reefs it, and in the judgement and taste that pa
troniZe it. 1t is an element in the social and poti
cal government--representatve deliberative, and
pervading; addressing the citizen and the mags-
trate upholding and sustaining the good, rebuking
and condemning the offender. 1t feeds and stimu-
ates 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 it into the
daylight of the worlds deeds; and thus beralizes,
enlarges, and expands it. The newspaper press Of
the United States has published more valuable mat
ter within twelvemonths than the combined press
of the world published in the first five years of the
present century. Linked to the elective telegraph,
and facilitated in its transmission by the vast sys.
tenn of railroads in operation it is great me-
chanical organ of speech, almost infinite in its scope
its resources. variety, capacity, and rapidty of ut
terance. 1t is not so much the product as the pro-
moter and author Of genius and enterprise.
10 give some idea of the magnitude of the news
paper press, it may be stated that the New York
Herald establishment publishes material every day,
which, if thrown into book FORM would make TWEEN.
ty thousand octave volumes OF five hundred pages
each, or over seven millions Of volumes per annum
That great newspaper is little than twenty five
years DID, and is steadily increasing in circulation
Its advertisements alone would fill near three mil
lions of volumes per annum. The aggregate mat
ter, thrown off daily and weekly in the United
States, mearly all Of achich is read by the people. is
absolutely beyond computation. That it is demand
ed, paid for, and perused by the American public
that it is rapidly increasing in amount, influence
and power, are facts which point with significant
prophecy to the Office it holds and the authority il
is destined to weld over the mind Of the nation Il
is the greatest power in the State and from its very
nature, places every other TO greater or ltss ex
tent, in subsection to its laws. 1t is, too clnserv
ative dsinterested democratic power diffushg its
blessings, elevatng and purifying those it would
govern.
The newspaper press is the great leveller If the
age on an ascending not descending scale. be
cause, it opens to all the fountains Of knowledge
| and provokes and insures universal inquiry ant
! judgment. That it has disseminated error, minor
| ality, and vice; that it has formente6 pride anc
| vanity; that it has blown up human baubes ane
| pricked them into ridiculous collapse; thn it ha
fostered speculation, and been more or less subser
| Went to schemes of fraud and ambition, none cal
doubt. No party could exist year without it,
| To strike it down would be to nstate Babel of in
finite tongues-to parayze and confound all exist
ing order and action in the social and political sys
tens. We like to berate and underrate it !; but W.
could do nothing without it.
We dislike to praise it or acknowledge its power
Many habituay deny its inhence, and as constant
court its favor and its encouragement. 1t has mad
more regulations for public men, more fortunes ii
business and more professional character for ind
viduals, than have ever been made otherwise b.
ability, energy, and skill. 1t is great bene6ciar
for politicians their main reliance and their onl
means of acquiring public notoriety. 1t is the ord
nance department of politics-the arsenal and mag
azne from which small minds draw their weapon
and ammunition for political warfare. 1t furnshe
them with all their data, analyses their subjects
draws their conclusion, and confers upon them tn
distinction of ostensibe. authorship. 1t is with il
thousands Of editors, still impersonality. Th
press speaks; we listen to it, not the voice
one, but as the impersonal organ of many. 1t is az
sailed by dwarfs and struts, who often affect to trea
it with dsdain, to the infinite amusement Of its Is
borious conductors Washington Union.
RHODE IsLAND.-The Democratic party of Rhod
Island have an excellent State ticket for its supper
at the election, which takes place Wednesda
next: For Governor, Elisha R. Potter, Of Sout
Kingston: for Lieutenant Governor, Ariel Balol