Daily national Democrat., 1858-11-14

Mission OF THE PREss.-In masterlv ar.
ticle on the English Press, by the London
Times, the Thunderer, among other things.
says:
THE newspaper which will be most read
and, consequently the articles of which will
have the widest influence, will be precisely
the one which gives in another column the
fullest narrative of the events it comments
on, with perhaps a verbatim report of half n.
dozen speeches by men Of widely differing
views In this dissemination of accurate in9
telllgence, lies the advantage of both nress
and public, and it is a happy sien that of
late years taste for description. both com.
prehensive and minute has been created and
that every series Of events in the most re.
mote parts of the world is laid before the
British public with a COMPLETENESS which
until lately was unknown. The influence OF
TINS daily instruction on our uountrymen is
remarkable, and must strike any one who
compares the conversation of average Eng.
lishmen with that of far more studious and
! bookish Continentals. For a knowledge OF
cotemporary history, at least we would back
the newspaper-reading Englishman against
half the diplomatists and privy councillors in
Europe.
Nor are national objects less served bv this
allpervading publicity. 1t would, we think,
be impossible for a country like this. renre.
sehted practically by single Assembly q
govern such vast and various dependencies
while controlling so complicated a system at
home, unless the universal diffusion of intelli
gence enabled men to arrive at lust conclu-
slons with rapidity and confidence. 1t is
wonderful how few mistakes we as a nation
make-how seldom an act of the executive
or the legislature has to be recalled. If a
lnutiny breaks out in India, or a Chinese sa.
trap lnfiicts an injury on US, or gold discov-
cred in new region of the Queens domin.
ions, the country debates at the top of its
voice for week or two, and then its resolu.
tion is taken, and the right thing is done at
once and forever.
We will not dwell on the obvious conside-
ration that the cause of morality. both pub
lie and private, is furthered by the knowl-
edge that the judge sits daily in the news
paper coiumns and that the profigate who
appears at the police court must undergo a
second exposure a few hours after on every
breakfast table But we may conclude bv
mentioning the graceful service which the
newspapers renders to merit by bringing for
ward the names of those who have distin-
gulshed themselves on any field of exertion
What is the Red Eagle or the Legion of
Honor to paragraph of praise which is re-
peated in hundreds of daily, weekly, and
monthly sheets, aud makes some humble
name household word from Cornwall to
Shetland, in Toronto and Melbourne. in Cal
eutta and Hong Kong? Our heroes both
of war and peace, are happy in assurance of
a sacred bard" What would the CONQUER
ors of Delhi and the defenders of Lucknow
be without special correspondence and lead
ing articles? Nay, without the spirit gene
rated by free press, would there have been
conquest or defense at ALI? TO take the
latest eXample-to which Lord Eglinton has
just borne graceful testimony-who would
have known of the wonderful piece of sea-
manship, the voyage of the Agamemnon with
the Atlantic cable, unless there had been an
emlssary of the press as the ready and cour
ageous chrOnicler of the gallant deed :"