Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-06-22
The NeWsuaHer.

venture 10 auuJ ueuy IL WIN inhy, tnat ~ 10 on9 N
tho most important engines of modern progress.
No less man than JOHN C. CALHOUN has pronoun'
ced the newspaper one of the distinguishing merits
of the day in which live, adapted as it is to the
continual instruction Of mature age and TO the i'm
prorement of the youthful mind. On this last point
we remember to have heard him dwell especially.
He thought there was more in tts newspaper than
in almost any other class Of rcading to stimulate
the opening intellect to thought and to study. lie
regarded it happy substitute &f noYel-reading
aud other kinds of literary COM mb6,tion designed
chiefly to amuse and crafty the imagination. 1t
WINS the nature of youth, he thonght to look out
for mental food of Oh entertaining setsr quilted
to its developing capabilities If caught by the
absorbing webs Of fiction which. abound in our
literature there danger of injurious excess in
the indulgence. There were many minds fortified
within themselves to guard against this indul-
rence. But there were also many unable to do so
For these last, he thought the nev.paper an admi.
rabls resort. It's weekly freight of news and gen.
eral intelligence supplied to the young mind COM
bination of entertainment andinformation well sui
ted its awakening search after novelty not
| in so captivating garb as to draw it too much
from strict educational duties.
We have often thought of these views Of Mr..
CALHOUN, once expressed to our humble self; and
We can say with truth that we have seldom glanced
over the columns of the nee.paper, however loWiy
its pretsnsions, without finding abundant material
to sustain the soundness Of bis sentiments.
But the newspaper is much more than this.
Under its generic name, the press it has well been
termed In thi, free country the palladium Of our
liberties It is the vehicle, and the only available
vehicle, Of free discussion on ali questions that
arise duplicating the government and the govern
cd It 10 the medium Of giving uttsrancs to that
ror popu, out Of which truth Is generally evolved
in the result. 1t is through this instrumsntality
that the pro md the con of every political dispute
arc laid bare to tho intelligence of tho sovereign
people by their respective advocates. 1t Itisindeod
the greet record of tho pleas and proceedings Of all
public causes, necessary to be heard and under
stood by every free community, In order that their
dccroo in the promises may be enlightened and just
That there is often egregious error in these dis
cussions, no one Wilt affect to dsny. But the
machinery has within itself the means Of eorrec-
ton. If by the prcss an erroneous principle is
announced, by the press also 1t is exposed to pro-
per condemnation. If there be a1 e1crassnce on
tho body polite, by the press Is ecautsrised and
cured. If there bc an issue raised involving the
public woa the press it is that canyassesits overy
bearing and estimates it in all ito probable and
possible results. What though a5surdities and
truths are alike the fruits of this fee discussion
Such are the fruits Of all human augmentation
Yet here, us in all the strifes of u,n, the saving
conclusion is notbo denied, that "iI the multitude
of counsel there is wisdom"
Again, he.ne,e.paper, slurred as Esomstimes ONE il
by public functionaries, is one of ttheshief con
servators of law and order in the StaeSIts quick
exposure of crime, renders it "a larror to evil
doers." Not only by its ready support Of TIT
powors that be, is it friend to Justice; but it il
equally SO in its watchful rcgat of unlnwfu
! practices in their incipiency, ana before thos'
practices have become matter Of jsdicial inresti
CATION. 1t is censor morum hayitg such posi-
ton Of dependence upon the good and true, tha
it dare not use its power otherwise than in tn
denouncement of social evil. There may be occs
sional exceptions to this feature Of e aep'paper
usefulness; hut the general fact cannot be doubted
by any ono convcrsant with the intelligent ant
) I.s- tue e'''- ,,,,
Further the HeH'pop,a pera with oseh @ osn''' zh. h.
-,--1.oes ono AZ. h.rsld of all tina
a H. r.o,lAis intelligence upon which til,
temporal welfare Of munkind depends for i.4 pro-
per maturity and security. However remote ant
obscure tho particular newspaper be, it forms one
Of tho telcgraphc stations for the moro perfect diff
fusion of this intelligence, and is essential par
Of the whole grand system Of operations. Destroy
these printing Offices tomorrow, empty all the
printers ink on earth into its rivers and oceans
aunul the knowledge and skill of your typogruph,
ramfc.l commercial relations of the nineteenth
century?
But further still, we resolutely occupy the
ground. that the ne1.paper, however trihins and
unworthy it may be esteemed by the pulpit, is al
lea not aarerse in s tendencies to the spread and
triumph of the Mcssiah's kingdom. If we thought
it was, We would at once drop the implements aud
the name Of our vocation, and abjure it forever.
But we cannot sec it in any such light. That ii
frequently Gins, in opinion and practice, against
the tenets Of Christianity, may not presume to
disbelicvc. But "to err is human, and whr
shall entirely clear his skirts Of offence? Yet VT
believe and maintain, that the ne,aspaper glorios
in it's Christian surroundings and is over rsady to
lend its assistance (unsanctifed though it be) to
tho advancement of tho Great Christian Cause.
We further believe, that the ne,r.paper is, in hun
dreds of instances besides the religious press held
and directed by men who seck, MS opportunity Of
fcrs to udd the mito Of their influence to tho fur
therance of pure and uuletiled religion. In almost
ull cases. whether thus directed or otherwise, the
nerrspnper at least in froe America stands in holy
awe of sacred things; and if it is not commonly
found as u sentry upon the baitlcments Of the
Church. it dsres to array itself against that
Divine Institution.
Our conclusion is, that the newspaper, whether
considered socially, civilly politically, has power
for good, and exorts that puwor for good and,
furthermore, that next to such books and publica-
tons professsdly religious, it forms the most
useful and safest reading on Garth.
We are wslla aware thstthis cursory glance at the
subject in hand by no means docsit justice. We ore
aware that the nev.paper, as an advertising medi-
UNI, as friend to agriculture, as repository Of
historical truth, as an advocate Of educational
advancement, rs good Samaritan in continually
bringing to light thing, new and old for the bone
fit of suffering humanity, might be further held
up in glowing cOlors of usefulness and charity.
But W. only designed 10 indte few brief thoughts
in defence of our vocation's dignity and Value
and this because of having husrd within month,
from influential aud esteemed quarters, certain
incidental slurs well calculated to diminish the
respect of tho intelligent aud the pious for our
noble artand Its untirlng labors. We have eompas.
sed all we dosired If this brief reminder shall only
prove smggestipe to readers, Of the ne,ospapers
r,Jl s.ona ool oxoro;,a IN avarv dsnartmput nf