Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-18
lCONMCSICATEb.
Nevspapers-BY J. B. JOHNSON.


ceasing fountain of instruction; and so va
ricd and comprehensive are its themes, that
many persons of great information owe their
intelligence to the Press alone. Indeed, 80
general is the habit of reading newspapers,
that many men of well-stored minds read
not a sentence anywhere save in public
iournal; and 80 mighty has the Press be-
come in the world, that not only are men
made or married by it, in their advancement
to fame, but the very spirit and genius OF 60
yernment are made to rejoice or bow ut It's
potential nod. Hence, it is powerful Tor
good or evil.
The extraordinary progress which journal
ism has made in modern times, indicates
how vitality it affects society in all Its rela-
tons, and shows what unreasonable adyan-
tages the world at present enjoys, when COM
pared with those of its more ancient chronol-
ogy. Newspapers not only shape the course
Of the Statesman. but form the most power
full engine Of appeal to the public mind
Their wide circulation and rapid facilities for
communicating that intelligence which every
one is more or less interested in, empowers
them either to inhame the popular sentiment
10 the highest degree against the object Of
their opposition, or cool it at once into the
most tractable obedience to truth and justice
Thus they form the very body of the times
and one can always predict the course otpub-
lie opinion by the temper Of the everyday
papers.
Modern civilization owes the origin Of
newspapers 10 Italy. The war which the
Venetian Republic instituted against Soly-
man III, gave rise to the custom in that Re
public Of communicating commercial and
military intelligence 10 the people by manu-
script or written sheets, to be seen and read
mt a certain place designated for the purpose.
Those who were DESTROYS of learning the
news thus afforded, had to pay, for the privi-
lege of reading it, 4 coin, known at that day
by the name Gazetta, cognomen which
was afterwards given to the Italian and
French newspapers, and thence passed to
those of England. Hence, the origin Of the
term Gazette, as applied to many Of the jour
nails of the present day. The first regular
paper of the above description was written
monthly at Venice under the auspices of
that government, and was continued after
the introduction Of the art of printing, in
consequence of the government officials being
Jealous of printed newspapers. The Italians
| called those who wrote the manuscript pa
pers, menanti; and because of their having
spread abroad invidious and derogatory re-
Elections on laws and persons, Gregory XIII.
forbade their publication in Italy. So
mendacious was the character of some of
these papers that it originated the German
proverb, lie lies like print"
1t was not until the rel On Of Elizabeth
that the first good English newspaper made
its appearance, entitled, The Mercurie. -
From that time to the present, newspapers
have increased rapidly in number and re-
spectabilty. There were published in the
American Colonies in ITS, thirty-seyen
newspapers Of this number Georgia had
|; South Carolina, 3; North Carolina, .; Vir-
| ginia, .; Maryland, y; Pennsylvania, .; New
York, l. Connecticut, 1; Rhode Island, 2:
| New Hampshire, |; Massachusetts, I. In
! 1910, the number amounted to three hundred
and tifty-eght-in 1898, it reached eight
hundred and two; and it now, presume
exceeds three thousand showing that more |
newspapers are at present published in the |
! United States, than in the whole of Europe, |
which has about six times their population.
This vast issue, with an aggregate circula-
ton of ut least FIVE millions of copies, ut |
once strikes the mind rs being an agent of
immense power and one that yields an un-
limited influence. Such being the strength |
and character of Newspapers, how exceed
ingly important is it that Editors should I'M
dcrstand their province and appreciate right
ly their widespread command. How correct
should be their principles, and how free from
yenality their pens. How quick they should |
be to laud virtue, and how ready to denounce
corruption. fraud, and crime, wherever
found in political life: for not only does the
higher vitality of the people depend upon an
enlightened morality Of the Press, but the
very institutions uf our favored country !
must advance or retrograde under its guild
ancc.
There are some editors who are utterly |
reckless Of the nobility Of their calling, and
who willingly accept biack-maii as II means
Of enhancing their pecuniary condition; 9TH
ers. though too proud to be bribed, readily
lend their influence to bring some demagogue |
before the public, and intrude his claims up |
on its support; ard, if they do not engage |
directly in yenality, blur their pages with |
acrimonious examinations Of persons and |
measures If an honest man essays to de-
nounce their favorites, they do not attempt to |
discuss the merits of the charges preferred,
but assail the complainant in the most vulgar |
manner, thereby placing the interest of him |
who is the choice of their pens far above that ,
of the public. Thus their papers are char
acterizel by neither courtesy, logic, nor de-
ccncy.
But above these and high in the scale of
honest bearing and immoyable fidelity, |
stands the Patriot Editor; one who honestly |
and devotedly pursues that course of policy |
which an honest heart. and sound head,
dictate. Recognizing the Press as the palla-
dunn and ;egis Of free and just institutions,
he takes his stand on the basis of truth, and
with the Constitution in one hand, and his
philanthropc pen in the other, he labors no
bly, on for the true glory of his country and
the good of mankind He does not degrade
his pen to the discussion of scandal and Cos
sip and being no mans man, he does not
substitute scurrility for dignifed argument,
nor miserable attempts ut repartee for logical
inference. Knowing that accurate thought,
profound reasoning. and extensive know
ledge will alone gain him place among
those whose lives have rendered them public
benefactors, he goes on disseminating the
principles of truth; and generations to come
shall lit up their hands and bless him.
Alexandria. February Is. 1859