Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-07-31
The Power of the Newspaper.

fore the New York State Editorial Con
vention at Buffalo, by Samuel Williams
of the Utica Herald.
" A single illustration of the potency o
the newspaper must suffice. Red Tape
ism presided at the head of affairs il
England. The blunders of the circum
locution office bad brought that might,
power face to face with dishonor. Hel
best blood had been ingloriously shet
upon the black waters of the Crmear
shores. Every gun that Numbered from
Lee frowning heights Of Sebastopol
| chaunted dim requiem 10 British glory
lmbeci.lty IN the war office debauchery
IN the camp-prelentious dullness assn.
ming supreme command promotion sold
TO the highest bidder-the army decima.
ted by cold and hunger-peslilence hold :
ing high carnival within the English
lines-the bravest hearts that ever faced
danger sacrificed to the Moloch of Rou-
tine; well might the lion OF The sea. girt
isle hang down his proud head in shame.
la this dark and troubled hour-when
British valor had almost succumbed 10 its
tnseled mpetency-when the light
ched forever III the darkness Of martial
disgrace, simple gentleman, dressed in
the unassuming garb of an English trav-
eler-dlStingulshed by no insignia of
power-pompous IN no array of preten-
tlcas titles-with no arms save his re-
porter's portfoio-with no credentials
save the passport Of - our own cores
pondent "-appeared on the scene of ac-
tlon. Nc booming of cannon-no braying
OF trumpets-no waving of flashing ban
ners-welcomed his coming. The shall
low upslarts who carcatured British he
roism, regarded him with mingled Won
der and dsdain. What business had
this man, who could not trace his descent
to the bastard son of a king or the dis.
carded nephew Of an earl-who had new
er been presented 10 her Majesty-who
was tabooded IN The saloons of West End
whom the book OF heraldry ignored
who could only wcite squire after
his name-who had never drawn trlg-
ger in his life-Who had never seduced
tenants daughter-who had never
gambled at Baden Baden--who had new
er graduated al the hells of Paris who
in short, was destitute of most of the
prominent accomplishments of an En-
glIsh silob what business had ha "a
mong the effeminate dandies that loung-
ed around the camp of Lord Raglan 3
! All, business enough; business of the
gravest importance. He appeared as the
| Ambassador of the London Times.
He -canned the field with with the eye
! of a master He saw at once the source
and extent of the disgrace. He remorse.
/ lessly probed that rotten system of man
! agemeut that had TOO long been the dis
grace of the English army He pene.
traled everywhere into the tattereC
camp of the common soldier, into the
more lordly camp of the superior officer
/ into the superb pavilion of the comman.
! der-ln-chief; into the mess-room, where
famine held her court; into the hospital
where disease swayed her dim sceptre
He held up 10 The gaze of indignant Eu-
/ rope the sufferings of the soldier, the
empty arrogance of the officer, the in
competency of the chief. He exposed
too, the hideous debaucheries of the
camp, the blunders of the commissary de-
partment, irrepressible conflict" OF au
thorly between different heads of power
which rendered efficiency impossible
He told Lord Raglan TO his face that he
was hoary imbecile, and Cardigan tha
! his military character was as disgracefu
as his private life was infamous.
The world heard his story with wonder
and disgust. HIS glowing words SIT the
/ public heart on fire. His astonishing
revelations aroused public sentiment as II
had seldom been aroused before. En-
gland was convulsed with shame and in.
dignation. The press caught up the
slanderous tale and blazoned it like {
fcul banner before the public eye. The
pulpit Numbered its protest, and parlIa'
| ment awakened to the fact mat opera
tions in the Crimea had been but the sor.
riest parody upon military achievements
Public meetings were held; petition:
and remonstrances were scattered like
Autumn leaves; the admiralty was over
! hauled the horse-guard was brought tC
It's senses, committees Of investigator
were appointed by parliament drunken
officers and broken generals of divisions
were reprimanded and the whole ma
chinery Of operatians remodeled. A new
| life was infused into the army. A more
/ heaithful tone pervaded at once the ranks
and the higher grades. The brave sol
/ der, conscious that the eyes of the worIC
were turned half scornfully towards him
/ fought with the fierce energy of desper
alton. Something of the olden prestige
was Notwithstanding of the older
glory was achieved. That England res
cued her name from disgrace--that il
the final struggle she proved herself still
to be the mother of heroic men-was due
/ less to the sword of Gen. Sinson, than Il
I the pen of William Russell"
I He WoULDN'r PULL.-There was
4 lad in Ireland, who was put to work IN
linen factory, and while he was a. worI
there a piece OF cloth was wanted TO bt
! sent out, which was short of the guam
MY thar il ought 10 be but the master
/ thought it might be made the length by
little stretching. He ihereupon IN
rol e ! the cloth, taking hold Of the end OF /
himself and the boy at the other. H.
! then said:
"Pull, Adam, pull"
The master pulled with all his might
but the boy stood slill. The master agar
SAID:
"PlH, Adam, pull"
'' | can't"
Why not 2 said the master.
Because it IS wrong" said Adam