Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-05-03
From the Philadelphia Press.
HOW PUBLIC OPINION is MANUFACTURED
IN THE SOUTH

From the Philadelphia Press
HOW PUBLIC OPINION is MANUFACTURED
IN THE SOUTH.
There is nothing more potent in society than a
bad newspaper unless il is good one and,
accordingly, the first care of tyrant is either
to corrupt the public press or crush 1t. With
the exception Of the journals in France, we do
not know newspaper system in the world more
mendacious or interruptions than that Of the
Cotton States There was time, and that not
many months ago, when we could point to dozens
Of journals in the South, and feel proud of their
professional relationship. It is now a son Of
shame without a single star. Whether they
have been corrupted, or crushed, we scarcely
know but more studied system of Gu umny ON
the people of the North, aud Misrepresentation
Of their motives and institutions, could scarcely
be invented, and ii is not at all surprising TINT
the public opinion thus created should be so un
generous and unjust.
We have before US o number Of paragraphs
from Southern newspapers which will illustrate
the position We assume. The following is a
despatch in the New Orleans Picdyune, detailing
the late occurrence at Baltimore:
"The Massachusetts, Seventh Regiment have been taken
prisoners by the DAmoiesns.
over one hundred were killed and wounded.
sixteen BaimOresns also killed.
Eight hundred Improved arms also fell into this hands
OF the Baltimoreans"
Here are five distinct falsehoods in four brief
paragraphs The facts of the case are so recent
as to render correction superhuous, but we
must say that it would be almost impossible for
human invention to construct moro mschievous
story out of such plain and deplorable nara
tive as that of the outrages at Baltimore,
From leading editorial in the New Orleans
Delta on the military preparations of Pennsyl-
vana we take the following starting sentences :
"The Governor of Pennsylvania is about to take the
field with three hundred thousand brima to Invade
and sulugAte the South aud compel It's submission q a
duty Of on, hundred percent on tren and 10 c recognition
grounds upon which the Quakers and ojnestogas will
ling to fight to iogo their religious srupes and to regard
with Nous nsensblIty scenes Of blood and carnage
Brother Abraham succeeded by virtue Of his Quaker
blood and educatiOn in ensting IN brhalg Of me- hoiy
cdass Of Aooltfon aad Ms MaI5G tayi7 body Of nen
who have never before taken the field"
The favorite topic for articles of a boasting
nature is MIR. Lincoln's anticipated flight from
Washington, and its occupation by troops of the
Southern Confedcracy. This idea is kept con,
stantly before the people in paragraphs like the
following. We take this from the editorial
columns of the Mobile Register:
ave offered few days since 10 bot reasonable amount
that within few weeks Lincoln would leave WAshins ton
"a he entered it. We fear We shall lose for Maryland hiss
cut of his retreat and hemmed In between that State aud
Virginia, do not see how he escape 10 Scotch
cap and military cloak"
A story has been started to the effect that
General Scott had resigned his commission, gone
to Virginia, and, as one of the papers has it,
thrown his sword on the felOn Gag This false
hood il the topic of eight or ten triumphant
editorials, which we have before US. Here is
mild specimen from the respectable columns of
the conservative Iicayune:
Disasters cumuate tho head Of Lincoln The pillars
upon which he rested support ctumbe away from he
meath him. Unquestlonahly his great moral reliance,
among many thousands of his countrymen, las een
the weight Of the great military character Of Winfield
Scott What Wellington was to tho British army and
people, Scott has been in this country, political coun
sellor to great party and, soldier without rival in
an iustrious preeminence When the conqueror "
Mexico refused to be Chief Constable to lead bayones
against his mother State, proclaimed rloter the u
lifted OF Federal power palsed Loyalty aud
chivary shrank from him wen Scott loft him.
We might elaborate this article by the publ-
cation of extracts from Southern Journals equally
as offensive and untrue as those quoted. We
merely wished TO show, however, to our readers,
one OF the methods by which public opinion is
manufactured in the South. On agencies like
these the cause Of Secession depends for sup
port Treason could have no more fitting champ
ion than n yeual press.