Daily national Democrat., 1861-01-23
9allg gational 9emutrat
A Record of Old Times.

A Record of Old Times.
The Portland Advertiser has come across
q curiosity in a volume of the Essex Register,
newspaper published at Salem, Massachu-
sets, in 1914. AT that early date, says the
Advertiser, it was in its fourteenth volume
and if the same journal is not published nov,
it has been discontinued within our genera,
tion.
The vast improvement that has occurred
within the past fifty years in the newspaper
line is indeed astonishing. In paper and ty-
Biography especially is the advancement most
marked. The Whitley brown colored paper
of the olden time. has given place to a su.
perior article, and the ungainy looking let
tiers which leaned in all directions but the
right one, have been marshalled into order
and gracefuness, in the beautiful appearance
of the letter press of the day. 1t may be that
here, with the mechanical part of the busi-
ness, the improvement ceases. The literary
character of she newspaper press of this age
may be more brilliant and ATTRACTIVE than
Sh"O Vi AOS BACNSSCcoOIS, WI we 40 NOT KNOW
that the press of nowadays is any more de-
cided and direct in the use and application of
words to express it's meaning. There is much
more of circumlocution, much less condensa-
tiop of thought, too great an attenuation, so
to speak, of ideas, to make any remarkable
improvement upon those plain old times,
when things were called by their right names,
and writers did not strive to find how they
could best cater to public opinion, right or
wrong, rather than seek to reform and mould
it, as the best interests of society demanded
But let us come back to the Essex Register,
the bound file of o newspaper which Captain
Gilman has kindly loaned us. The Register
was all right in those days Which so tested
men in that quarter Of the Union, though
Massachusetts was no more right then than
she is now. AS State her political influ-
ence was against the administration of Mr.
Madison, and opposed to the war which then
existed between the United States and Great
Britain. The Register pours in hot shot, but
it is nothing more than fair to say that un-
happily there were enough papers in that
State that poured shot, just as hot, in the
other direction. The traitorous Massaehu-
setts of 1914 is the same treasonable Massa-
chusetts of 1860.
If our present national troubles should cul-
inmate in violence, it would be our PROPOSE
tion that Massachusetts and South Carolina.
as they represent both extremes in the issues
before the country, be permitted to fight it
out in fair stand up fght-after the old
mode Of the trial by battle; whichever side
WINS that to be considered the settlement of
the question. After all, war so decides mat
ters, without much regard to the question of
right, and our jocose proposition would not
seem to be so greatly improper.
The Register was an anti Federal organ,
and we make the following extracts from its
issue of March I'd, 1914, in reference to poll
tics, which, by-the-by, are not inapplicable
TO these times:
"If ever it can be proper for the respective
States in the Union to give their Judgment of
the public measures, it is at the present time
when Legislative authority is employed TO
embarrass the general government. In this
view the resolves of Kentucky are seasonable
as well as just And the conduct of Penn
sylvania has prudence well patriot
lem in 1t. 1t is prudent to prevent the undue
Influence of private citizens, when they can
find the means to express their private feel
ings by other organs than their own. This
is the only check which can be given to the
rage of party, without disturbance of the
public quiet. 1t must be left to the public
discretion what use shall be made of national
privileges Of remonstranee. 1t must be left
to men Of cool minds to devise the means of
removing the obstinacy of error, by organs
which are not subject 10 the folly.
The Hon. Mr.. Dexter has published an able
exposition of his political sentiments in a let
ter addressed to the Electors of Massachu-
setts. 1t has justified the high expectations
of the republicans, and powerfully recon-
mends him TO thesupport of the people at the
ensuing election. The principles he advo.
Gates are purely American
He Isl friend to the Union of the States,
and believes that the federal party are en-
deavOring to sever that Union.
lie thinks the war necessary and just He
is in favor of having the public energies Wig
orously exerted in its prosecution, instead of
preaching sedition, and threatening to op-
pose the government and divide the States
He says it is the duty of the people when
momentous question is constitutionally set
tied, to respect the decision, and aequiesce in
it, and this he considers one .os the funGamen-
tai principles of civil society"