The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-11
The Government and tho Newspaper
Press.


Within the last six months great change has
taken place in the condition and character Of
the newspaper press Of this country. The crisis
through which we are passing has effected a
revolution'of corresponding importance in its
status. With the fusion Of parties into one
great national organization, arrayed IN support
OF the government, the Journals which multi
piled and dragged out precarious existence
under the influence Of the ever varying voliti-
cal issues Incident 10 democrats institutions
have been dropping of and dying out IS fast as
autumnal leaves. Owing their birth to no set
tied principles, and possessing no hold of the
confidence and respect Of tho community, they
have passed away with the petty cliques and
factions from which they sprung. While thus
all over the country the war has been dealing
havoc among journals Of minor Importance. it
has been CONCENTRATING the influence dissipated
over this large surface in the metropolitan news
papers, which. founded on frmer principles
and possessing more capital and enterprise,
have been enabled to resist the shock. But
even among these latter there has not
been that adaptability 10 de circumstances Of
the crisis that was to have been expected from
them. In their support Of the government they
have exhibited want of harmony and an ire
concilabnity ofviews that have been productive
OF the most unfortunate consequences. Some,
with q temerity and rccklessness without parallel
arrogated to themselves the conduct Of military
affairs, and without the slightest appreciation
either Of the resources Of the rebels or of the
unprepared state Of our own forces, drove the
government into that premature advance upon
Richmond which resulted in such disastrous
rout and loss of life, besides destroying what
ever little prestige the federal cause had in
Europe. Others, again, in defiance of the re-
quests Of the military authorities, have been
publishing, for the information Of the rebels
accounts Of the strength Of our Notifications and
OF the amount Of force at particular points:
while, in regard to the naval expedition, a most
shameful violation Of the understanding arrived
at among the leading journals was perpetrated
by republican organ protesting to support
the government On the question OF Fremont,
removal We have seen how the great interests
ct stake In the war were made subordinate "a
party associations. Missouri was nearly lost to
US through the efforts made by other journals
Of the same stripe to retain in his command a
general whose whole course out there was
marked by the most deplorabls incapacity and
folly.
There is remarkable similarity between
the present relations of the government and
the press in this country and those which ex-
listed in the same connection in France under the
first republic Previous to that period the pub
lie journals were simply collections of news
political, literary'or scientific. On the break
ing out Of the Revolution men of talent and pa
'rlotlsm placed themselves at their head and
began to discuss with more or less ability the
conduct OF public affairs. The new develope-
ment given to Journalism by their spirit and
energy inspired Others with the ambition to dis
tlnguish themselves in the same sphere. The
consequence was the foundation in Paris and