The New York herald., 1862-04-13
NEW YORK HERALD. SUNDAY, APRIL Is, 1867.

Clelian's capture of Yorktown. BY that time,
as we have intimated, their back door of escape
to the Southwest, down through East Tennessee,
VIII be closed, and they will be compelled to
move directly southwark through North and
South Carolina; and even by this route they
may meet with some very serious distractions.
The interior portions Of the cotton States,
back from the malaria of the low, swampy sea-
coast section, are elevated and remarkably sa-
iubrious. The original plans of General Nc
Clellan embraced this nice distinction between
summer campaign for Northern troops on the
sickly Southern scaboard and the healthy
Southern interior. Hence we lind that all the
late and present movements OF our enciRcling
armies, fleets and fotillas are directed, on both
TANKS, TO push The rebels back into the interior
of the cotton States before the sickly season OF
The Southern coast comes on. That this will be
done can hardly now be- doubted; but, with this
great work accomplished, we think there will
be no protracted rebel guerilla war in the in
terror of the cotton States, but general STAN
pede Of the rebel leaders for Mexico, and
general dissolution Of the rebel armies
Taxation OF NeWspa pers--In duenee OF
Cheap Journalism on Political Morals.
The death of the London Morning Chronicle,
after nearly century Of existence, is a fact Of
great political significance. Taken ia con-
neetion with the changes impending over
our own newspaper press, its Importance should
not be lost sight Of
For thirty years the press OF England had
under the influence or moderate and discrimi
mating taxes imposed both upon circulation
aud advertisements, grown into a consequence
aud power which justly obtained for il he title
OF The Fourth Estate IL represented 80 faith
fully the opinions OF the educated classes that
no minister dare disregard its manifestations
when exercised with any thing like unaninity. 1t
made or unmade cabinets, and to greater or
lesser degree, dictated the policy Of each
successive administration. With the exception
of few weekly journals, circulating among the
working classes, it was generally to be found
the advocate of conservative or nationally pro-
gressive measures. Then came the abolition of
what the radicals calIed "the taxes upon know
ledge term, like many other party shibbo
leths, intended merely to dupe the multitude.
So far as It regarded the newspaper press it
certainly had no just application; for, under
judicious system Of taxation the English press
had not only honestly fulfilled its mission, but
prospered to degree unexampled in the his
tory Of that particular department of literature.
The duty upon paper removed its immediate
effect was to multiply to an enormous extent
the number Of cheap journals, which, springing
up like fungi, exercised y similarly uawhole-
some and poisonous influence. Requiring but
comparatively little capital for their establish
ment, the English penny daiiics soon acquired
circulation which affected tho advertising
business Of their older rivals, and compelled
them to reduce an expenditure that had beon
employed in securing the highest order Of
talent and personal character for their manage
ment. The consequences were soon apparent.
Men Of inferior capacity and principles got
hold Of the old established journals; tho intel
ligent class Of readers upon whom they had
hitherto relied became dissatisfied with them,
and to maintain their circulation they
had to bid for popularity among the
masses by rushing into extremes that
they had hitherto carefully avoided. Hence
the violent and disgraceful part taken
by such journals as the London Times,
Post and Herald on the American question,
and the error into which we ourselves fell
in assuming that these papers continued, as of
old, to represent the views of the government
or Of the intelligent and educated portion Of
the English people. The fact was that they
were either trying to curry favor with the work.
ing classes, whose interests were so seriously
Affected by the blockade or had been bought
up by Southern gold. The eject Of this prosti-
tuition of journals, which had hitherto main
became at once evident The two countries
were nearly precpitatcd into war With each
other, and when the concessions OF our govern.
ment in the Trent affair led 20 an ami
cable adjustment Of the difficulty, and
afforded time for calm consideration
Of all the facts, the conduct OF these papers
led to violent reaction in public opinion, the
effect Of which has been to kill of the Morning
Chronicle, which will soon be followed by the
Herald and Post, and in all probability by tho
Tines too, unless it speedily changes its tactics.
In trying to outvie the penny papers in radi-
calism and coarseness, these journals have
disgusted the highly cultivated class Of read
ers upon whom they have hitherto relied, and
the latter are consequently now almost without
any organ. When the conservative sentiment
Of the country is left thus unrepresentcd tho
consequences must be evident 10 every one.
To violence of tone and an aggressive spirit on
the part Of the press will succeed party divi-
sions and conflicts of all kinds and in their
wake will inevitably follow revolution and
anarchy.
Such has been also the experience of the con-
tinental nations wherever cheap press
has been allowed to multiply its issues
uncontrolled by government censorship