Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-02-10
TIE MORAL TONE.

The Virginia Union is publishing series
of peculiarly convincing articles upon the
moral character of the people of this Terri
tory. The round Of duty of the Press varies
much more frequently than many members
Of the profession are aware Of All conduc-
tors Of public journals are too apt to get into
routiues which are behind, or uninterestlnS
to public opinion. The oppressive appilca-
ton and sedentary toll Of the journalist
cause him to wander into the easiest paths OF
style and thought; and to go on until the
rr,bI;c discover him, or until he discover HIM
self, far outside of the ranges Of his duty to-
ward the moral regulation Of the community.
He attains from secluSion and labor delu-
sion which offers, and often somewhat atfcrds,
ease in politics and the calculations of ma
terial progress, assuring him that his efforts
are applied in accordance with the taste of
all his readers. He runs along the grasshop-
per track of current topics, catches at the
moths and butterflies of party and passes the
fact that his duty is one Of the most change
able. At times he is required to affect the
public mind with repeated and long drawn
practicabilities in relation to resources and
development of wealth. At other times he
is required to aid in impeding one class OF
politicians and in promoting the claims OF
another class; then he is called upon for
comments and suggestions promotiye OF hon
est administration, good laws and general
and local reform; and then he is partitioned
of to the single department Of news; and
thence he is invited to spend a season in the
hasty and partial examination OF hundreds OF
intermediate and subiivided matters. But,
while he esteems it proper to correct iscms Of
misrepresentation, he readily conce!ves that
it is not broadly within his province to walk
into the inner courts Of character, and search
there for diamond pivotS upon which all the
human excellence OF his neiyhborhood re-
wolves, and to note tine quality and value Of
each, so that from the aggregate estimate
there may be deducei the trucst means OF
encouraging, defending and exalting that
moral advancement without which material
SUCCESS will become sordid, and civilization
take on the absorbing rust Of drgsneracy.
The Press may always fui prepondera:-
ing urgency in the subject which most COM
pletely occupies the peoples attention; yet
the propriety OF responding to any such ur
gency is not deteriorated by striving to sup
ply the people with subject matter Of pre-
ponderating importance. The press, being
the greatest medium Of communication,
should not willingly grant to the pulpit and
the private circle the responsibility OF keep
ing up the moral tone, but should strike in
ahead Of them and pioneer them up the
heights of intelligence and virtue. Its inau-
ence transcends that Of every other agency,
and whether it leads or follows, it should iu-
culcate the belief that the more community
which is best BY the finest opportunities Of
physical prosperity, is advised to preserve
and exalt its moral tone, the more it will
prosper in all its labors and hopes for wealth.
The notion that wealth degrades the moral
faculties can be denied bY the press through
its efforts to approve and improve every ten
dency to ally good habits and intellectual
exercise with the motives and energies of
gaih-seeking. The highest qualities require
the stimnlant Of respectable commesdation,
and the Press of cur magically growing Ter
ritory cannot more conveniently enhance its
responsibility than by acknowledging itself
glad to follow the spontaneous urgency of
public opinion in the direction of the defense,
maintenance aud expansion Of great social,
intellectual and commercial merit