The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-15
sensation Letter Writers.

The great anxiety manifested by certain
class of letter writer's that there shall be war
with France on account of Mexico reflects
credit on the enterprise and vigilance with
which they guard the interests of their voca-
tion The faint protest which NAPOLEON has
uttered against such an event is properly
treated as matter of no consequence. NAPo-
LEON can attend to his business, and the letter
writers will attend to theirs. They know
what they are about perfectly well. They are
aware Of what the public demands, and 1t is
their vocation to supply that demand.
There is popular error that newspaper cor
respondents in large centres Of trade and inteli-
gence like Paris, London, New York, &C., are
under obligations to furnish the public with
nothing but facts, such as have been duly
sworn to before justice of the peace pre-
viously to publication. This is no part of the
contract between the public and the publisher.
The condition Of the markets, and other mat
tiers affecting pecuniary interests, must, Of
course, be given with the greatest accuracy,
but in the fancy work department the largest
liberty is always accorded. The public
appetite for the marvellous must be sup
piled with no more regard to literal cor
rectness than is shown in a novel or romance.
The English or American reader must have
sensation with his breakfast, and it is the bnsi-
ness Of the correspondent to furnish 1t with
out reference to facts. We may censure the
lax morality of the letter writer, but 1t is,
after all, the prurient tastes of the public
which have called into existence an order of
men who live by ministering to the morbid
appetite of the multitude for excitement
Thus it is that the Paris correspondents of
Y ho~ Ixxyax hQap fa
the most beautiful specimens of fabricated
intelligence which are manufactured anywhere
in the world. Our own aspiring scribes have
endeavored to initiate them, but their imita-
tions are mere daubs the colors are not judi
ciously laid on, and the commonest eye sees at
once that it is a counterfeit. Now, even in
work of fiction, there is required certain
resemblance to truth and nature, some slight
respect for the probabilities, which is we'll un-
derstood by the Partisan epistolary artists,
but seems entirely forgotten by our own
clumsy manufacturers. Whilst the disposition
to falsify which they exhibit is all that could
be expected, their bungling execution would
disgrace the merest noyices in Europe. The
inclination TO lie, without the knowledge of
how to do it, can never achieve sensational
eminence, nor command the applause which
is always elected by high creative genius.
No one can blame the letter writers for the
reluctance they manifest to relinquish the war
between France and the United States. The
community has SO long been fed on high-sea-
soned food, on battles, sieges, most disastrous
chances, moving accidents by flood and field,
hair breadth 'scapes l. the imminent deadly
breach, &C., that it is ready for any and every
thing that belongs TO war, except to take up
arms itself. The prospect of collision with
France has afforded just the stimulant that was
required by the withdrawal of the late source of
excitement. The public refused to believe that
there could be any pacific solution of the mat
ter, and various theological persons insisted
npon it that the great battle of Armageddon
would soon come off, and that the world would
come to an end in 1866. In the event of a fail
ure of the Mexican war, the end of the world
is all that remains to the sensationists.; 1t is
very strange that mankind cannot consent to
live without sensations; that they cannot be
content with their bread and meat, and go on
working patiently in the day, and sleeping
quietly at night, without demanding to be
thrilled and astonished every twenty-four
hours