Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-08-07
Mr.. Gladstone Oh Newspapers.


I'VE have lived into times when the
newspaper is great social, political, and
moral power, one SO great that it cannot be
overlooked by any of those who would
comprehend the character of their country
or the nature of those processes by which
the movement ofa mighty nation is direct
ed. While the newspaper has thus become
a power in the land, those who are count
ed with the management of newspapes-
those who supply daily or weekly to the
public the food which they derive from
them-have become body so important
to US all, that We may well say that they
are entitled not less than others to the dig
nifty of a profession. They are no longer
individual, as they were a century ago,
who, perhaps guided by some prophetic III
stinct, but separating themselves in fact
from the mass of the community, and from
the known and recognised paths of fame,
then laid the foundation of the newspaper
system. They are now persons engaged in
supplying from day to day one of those
primary wants Of society, without which it
is hardly too much TO say society, as we
comprehend and understand it, could not
exist For two or three gene
rations the press of the country has acted
powerfully upon the mind of the country,
but the circle and the area over which 1t
acts has of late received an immense extern
sion. The press, which was formerly the
the privilege of the educated class, has be-
come the patrimony Of the people There
is not a man possessed of the first elements
of knowledge in their simplest form to
L. ~, Il
has now decended, Is not easily accessible.
feel that in this place | discharge spe-
cial duty, because | am of the opinion that
those whose lot Is cast in public life are,
more than any other, debtors to the press
of their country. We are debtors to it in
the first place because it Is we who have
the opportunity CT learning and perceiving
the enormous public and political advan-
tages which have been derived from the ac-
ton Of the press. 1t Is not too much to
say that the action ola popular and we'll
conducted press alters essentially the ma
ture of the relations between the govern
ors and the governed. Obedience becomes
no longer u duty to be performed passively
and in blindness. The law, the govern
ment, the proceedings of the legislature,
make their daily appeal through the daily
newspaper to the mind and understanding
of every member of the community they
weave new ties of interest and affection be-
tween the private individual and the pub
lie authority under which he lives They
give new element to society and the vene-
rated institutions of the country.
- We have vet another, a closer and
more personal debt to be acknowledged
and that, perhaps, under more heads than
one | think you have been told on for
mer occasions from this place that the press
would be invaluable We're it only for the
beneficial process which it applies to the
utterances. | believe, of both Houses of
Parliament during the brief intermediate
period that elapses between the time they
leave the lips of the speakers, and the time
they meet the eye Of the readers. do not
want to enter upon this delicate subject, but
undoubtedly it Is true, in general, that the
skilful hand of the reporter produces a
considerable Improvement in the speeches
that are delivered in Parliament in point
of grammar. and in point Of accuracy of
expression, and in retrenching any undue
fulness Of development.
But besides that debt there is another
obligation which we owe, not to the report
ers but to the writer's for the newspapers
and frankly confess that without them |
do not know how we should get on. Their
encouragement and encomiums are of very
great value to us; they cheer Us in the hour
of need and of difficulty; but | assure you
that | for one-and believe all who have
similar experience will join me in saying
So-set far higher value on their criticisms
than upon their cenSures for no man is
ever injured by criticism or by censures.
If the criticisms and censures are unjust
they will do him no harm, except it be
through his want ofmanliness of character.
If. on the other hand, they are just, they
are to him invaluable they become the
mirror in which he acquires the view and
knowledge of what otherwise he could
means of amending his faults, of avoiding
the errors he has committed, Of making his
abilities, whatever they may be, more
available for the benefit of his fellow-coun-
trymen. of doing-I will not say more per-
fectly, but at any rate less impertectly-
the arduous work which providence has
appointed him to do.
A writer in any newspaper, and espec-
tally ifit be newspaper Of great influence
and Importance, has III many senses most
difficult function to discharge He has to
discharge a function that is difficult and
even dangerous for himself, far more than
for the public For himself because he
writes-l Will not say without sense of
responsibility, because it would be unjust
to say sO-but without the ready means of
| constantly uuick eDinu that sense of reSnon-
sibility which is derived from publicity,
and with which most of us feel it would be
difficult to dispense in the discharge of our
duty. Nevertheless, for us the function
he discharges is invaluable, and society is
indebted to those who furnish for them the
instruction and improvement provided by
the newspaper, but none are so much in
debted to them as those who are the OBJ
iects of the free and unbiased review, nay,
even of the hostile criticism. The debt |
for one am most anxious to acknowledge.
[ do not wish to exaggerate-I hope and
believe | have not exaggerated in the
terms l have used-the immense, the in
calculable Importance of the functions of
the newspaper with regard to the mass of
society.
90 1t is not for me to pretend to mi
unite or accurate acquaintance with the
moral tone of the newspaper press since
the time when it first became a great power
in this country; but the knowledge of it
that / do possess impresses me with deep
conviction that the newspaper press has
become more upright, more candid, more
regardful of the sanctities fprivate life and
personal character more careful to avoid