New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-20
MR.. PHILIPS ON THE PRESS.

Upon this, the American press at least proves
its good nature by publishing generally the
observation of Mr.. Phillips, without the least
apparent dread of consequences. Mr.. Philips
will, of course, 60 on saying or Whiting the
same thing, and genealizng or particularlzlng
upon the same idea, until he has either wearied
himself or the public Then lie will invent
another spicy little formula, this time perhaps,
about the church; then, no doubt with the most
conscientious intentions, he will launch
thunderbot in some other direction, which Will
so absorb the attention of lecture-goers that
we fear the "sycOphancy" of the American
press will be entirely forgotten. This will be
reason for regret, because, however great and
numerous may be its sins of omission and COM
mission, wa hope that the press is not yet to be
reckoned outside the pale of repentance and re-
form. The truth is that, for once, Mr.. Phillips
is upon the popular side. If we all of us do
not become absolutely perfect, it will not be
for want of the criticism, advice, rebuke which
reaches us 10y every mail from every point OF the
compass; for it must he admitted that, consider
ing our sycophancy, we have often the misfortune
to dsplease the majority, and are not seldom
taken TO task for running counter to the public
opinion. A sycOphant is mean, but we have
never been able to be mean enough to please
everybody; a sycophant is ilatterer, but we
call n considerable portion of our fcllow-clt-
zens to bear witness that we have never Hat
tered them; a sycophant is obsequious, and
this is the last fault which can be generally
charged with Justice upon the American press.
In many cases, undoubtedly it will seem'to
follow public opinion and to treat 1t with an
inorlinate respect, merely because public opin-
ion is that of its managers who arc not to be
condemned without mercy simply because they
have the misfortune 10 agree with their friends
and neIghbors We know that il is the theory
Of some men that society can never be right,
aud they pass their lives in state OF high
hostility TO whatever is thought or maintained
by others. Not to admire is all the art they
know. Such persons are, in the nature OF
things. comfortably uncomfortable and pla-
cidlv displeascd il might be possible To make
newspaper of the same character; 1t might
be desirable TO do so, if it was impossible
TO. society ever to be right, but since it Is
sometimes substantially correct it Is also
sometimes impossible TO quarrel with 1t with
any show of fairness. In such cases, the
public opinion will be the opinion OF the
NEWSPAPERS. and they are no more TO be
charged with sycophancy than are MI.
philips's numerous male and female admir-
cs To agree is not necessarily TO Halter; TO
De- on good terms with society Is not newt
ably to be obscquious; to acknowledge the
nccuracy Of noighbor's conclusions IA not To
exhibit any very rcprehensblc degree OF ser
Witty. Because n few persons think otherwise,
and are predetermined to disapproye of what
ever j. popular II does not follow that those
who finding the current setting in an honest
direction conclude 10 swim with IL, are merely
time-seiycrs and trimmers; nor Is there any
thing that We can sec ailording ground for
reasonable suspicion of collision in a substan-
tial argument between those who write the
newspapers and those who read them.
The error of chasing all newspapers under one
general head and subjccting them all to one
sweeping condemnation, belongs to style OF
discussion which may have an immediate con
vcnicncc, and has, therefore, quite too often
been rcsortcd TO 10y those who call themselves
reformcrs. No Argument is necessary TO prove
its extreme injustice. To say that all news
papcrs are this or that, are syc0phAntic or
time-scrying. is just as unfair as it would be
TO say that all men between the ages OF twenty
and forty are dishonest, because there are
many dishonest men in that stage of existence
II is not kind OF generous TO ignore the essen
tial differences between newspapers. They
are all printed, it is true, upon
white paper, and so all men have two eyes and
a nose; but there is every variety of news
paper. Just as there is every variety OF human
character; and as nobody is exempted from
infrmity, 80 no newspaper can be always
right 1t is easy to pick out the worst speci-
mems Of our daily publications, and to say that
all are like those which are selected; but to
say 10 is not 10 speak the truth. There are,
is is true, journals which are consistently base,
which hatter vice and uphold wrong, and mis-
state facts aud middle public questions; but
such newspapers have bad character and
hardly ever betray the honest land intelligent
public into q permanent fault. There are other
journals which have n good character which
are credited by the community, but which,
nevertheless, being controlled by mortal beings,
are sometimes unfortunate enough to fall into
errors of statement or errors of opinion They
have not the peculiarly good luck to be ar
| ranged by one of those remarkable creatures
who being carefully ard specially guided and
enlightened by Divine Providence, never made
a mistake, and never fell into an unconscious
error of opinion in the Whole course OF their
beautifully consistent lives. IL is unfortunate
| for them that here and there rcformer is to
10 be found, who, being entirely with0pt SIN,
is scripturaly authorized to cast at them tho
first and many subsequent stones. We hope
the occupation ia really as pleasant as they
seem to find it.
The occurrence of distinct shocks of earth