New-York tribune., 1868-08-24
cRITICLSLNG NEWSPAPERS.


confessed in these columns-an admission,
however, which We would fam qualty oy
the additional suggestion that to err is
human, and that it is easy to generaiHe win
no little injustice concerning all. printed
matter whatsoever. We suppose that the Rev.
| ]. +. w. Ware of Baltimore, who recently
appeared as a censor of the newspaper press
being, as We believe, q liberal and candid
geutleman--wo not deny that a great many
so-caled religious books are of an extremely
mischevous tendency, appealing to unmanly
motives unwhOlesomely stimulating the mag
ination, and dScOuragipg a vigorous exercise
of the intellectual powers; but we think that
| he would have some reason to complain II
critics made no exceptions, but indiscrlmi-
nately condemned tracts, ecclesiastical organs,
evangelical novels, and books of pious verse.
| We see every day serious newspapers printed,
! we doubt not with the best intentions, which
| in our opinion can only enfeeble, morally and
mentally, those who rely upon the reading of
! them; but, although these are so distinct as
| class that we hardly recognize them as mem
| beIs Of our fraternity, we do not feel bound
to condemn all for the faults of few. And
| while we admit that many members ot orr
own profession, as Mr., Ware Justly enough
| complains, "have great deal to answer for,
''as they have failed to uphold and elevate
"the popular taSte,n we should like to ask
! him if teachers, clcrgymen, book-nakcrs, lee
turers, have not also something to answer for
upon the same score. How many sermons are
preached which can Ito no possible good to
| anyhody--hOW many fiat, ill-digestcd i'll
arranged ill., written, and ill-spoken discoursrs,
! which people WHO know no better accept rs
gospel, to the great injury of something more
important than taste We do not know that
there is any help for this, for small men viii
| enter the ministry just as bad men get the
control of some newspapers; but then II must
! he remembered that the pulpit makes great
! pretenHons, speaks by authority, claims to be
u special and constant public benefit and is
accepted by large class, If not by the
majority, as an almost nfallible monitor;
! while, upon the contrary, as we have
| Found hy an experience not aItOgetner pleas
ant, ucwSpaper-icnders are much more eIiti
cal Il IN chnch-goors, and are by no means
disposed to take ell we have 20 say upon trust.
! Besides. if Mr. Ware were as we'll acquainted
with newspapers "a we are, for we suppose we
read iity times ~ many as he does, he would
see that these sheets differ quite as broadly as
men differ and that it is impossible 10 subject
them all with any fairncsS. to single and
sweeping judgment; for they arc no more
alike than human faces, aud require a clasSiL-
cation as liberal and judioiOus a. 4 generous
moralist will give TO the various shades OF hui
man character. Besides, it is absolutely ncces-
Sary to draw distinction between what
Journal prints rs nctrs and what it prints as
opinion. NJ. Wre complains that all news
papers publish accounts OF crimes, of divorce
cases, murders, SeductlOnS, abduchons and that
these encourage passion and stimulate curl
OSity;h and 10, we answer, Ght the pro-
cpcdings in courts of justice, although no.
body can deny that the mischief would be in
iGtely greater, though of a different character
if these should sit in secret session and with
barricaded doors The publicity which is given
to crime by newspapers is part of the system
of prevention aud of waning and we do not
sec how matters would be much mended if
murders were going on continually coucern-
ing which the public could get no specific and
trustworthy information. The murder which
in our day has created the deepest sensation
was that of Or Bdryteli We did not think
that we were pandcring 10 A depraved taste,
nor even TO an irrational curiosity by printing,
rs we did, all the incidents Of this extraordi-
nary case. 1t was an investigation in which
every man who valued his life had direct
personal interest; and it was for the best that
the public should have all the facts, however
dissgreeable on disgusting some OF them might
be. Secrecy would only have stimulated un-
wholesome sarmse aud prurient conjecture.
Newspapers which are 1T I'LL careful in their state
ments serve 10 correct misrepresentation and
to restrain unbrdlcd gossip. They pro-
fess TO give Intelligence. Mr.. Ware
says that they should not give in
tclligenco which it is improper "for females
=" and growing people TO read y but does not this
question depend mainly upon 8the manner in
which the intelligence is conveyed A sonsi-
tive female must take her chance of being
shockedIor OF being distressed and if "growing
!" people grow long enough they viii hfallbly
encounter sin and iniqnty, great crimes and
great criminals. The disagreeable aud the dan,
gerous are not 10 be avoided in this world Of
probation nor dOsocal evils become any fewer
becauseall mention of them has been vigorously
prohibited. Unless, by some process unknown
TO us, all wickedness can be kept out of the
world, we really do not soc how it can be kept
out Of the newspapers to 1asiIl gc3anI 1852 i
We believe that we comprehend the evils of
newspapers quite as fully as any of eur critics. 4
We know that in the publication OF a daily
journal it is impossible to be fastidous, and
that many things will creep in which should
be excluded; but this is tue, as we have
already observed, of every description of print
ing, and was made an argument against it by
1Ap os
tho work of Satan. aud saw nothing but sin