The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-02
Newspapers.

replying to the structures of a reverend gentle
man of Baltimore, who appears to have de-
nounced newspapers generally for their publ
cation of what he deems Objectionable matter,
such as the announcement of murders, seduo
ton cases, etc. etc. As the answer of our
New York friends is to the point and as we
believe conclusive, we shall not go over the
ground traversed by them, but prefer instead
of availing ourselves of a chance to say few
words, or rather of enlargipg on the theme
broached by our New York brethren, and
which, perhaps, has rather been neglected
One word as to the sweeping charges made by
the Baltimore gentleman; his charge Is any
way too sweeping. All sweeping charges most
commonly defeat themselves. We have thus
generalized our answer.
Now for our part of this subject
What we would say about newspapers, is
that many people are too apt to overlook the
amount of information they receive from such
sources. On all subjects-we say on all sub
jects-for newspaper writer is compelled a.
one time and another, to embody the current
news of the day-political, biographical, sta
tistical, even scientific. He is expected to
give the latest information on these subjects,
and that, too in a space necessarily restricted
We have no hesitation in saying that very fire.
quent]y as much knowledge is compressed in
some newspaper articles as can be found in
magazines. Let us not be misunderstood. 1t
is, of course, not to be expected as genera
thing that the writer confined to a column, or
perhaps little more, can condense as much in
that small space as the same writer might
occupy in the pages of a magazine, where he can
spread his thoughts digressions, and illustra-
tiops over one, five, or ten pages; but the very
nature of his position forces him into giving
all the information that is possible in so small
space, so that although depression and epi-
sodical matter is frequently impossible, yet
readers benefit thereby in getting the subject
before them in manner which, if the writer
understands his business, gives them a great
deal without there being wanting that variety
of articles on other subjects that all readers
demand. We would adduce in support of our
position the fact that articles from the London
Times have been collected and deemed worthy
of publication IN book form. Conspicuous
among such pieces that OCCUR to us at the
present moment is also the description of King
Victor Emmanuel's entrance into Venice, pub
lshed in the New York Tribune, the very
paper that replied SO well to the general de-
nouncer of newspapers. Such a descriptive
letter would grace any magazine.
The facility for condensation to which we
have adverted is not habitual even with many
distinguished for scholarship. The late Ell
ward Everett is a notable instance. One of
the ablest of American scholars, our readers
will remember that scarcely more deplorable
failure ever was known than the series of arti-
cles contributed by him to New York jour
nal. 1t was not from want of learning, but of
the art of adapting that learning for everyday
use. Many writer with not one-tenth part
of Mr.. Everett's abilities could surpass him at
this description of writing. 1t is a peculiar
department Of literature. 1t is not all
great writer's who excel in many
branches. Mr.. Prescott could, as we
all know, write good history, but not q
good essay. Certainly not good in the sense
we apply that word to such essayists as
Jeffrey, Rev. Sidney Smith, Macaulay, or Ste
phens. The late Mr.. Coleridge did write articles
for the London Morning Herald, so did the
late Mr.. Sterling for the Times. Sir Robert Peel
occasionally, it is said, worte articles for the
same journal! NJ. Disraeli is said to have
written such articles in the early part of his
career. French newspaper writers attained
high posts. Theirs, Guizot, Armand Carroll,
sainte Beauve, and a host of others
might be mentioned. When, therefore, the
increasing task Of chronicling daily events is
regularly looked for, II should occasion no
surprise if, in the hurry incidental to so many
matters, some particular one should fail to be
treated with the fulness and space of which it
is deserving, and, consequently, it is not ask
ing too much on our part for a little forbear-
ance for such an occasional short coming.
THE DEMOCRATS lavish much pathos upon
General Grants alleged refusal to exchange
the Confederate prisoners, who had been well
fed and well cared for in the North, on equal
terms for the starved and dying victims Of
Southern cruelty. We suppose the Tories Of
the Revolution made just as thrilling appeals
to the feelings of the people against General
Washington when he wisely took the same
course with General Howe in regard TO the
Continental troops, who had been crowded
into the filthy prison-ships to starve and freeze.
These terrible aens were formerly compared
to the Black Hole of Calcutta as an instance
of extreme cruelty and suffering, but we in
these later days have stronger SimiLe W nen
we shudderipgy and loathingly compare those
dismantled hulks and their dying inmates
with Iihbv Prison and its snffarinu crowda