Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-08-15
ASHTABULA OHIO, SATURDAY, AUGUST Is, 1868

ests; they are alike free from bias of
of prejudice, at least, in so far as it is
possible for men 10 be diyested of per-
sonal feelings; even more, their constant
intercourse with people of every occu-
patton, of all positions in society, of all
degrees of intellect, has worn the roguh
edges and taught them the virtues of
'charity toward all, ,sand malice toward
none" While the two professions,
journalism and lecturing, have so much
similarity in their influence toward the
adoption and advocacy of the right by
their members; while these last find it q
privilege, nay, a necessity of their po-
sltlon to often support the unpopular yet
right side of the question, it is still mat
ter OF dispute whether the facilities for
modifying public opinion are equal with
both. and whether each does proportion
ate share OF the work for the cause of
truth. For it is the business of every
profession, especially of those whose en-
tire strength is expanded in endeavors
to control the public mind, to earnestly
seek for the truth, and having found it,
to defend it at whatever cost.
When we examine the relative oppor-
tunities ofeach profession for acting upon
fhe public understanding, it is with no
hesitation that we finally conclude that
journalism verify has the broadcast field
for influencing human passions aud
moulding the popular judgment. The
platform would not, could not be bu. for
the press; and shall the STRIPPING claim
to be greater than his parent? The re-
sult of the general diffusion of news
papers was TO create n desire of know
ledge among those classes who, before
DIR. FauStus made league with the Devil,
were barred from education. This de-
sire grew until it ripeued in the Public
Schoo! systems, the element,preservative
of civilization; and we have been told
by the best living exponent Of the popu-
lar lecture that his profession 'was at
first merely an educational instrument,
designed as asupplement to our common
school system" ....... .....
But it may be true that in thirty years
the power of the platform has surpassed
the influence gained by the press in two
hundred and fifty years; it seems very
unlikely. When the abolitionists were
fighting against slavery, which did they
find the most seryicable ally, Wendell
Phillips with his audience three hun
dred thousand strong, at the most, or
the New York Tribune daily pleading
the sane.cause of the slave to a quarter
of million ? Will not Mrs. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton effect more for her pet
scheme of woman suffrage by making the
Revolution readable paper, than she
could by the same words spoken from
the political rostrum or the lyceum plat
form The public lecturer would make
very few converts to any theory he
might advocate, if the newspapers did not
second his efforts by advertising him aud
presenting his thoughts and arguments
to men whom they would not reach
otherwise than through its columns; for
ones auditors are limited by their own
will or an architects designs, while ones
readers, if he writes anything of worth,
are numberless. a good word once
spoken, once printed, is copied in hun
dreds of country papers, of home papers,
there to be read by the farmer at lis
freside, by the lumber men in the forests,
by the sailor in the forcastle and cabin,
by the miner when off duty, by the
mechanic at his dinner-pail, in fact to be
read by thousands of men who never
heard great lecturer, and yet, thanks
to the journalists, are conversant with
the important topics of the day and with
the views of the principal speakers from
the platform there it is to mould tie
opinions and form the judgments of the
active, thinking, voting majority upon
national concerns. Aye, of verify,
journalism is an estate Of the realm, a
power above all other powerin the land;
and as its mission is mighty, even SO are
its responsibilities great.
The word responsibilities brings us to
the second question necessary to be an
swered previous to complete under
standing of what journalism now is in
America. Perhaps my adversary mot
entirely imaginary, as you know if you
have properly attended-and attended to
the public lectures of the winter just
ended) is ready to say: d" 1t is true that
journalism might be more powerful
agent for good than the lecture system
could be, but public opinion is so despo-
tic that the press does not afford the
opportunity for free discussion and ex-
preston of opinion; it is in fact not
doing its lawful share of work III the cause
of right and, from the necessities OF. the
case, cannot"
1t seems 4 somewhat rash aspersion
upon an important profession to assert
its failure to do its duty, when such as
sertion flies right into the face of facts
which are patent to all men. journalism
remiss in duty, while it is the only pro-
fession that dares to expose and denounce
private and public corruption, the Ie-
sistless and unresisted curidity of all who
handle money, the venality of Legislators
and other government officers; while it
incurs the ill-will of its patrons by CEN
sures of the increasing immortality OF
the times, the growing tendency toward
lewduess in dress, in speech and in man
ner; while it goes counter to the innate
prejudlces OF powerful portions of the
community by advocating Sunday laws
liquor prohibition 4aws; while it resistss
popular clamor for the reputation OF
solemn natioual promises, and also OPP