Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-08

and of the proneness of mankind to be hum
bugged.
1t is far off nations that give forth the
voice of the future 1t is difficult to speak
impartially of any age-it is especially so
of the times in which we live It is possible
it is a frequent toccurrenee-lor historian
to utter a falsehood, so to combine or alter
the light and shade, and color and tone of
affairs, to give an age altogether an unjust
character. Men, even the most intelligent
and brave. are SO much influenced by their
creeds, prejudices and party, that every sub
/ ject, person and event, appears to them, ac-
cordIng to their standpoint, and as the light
in which 1t is viewed is clear or dark. The
brightest colors of the most beautiful flowers,
are obscured by the shadow of him, who
i bends over them, to examine them. Accord
/ ingly our hopes and fears, our creeds, po-
litical or religious, stand affected by our age,
so will we give bright or sOmbre hue.
A distinguished English author has said
-" The churchman takes his view of the age
/ from the top of the steeple. a radical looks
at the age and examines it from the window
of Great Western Express Carriage, pro
ceediug at the rate of seventy miles an hour
\ chartist takes peep at the age from a
! seat upOn the orifce of volcano. One man
sees 10 it the thiekening gloom, another
/ brightness and sunshine, One picks up moth
I ing but withered leaves, another but beauti-
/ ful h0wers,-o is the ancient philosopher,
! who laughed at everything Is the
rival philosopher who cried at every hing.
/ From these observations it will be perceived
how difficult 1t is to hit on that just medium,
which is 50 desirable IN the treatment of our
subject. 1t is neither my desire to censurc or
eulOgize the times we live in; at least my
main aim is to glance at it's features, so that
as journalists we may all seek earnestly for
such attributes as shall fit us eminently for
the duties laid upon US.
The times are sp4smodic, excitable, chaotic,
nervous, mOney-makIng and extraordinarily
progressive. 1t is the age of the million,
and not of the few. The poet has described
it as one in which = Tne individual wIthers,
! and the world is more and more.
! From the characteristics OF our times there
[ fore, we should learn something of the jour
nalist demanded Our times require writers
of broad, deep, enlarged, ready intelligence
They must have understanding of the times,
to know what course they ought to pursue.
The man engaged in conducting newspaper
I in times should be free from prejudice
and from the d'etG of bigotry and fanaticism.
they must have freedom of thought and ut
terdnce on all subjects, and responsible to no
star chamber. clique, or corporation, or mo-
nopOly for their opinions, but to their con-
science, and the great public which they serve.
] lucy cO0uAQ say. OuE LuUA1uLS art
! they cannot be shut up in prison walls, nor
put to death on scaff1lds. The journalist of
the present hour must believe IN scientific
I progress. Learn not to be afraid of the ad-
vaneement of learning, or opinion, but to
trust u true science.
Confused, catholic, headlong and paradox
Ical as our times seem u be there can be but
one reading OF them That il is an age of un-
ayoidable decision. Every journalist Is made
L. IL L Il
battle-shOut between truth and error ring
ing out throughout the nations. The trumpet
calls louder and louder, - W no il for the
right?" lie; him come forth with quick step,
and every one 70 his own standard a. d ais
own line Never, in the Worlds history,
was there such "A marshaliDs in seried ranks
and trOwnIng front for truth and error-neyer
such age Of discrimination and decision
and never such emergency laid upon
journalism To choose the right position and
stand by il To the death, is laid upon
There Is no possible escape from this res
possibility. ltiSas inseparab!e from Journal
ism as your identity. There Is no out-of-the
way harbor for neutral flags place left tor a
cold, miserable nOn-cOmmittalism No one
can smCggle himself through the world. The
journalist should be no mortgaged au utOmaton
u antiquated theories, or to special interests.
The age as a crucible-nOthIng escapes its
searching analysis. The plates of stereOtyped
opinions are broken up and men now read,
talk, think for themselves. So. the inevitable
necessity Is laid upon the journalist to choose
what be will be in our age of deep and varied
excitement,-everyt thing social ecclesiastical
and political is in motion. No neutrality or
slow trains can exist with the American peo-
pie. Our anchor is weighed-our vessel is
out on the Open sea with all her sails spread
and the more she crowds the canvas, the
more she needs ballast and the more cautious
Is must she be steered by us.
/ Our fathers threw old formulas and hOary
systems into the smelling pan. Good angels
helped our fathers, and their hands have
made for US home for freedom and religion.
/ In our woodland homes
And where the solemn ocean fOams,
There's freedom At gates, and rest
For Eartlfs down trodden and opprest-
shelter for the haunted head
For the starved labOrer, toH and bread
/ The tendencies of the times call for Jour
nalist of pronptitllde, decision, energy and
effort Terrific as is the momentum with
which the world is moving, the journalist
should not be left behind. Tie must be up TO
times. lie must be in the van. Journalism
I is designed to shape the course of action, it
must throw forward its standards and progress
with the race and drink in the spirit of the
age. up and at them" mus be the
watchword of journalism at this stage of the
worlds history. Journalists must be men of
purpose in action The motto of the brave
Iennesseean must be ours, - Be sure you are
right and then 90 ahead" God and man
honor a consistent course, and both God and
man lightly esteem craven heart and a fall
tering hand.
There is need among the conductors of
the press to remember that q union is
strength Our times inn eratively call on
us for united action An open enemy is not
} false friend / or rs ha
men true to their colors, even if they are
false colOrs, rather than journalists who will
not show their eolors or who viii not stand
/ by their colors. As common dangers threat
en-, so common truth must concentrate us
As the foe of progress is throwing his armed
masses upon our great centres, so must we
rally around those centres. And these centres
are now the preservation of our American
institutions in purity and vigor-the freedom
of the pen and of speech-the American
system of common schools free from all
priestcraft. Let us forget all sectarian and
political jealousies, look over minor shades of
mere opinion, get rid of Prejudices let our
souls look out into the suns hine of heaven.
Let the amplitude and vast variety of the
works ofnature teach us magnanimity towards
one another. Let US put on such deep,
broad enlargedness of heart and catholicity OF
spirit as befit the great age in which we
live. While we grasp the great principles of
truth the more firmly, we can afford to lay
aside all prejudices the more readily. In the
light of the spirit of the age, we can afford to
throw away petty prejudice and embrace as
brothers al the regiments of the great army
of true progress whatever may be the cut OF
their uniform. As the armies OF the oppO-
sition are marshaling, so must the forces of
light coverge upon their great centres. If we
cannot see eye TO eye, yet our hearts should
beat responsively as we bear the banner OF
human progress shoulder to shoulder in ur-
broken, uoyielding ranks against the common