The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-04

lnc newspaper OF to-day 10 an INSTITUTION
that rejects the civilization and public opin.
lon of the age. 1t Is significant of the intel
ligence and public spirit Of our times. II b
true, 1t may sometimes suppress the public
thought for those material reasons which
govern the vital power Of Its own existence
ut we apprehend this Is temporary and
,,mited, while sooner OF later the current
ideas of the time find expression through this
great clvilizer and propogandist Of thought.
The fact still remains, that 1t leads OF In
all social changes and reaches out every
where into the transitions Of opinion, the
formation Of ideas and the developments Of
the pu,hiv taste. Within Its varied column.
the resources Of the world are displayed, the
reanements Of life are deguerreotyped, the
authorship Of the day is criticised, the dolngs
Of conventions and congresses are recorded,
tho material and intellectual demands OF
society are stated. Every new opinion Is
canvasscd, and full scope Is given TO every
effort OF enfranchisemcnt In the broad field
ofhuman intercourse.
At the present time capital, enterprise and
talent are the three grand essentials Of suct
cess. And, undoubtedly, enterprise is thA
most essential element In this trio. This
arises from the fact that news assumes a
leading part in the makeup of the newspa-
per Of the present day. New facts and cur
rent events cannot be ignored. The earliest
and most complete intelligence must DO coll
lccted and arranged for the public eye, or
complete failure will be sure to overtake
any daily newspaper that attempts to cater
to the public taste; for It will not stop for
slow coaches or wait for plodding details.
1t realizes fully that history advances rap
Idly while steam and electricity wait In
every public place to carry abroad the cur
rent developments Of all invention and In
formation.
But notwithstanding this aspect Of our
subject, there Is still another fact to be con-
sidered. The newspaper must have charac-
ter, must have prestige. It must be dis
tlnctlve; have opinions, Ideas, spirit, power.
It must be prompt In utterance and clear
and incslve in style. Unlike authorships, 1t
cannot wait for reflection or more couye-
nlsnt season,l but it must act at once. 1t
must seize the present moment and the cur
rent thought rs best 1t can, and with quick
apprehension and comprehensive grasp, al
once deliberate, resolve and put In form the
Intellectual responses of the hour. This Is
the peculiar province Of the daily press, aud
ono Of the essential conditions Of Its popu
larlty and success, while Its capacity for lin.
mediate production, Iteration and reiteratlor
Is among Its most important characteristics.
II cannot be disputed, there are evils and
imperfectlons In connection with the jour
nallsm of the times much OF the opinion
expressed is transient and ephemeral but
on the other hand It Is also true that this con-
slant pressure of lncessant and rapid writ
ing sharpens the intellect and increases the
power and intensity Of thought, as we'll as
gives directncss aud force and facility OF
expression. This may be abused, aud often
is; but, we have found from some experience
and observation that the same may be said
of all the departments of mental and social
effort. We expect our full share In the liue
of Journalism, and shall be quite willing to
leave the rest to take its own course. We
think 1t Is well for an editor to be versatile
and pointed in his expressionsi but 1t is not
his province to be yituperatiye and brutal.
This Is degrading and unworthy Of the dig.
nifty Of the press. So far as We are con.
cerned, we shall endeayor to honor our call,
ing by maintaining the dignity OF the press
by publishing facts, In the discussion OF all
rubjects which come In our way, In such d
manner as will help to discover the truth
md build up good order In society at large.
COLUMBIAN CoLLEGE. - On Wednesday
uoxt the session of the preparatory depart
lnent OF Columbian College for the scholastic
year '69.'7O will open, aud on the 22d instant
that Of the college proper. The medical de-
partment begins its session on the LIST OF
October, the theological department on the
9th, and the law department on the 18th Of
October.
The above announcement we are sure d
all that our citizens need to invite not only
their attention but to direct their patronage
to this time .honored educational institution.
The president, Rev. G. w. Samson, d. D.,
Is Too well known by the people OF Washing
ton to require any recommendation from us,
and the able faculty OF the college will de-
vote themselves anew TO the labors Of the
Coming year.