New-York tribune., 1871-04-20
NEWSPAPERS.
THE BOSTON RADICAL CLUB DISCUSSES
THEM.

UP CHILDREN.
BosToN, April lS.-The sky of yesterday was
frownin but the rain threatened in vain. Despite all
yortents the footsteps OF the initiated turned toward
Chestnut-st and the Sargent parlors moro than
full. Bright faces smiled in the antetoom-keen faces
Hooked at doorways-and the darkeyed Genius OK
Hospitality who received had all she could do to ma
seats for the chosen The subject was attractive We
had heard Christianity arraigned and defended so oieh
we had many times climbed the mount of transcend
entail vision. that the Of earthly wlcKedhess
which smacks IN the word Newspapers" was refresh
ting and joyfully toward the fresh fields ana
pastures wherein Mir. sanborn was to be our guue
There also the general curiosity TO wess te hrs'
appearance esssyist before the CUB Mr' san
before having addressed us in this capacity
though his face has always been pleasantly familiar
Having turned from literature and philanthrophy 10
Journalism. and devoted his energies TO The SPrn2heta
Rept6liodn reoiced that he was willing 10 reNe 10
his Old comrades the of the prison-house Now
indeed we shOuld learn how was all done-how TO be
wise and wicked and witty and always in the right and
all things at once after the manner OF newspapers MI
Bowies Of The Republican there 10 lend his coune-
nance 20 his associate-Mr Robinson the warrington
of the same journal also hand. Weiss and Was
son were there-Col. Higgiuson would have been but
that Woman Suffrage claimed him at Phiadeiph's
We had Gen. Armstrong. the Principal OF the Freed
mems School at Hampton, Va.-the usual numoer ol
clerical magnaes-Mrs Howe, with the grave sweetness"
Of her face deopcned by her Joy at the return oi her
domestic ULYSSES nom the perls oi tho D~"N' ~
rnnro Expedition---Mrs Cheney-Miss Kate flelu'
-, from, her successful lecture tOur-NOra Perry,
Matte GrifHths Browne. and scores of other notable
men aud Women OF whom the bead-rol would be quite
too long TO call Red burned In the slender vases
MAY flowers breathod sprlngtme sweetness on the
air. 50. among pleasant things and Pheasant l@ces
We sat ard listened to the essay.
N.hop Horace Walpole was furnishing his fine house,
and had fancy for putting into II some antique CHAIRS
INTO he Uoct Gray wrote him that his chairs ought 10
fs new unless he would cramp torture his guests;
with a2ie as much truth We may claim that all news;
plpers good recent sydney smith was fond
Of dat events before after "the Invention OF com
mon scnse;' and certainly the common sense thst
controls the modern newspaper does not so DICK many
The newspaper Of to-day is very different thing from from
the newspaper which Dickens satiItzed in Martin Chul
Iieyit" Not only have the means OF communication
been infinitely enlarged that news flashes 10 us
With %Ia n9 m SP & Q. has ceased to be the Vehicle
of news. Moral and scontiec questions arc any
discussed reforms advocated, discoveries chronced
the newspaper holds s mirror to every aspect
OF tic tmeS ThOreau in the habit OF condemIins
newspapers lie read once week, hut considered him
self the for even so much G.sspallon IN, aI M nos
Che Times" he said. "read the EternueS' But there
came son when Thoreau read every newspaper he
couldfhd Ii when John Brown lay wounded az
Hsrpcrs Ferry. and his enemies thronging about ana
oues Onug him drew from him those answers when
Fns through the country for years ana st Inti ~ me me
New York newspaper who then and there noted down
, me uS @ II nSde wU manifest Tor what reason the New
Ork spaper had been allowed to exist all these years
since no other paper could have had reporter there.
In those days the Times aud the Etentes got printed
on tie a@e sheet as rS ey as a%Ss ssen 40 msTReS
the courage well as in the resources OF newspapers
Gtented formerly with following in the wake OF public
opinion they have sprung TO the front anC aspire 70
lead where they used 10 follow. nthe last ten years the
tone Journals has greatly changed. II they
are NOT yet models of courage they are by no means de-
fcicnt holdness, and no longer deem thelt dut 10
n rorDd average Judgment OF their readers
and express that" Wendell Phillips used TO accuse
then OF doing. one reason for this change Is the rapid
tv Win which, as a nation we have passed from pro-
vfncal 20 imperial position among the nauOnsi Ior
increased culture prodigOus diversity Of tastes and
Interests, and wide expansion OF re horizon Of Rdi-
ytiuol ambition Under The spur or these eXctemenS
felcr ~ i'm IeS spoIe Of the American editors as
Eslrowd, but uneducated men," but the de-
scription longer applies. Nearly All the rlslng
or atey journalists in the country are educated
,nen-lnary Of them highly accomplished in scholarship
or literature. They are Travelled men, too familiar WIN
on rc sp0ndeuts journalism il drawing into Its service
the highest culture and 1e vest oIpn % Cbd ~ uf bet s
endmather " feminine journalism In America wrote
Scr f. tiers from Newlork." when Margaret Fnller
y.pt To te same city 10 help Mr.. Greeley edit THE
TRIBUNE how daring and strange Their ventures seemed
sa. ird are legion. But, with so many recruits TO the
ranks 81 Journalism must be coniGs nat tne HRer
al really able editors is still small Brnai ana iOrclDe
iri marked s1pcriority each has his draw back,
and does not rise beyond a certain standard Had
Iraau lived in day. and devoted himself 10 news
Ias lie might perhaps have come nearer than any one
timothy Pickering observed tna' so9 Tnit WSg ngt[r
ne as eSest EnSTs ne' Re @Ps eSuras eaa
q f9Ti9Fn , the hopg pSnaty most lacking in Journalism
though we meet 1t not infrequenty ana beIeNe tnat IL
T. sautv increasing rs the temptations 10 SS %
a. decreasing IL becomes every year more dncult 10
r.. OT b1v successful newspaper for the suCcesful
negsp9per is rich enough 10 live without bribery More
ovcr pincrs thrive by their advertisements rather
tlan by theF supscrbers one OF tle oeSelIng hs oi
Tie journalist especially OF the war ana Nashlg9h cor
respondent. is sefcOncet. q" wish knew aiythmg,
sd Lord Melbourne, positively Macaulay knows
evervthinc" aud IL were surely ngh enough ihpluOh
tSnr as is an American editor. But our daily or
weekly instructors have, after al, me Hsht 10 "a
.ieot which thev' use, and they do not
nse m H. One meets better English outside the works
az The great masters than find daily IN newspapers
II i because Journalist thinks more OF ms matter
than Of his manner, and seeks 10 make himself under
sTIo6 rather than admired, writes well and
Lr well our best editors aud correspondents write
writing himself on one OF their themes.
J. cxtravagat 10 say that careful reader of few
r,a0 urvst,grprs will learn more IN a year than
scoars do In libraries, while the majority Of
men and women more rapidly instructed by this
yesns than 10y any tried DefOref There however,
dTaWbackthe real or fancled necessity OF writing
sumehing upon every subject, empts too many Journal
80 10 be mere sInattcrers, their opinions less
worthy OF attention than their style. Add 10 tlhs their
fru, determination never to statement
aniuon and Won can fancy Journalist Of tender
ssience saying with little Marjorie Fening on! what
yould become OF il / was in danger and God not
amends with met must go TO unqueEchabe fire, and II
was temped to sin how could resist it. Oh! no;
l never do il again; no. no II can help it but Tor
regaiLing MY character despair OF tt
In s sometimes objected to journalism that il anOny
mans. arG Wendell Phillips has called this Anonymous
.ecurltV a towards castle" But a newspaper is
ALWAYS pon-ibe for what II prints; aud N II sanders
-, can he i,rou cbt 10 account for IT, What purpose
,Tonld II serve 10 make each writer personally kOwni
anonymous publication u necessary 10 the
-, Ybo - IN criijcise fearessly: without he would
~ roed 10 the reproaches the hatred the bTibes and
me Establishments that would certainly interfere with
his proper duty There are enthusiasts VINO nope oi t e
Whenever il established. IL Will require IN lS eGOf
te deepest purpose the Droadest though te highest
the most tolerant hcaIt, te h"oos. @hooui VI
which humanity is capable
Mr. Weiss followed with the customary expressions OF