The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-02-17

which they still adhere, that the party
can do no wrong, that the platform is
infAllible, that everything done by the
party must be ratified-I s:y it was
this spfrit, and the adoption of these
maxims and the policy which
flowed from them, that led to the de-
struction of the Democratic party be
fore the war, and the same thing e go-
ing to bring about the destruction of
the present Republican party. Now, if
the press is not permitted to comment
upon crime and criminals; il the press
Is not permitted to pursue those who
do wrong; Il the press is not permitted
to give light to the people, what is its
mission? It has none.
The leadership Of men in this coun-
try, as it existed twenty-five years ago,
has passed away. do not expect, in
my day to see q public man in this
country who will have one-half of the
political power which was possessed
by Andrew Jackson. The attempt to
assume the one man power, or the lead-
eEship, has been made recently Within
the last six or eight years in this coun-
Try; but 1t has resulted in the over
throw. of lie party that attempted it;
'6k f6e puusE N6ich will not permit
~ &1or6 Il TIE part of any one
man on III n1Su1s of the American
H6ooao a. 6seR fhe political destinies of
t6f1 ooouf1Y, b the press. When An
1boSEs sfrtnSo0 atteNpted this power
I'D nulnD)1pn oft, lit is not ne
oon16fY uoU is discuss whether he was
fieht a. Wh6fher be was wrong,) say
t6at when Be Attempted to exercise
ebe1ething q the political power which
Andrew yscksUn in his day successful
Iy used, the thUnderbolts from thou
sand forges were hurled at him every
day, and hurled at him until they
drove him from political power. Presi-
Grant is travelling the same road, and
the thousau& currents that are wash
ingsgainst him are sweeping the found
atoms Of his political house from un-
der HIM. This very power which the
presc has, that streams in a thousand
daily currents, is SO great, whenever it
is concentrated upon any one thing,
that there is no leader in this country
that can successfully resist it. If that
he so. how important is it for those
who are the managers of the press,
those who are the conductors OF the
newspapers of the day to avoid those
crimes and faults which resulted
in tae destruction of the old polit-
ical leaders or managers of public
opinion. In the days of John G. Cal
houn, during his whole life, although
he ruled South Carolina as never mOn-
arch ruled a people yet it is remark
able fact that during his whole career
he did not deliver three speeches to the
people. You carnot find half.a dozen
letters which he addressed to them on
political subjects. He never stumped
the State. Why was the supremacy of
John G. Calhoun's mind over the peO-
pie Of South Carolina so absolute? 1t
could not be SO to-day; but why was
it SO absolute? 1t was because, If there
ever was q statesman in this country
who possessed the very highest degree
of integrity of thought, it was Calhoun,
of South Carolina. With his political
opinions, his theory of this govern
nent, we have nothing now to do.
We may all differ from him, perhaps
most ofps did; II for one did, but his
power was founded on that integrity
Of thought, and that honest and broad
sympathy with. the people, which
made his rule over the minds of that
people absolute.
It is these things of which the con-
ductors of the newspaper press must be
masters before they cen have the pow
er to which the press can justly and
rightly aspire. 1t is not the few rich
nor is it the select few of intellectual
beings, for whom we print newspapers.
1t is for the great body of the people.
We must deal with public opinion, and
public opinion rules everything in this
country, but we must not delude our
selves with the idea that the press by
| its own mere power can create public
opinion. No one man nor any set OF
men are as wise as the people. There
| is no man who Is as infallibly right as
the people in their sober second thought;
snd the ancients were not very far
| wrong when they said s'The voice OF
the peoIl lie is the voice of God" for up
on that doctrine rests cur belief in the
authenticity of Christianity and in the
truths of religion, because o majority OF
intelligent men and women believe in
them. Hence we all believe that they
are true, because We cannot believe
that majority of intelligent beings, OF
intellectual men and women, who are
following their convictions, who pre-
serve their integrity of thought, can
believe in an error. So, no one man il
as wise a. the people nor are any set o.
men infallible; and the press of its
own power cannot create public opin-
ion, but it can reflect it. And how car
you get at the sober second thought o
the people unless you have sympa
thy with them unless you stand on {
level with them. So, 1t is not the or
gan of the caucus, it is not the mouth
piece of a ring of men, 1t is not th'
. spokesman of this set or of that Sc
that newspaper ought to be, but th'
educator of the popular heart, and o
the popular mind. The press is tn
handmade of Christianity, which wa
preached not to the few with embroid
. cred garments, but to the multitude
and the press breaches its daily sermon
, to millions, and it is a striking and
wonderful fact, that the history Of eve
, nv day when the sun sets, is writer
/ accurately not IS it usedsto be, left t
, | tradition and memory. =
, And in this connection, l may y
permitse to say that when / am talk
, ing to YOU, the members of the press
/ am not talking to dozen, L am NO
! talking to forty, but 1 am talking t
, those with whom you communicate
; your thousands of subscribers. 1t
: that impressive and astonishing tao
/ which we ought to carry with US ever
day, that what we write and what W
, print Is not for our own qualification
{ but that we are speaking to thousand
j of people, and that what we print te
1 day is irrevocable. 1t is these thing
{ that ought to restrain US from doin
/ things with hasty thought, with to
/ rapid impulses, but that everythin
: that we give to the people ought to
, as much as possible run through tn
; crucible of sober second-thought
q ANY one can censure an humble a
E derman or guilty representative; bl
, the duty of the press goes far beyon
; that. Its duty is to drag the rich an
the powerful before the bar OF publ
: opinion, whose Judgment no man ca
s disregard. 1t is our duty Us conductor
8 of the press, a duty from which we cal
( not escape, to assail political wicket
q ness In high places, If need be in OF
!. household, and trYhave something I
!. the spirit Of the ppophet whe said to b
d royal master, either in his prival
t chamber or on his throne, "Thou q
e the man." It is that spirit which WI
t lead us to pluck the wreath from Il
It brow of our own corrupt conquer1r
y hero and throw it under the feet Of Il
people. And II we do that, If we pr
u serve on all occasions our conviction
j Of right, our integrity Of thought, 4
4 spired by q broad, earnest sympatt