Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-06-14
VI. Editors and Publishers ASS0-
ciatlOn I'm Council.

ing; d. W. Dixon, Secretary.
The following uamed gentlemen ver'
present:
E.R Whiting ST. Aihahs.
90. Benedict, Free Prsuasd Times, Burlington
Albert Clarke. Messenger and Transcript, st. Al
hans.
An. swain. Times. Believe Falls
C.M. chass, Union, Lyndon.
CM. stone, Caledouian, ST. Johushury.
L.O. ereeue, STANDARD, Woodstock.
IN. Poland, Journal, Montpslier.
Hiram Atkins, Argus and Patriot, Montpelier
II. c. johnson, Yermonter, Yergcnnes
PIP. Ripley. Eagle, West Randolph.
o. S. Bis, Georgia.
CHI Baker, ST. Adams
John Cain, Courier, PutlAnd.
J.K. Mclean, Independent, Rutland.
Henry CLARK, Herald, Rutland.
HID. futile, Herald, Rutland.
The proceedings of the last meeting
were read, after which business was sus
pended to listen to the literary exercises
The President introduced Col. Albert
Clarke, Of the St. Alblns Messenger and
Transcript, who delivered well prepared
and suggestive essay Oh " The Duties aud
Rights of Editors aud Publishers"
A. A. Earle, editor Of the Barton STAN
dard, was then introduced, who read an
excellent poem full Of meaning aud senti-
ment, which gives the musings at the twi-
light hour on the banks of the noble Con-
necticut, mirroring the future from the
past, entitled: by the Connecticut"
We make a few extracts fromthe ad-
dress. The poem is reserved for future
issue:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the
Press:--Two years ago one Of our num-
Der informed US Of the demand Of the
times upon the live journalist, and last
year another dwelt upon the power and
influence Of the press; it may not be I'M
profitable bow to consider some ofour du-
ties and our rights.
Collectively, We represent the main source
from which the majority of the people of
Vermont desire their current intelligence
and almost the only source Of information
as to home affairs. 1t is easy to see,
therefore, that we owe duties to truth, to
principle and to professional honor and
dignity which devolve upon no other class
of men in so high degree and upon our
fidelity to which depend, more than we
can tell, the tone and influence Of our
people in the world. Churches aud school
houses have had almost the sole credit
heretofore of making the Puritan pecul-
lar, and of furnishing the "leaven" which |
is supposed to be always aggressive, and |
yet always sweet aud never too much |
pulled up. They have indeed doue much
and will continue to do more 10 proper
ton to the progress which they keep with
the march of modern thought; but while
these two arms Of the service the artil-
lery of the pulpit and the infantry of the
school-house-have been fighting against
darkness, another, arm, never intrenched
aud never at rest, has sent out its fearless
videtters miles to the front, and often
times singe-handed, sometimes in squad
rons massed, has cleared the rougher
way, found every foe and fought them in
detail This is precisely what is expect
ed Of the presto know every fact and
TO faithfully report, and when we have
done this, aud not till then, have We any
right to express our bias or expect it TO
be influential. Here, then, arises our
first duty. Fidelity to truth and princi-
pie. Higher and more protent than all
the other obligations of the journalist is
that to keep his paper pure. In the wide
domain Of news there are numerous de-
tails which have demoraising tendency. |
1t is not to the credit Of human nature
that this kind of reading is relished aDd |
sought after, and it is to the positive dis
credit of the press that it is ever given.
1t is not necessary to omit the news-on-
ly let it be detailed in such manner as
shall do no harm. If the editor will |
think of this rather than of the sale of his |
papers, he will do the world greater
service than by any amount of enterprise.
There is nothing else in the profession so |
much to be abhorred as the thin disguise
OF condemnation under which some pa
pers give all the shameful particulars of
certain classes Of news. They thereby
only iatten the satan they effect to alb
hor, and excite in others the baseness
they condemn 10 one.
Another duty which the press owes is to
lite contemporaries and to itself; to them,
courtesy, fairness in debate and honorable
competition in business f.; to itself, indepen-
dence of judgement, dignity of feeling and
the setdrity and enjoyment of fair and
even generous rewards Of toll.
Our duty to each other | believe is
governed far less by that high esprit du
Sorps which characterizes the other pro-
Gonoinns than a .hnnld La n, h u,,.a