Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-10

COZ. JOIN c. BURCH,
Before the Tennessee Press Assocta-
ton at Lebanon. Ezay 8, Isz2. 3

~~"~4 r.
Gentaeineu. Of the Association: The demands
Of professional duty, by day and by night, have
been such that have, until the last moment,
hesitated to Eecept your very narIertng lnvIis-
ton to address you on this occasion. In app ar
ing before you, 1 sincerely feel that am, from
lack of preparation, doing injustice to your
courtesy, and TO myself greatly distrust my
ability 20 meet your rsasoDahle expectation
) learn from your constituton that 'sThe OBJ
jects of this Assoeistion are the preservation of
a thorough and homogeneous organization of the
members of the Press IN the State ior better
i,Honletion OF those common and individual in
terests which can only he subserved by syste-
matte and intelligent cooperation: the cultiva-
ton OF the amenities of the profession by secur-
ing personal intercourse and interchange OF
opinion among its, members at stated periods
and the conseq uent kind and fraternal feehng
which can only result from an actual acquaint-
ance, and the proper and persistent maintenance
Of the dignity OF journalism in the State OF
Tennessee" also learn, from circular letter
of the Secretary Of the Association, that one OF
its objects sis to endesvOr to arouse that esprit
allied profession, Won must feel 1VJo secure the
Accomplishment [ of these objects, this circular
further informs us that "sueh societies exist IN
almost every other State, and there IS no reasoa
why the Journalist OF Tennessee. equal IN ability
and influence to those of any commonwealth,
should not be associated together in compact
the most eeYated. and whose power shah be ir-
resistbe. As it is, we are wasting our Strength
--if indeed we are aware OF it at all Like the
reeds In the liable, we are OlSunlIcu anu cOlisS-
quently weak and impotent; like them, we might
be, did bond Of sympathy, fraternity and Or
ganiZatton unite us, Of invincible power-a pow
er which would compel respect and be oil such
dignity that no petty legislator would nave the
efirOntery, as has been the case within our re-
lnembrance, to sneer at our demand OF simple
Justice, as an unnecessary gratuity proposed 1orl
the benefit of 'them printers ;"
In the extract from the Constitution we have,
fully stated, the objects of the Association IN
the extract from the circular letter Of the Secre-
tary we have potent reasons for the formation
and perpetuatiOn of this organization. Gentlemen
of the Press, permit me to say to you that such
an association, at all times desirable, is now ne
| cessary, if you would prevent your profession
| from becoming the organs of utteranee 10 the
scurrilous and the sensational. A single jour
nal. or a half dozen, may take a bold stand Tor
| professional dignity, and eloquently appeal for
the cultivation of pride of profession, but nelther
| If nor they can successfully stand against the
multitude who, by example, If not by pfecept,
oppose them. But backed by the influence and
| power of association and organization, they VIII
triumph, and make the Press what it should be,
not a source of profit 70 the venal, nos a source
of pleasure TO the meretriciOus, but the guar
| dian of the rights OF the people, the advocate
and defender of iustice, the welcome friend and
| trusted adviser Of intelligence and virtue, the
instructive companion at the family hrcside, the
promoter Of prosperity and progress IN the arts
| and sciences, in the development OF all our re
sources and the able ally of the religion of the
pune and the good. In this, as in everything
| else which has to be accomplished by human
/
ton is forcibly felt. Not TO 60 beyond the limits
| of our own State, we nus see and confess that
professional detractOn Ii tie TQAey ana lrOles-
| sional pride, at long intervals, the exception
| repeat what have formerly written: A promi-
| nent feature of American journalism, which at
tracts the attention of every thoughtful reader,
| is spirit of professional detracton. Too many
editors in every State of the Union seem 20 con-
duct their respective papers as if their only hope
of success snd salvation was in The depreclailOn
| u denupciation of their contemporaries In
stead OF being band OF brothers. they act
/ Instead of feeling and UNFOLDING pride OF pro-
fession, there are none so quick 60 underrate the
| work and worth of professional brother. The
public have but little respect for protest. on
| which manifests such lack of respect FOR its own
1 members. There is no profession, or vocation
more spOnged on, that does more charity work,
| that does more work gratis for public and Pill
| vate enterprises that Is more abused by the pub
| lie and by private individuals foF things done
| and for things leIt undOne than the Press. Yet,
strange to say there is no profession nor vocation
| where there is less charity towards one another,
| less brotherlylOve among the members. Indeed,
| there are many journalists who so mistake de-
| cent reSpesE for public sentiment, as 10 beheve
| thatone of the chief elements of a successful
editor is an ability to disp&rags or denounce his
| brethren of the profession. How often DO we
see an edQeTneSs to extract, 70 publish and reppb-
4 lish, that which is calculated to wound offend
or damage a brother; how seldom lgilingneSs
| to reprint that which will give him creditor com
| fort. Establish and maintain in their true spirit
| such associations as this, ana ers long you
| will find that we have not only reformed
I this s'indifferently," but that we have fol-
| lowed Hamlet's advice to the players, and re-
| formed il altogether" Ere long you will see
| such editors as have referred TO growing small
| and rapidly smaller by degrees RE II is found
that dignity and decency are entirely consistent
| with reason and argument with strength and
| beauty of expression, with wit and wisdom.
| WHAT anoble tribute was that Of Sir James
| Mcintosh 10 GrGtius THE bitterness of con-
| troversy did not eXtinguisR his charity he did
| not insult his enemies when they were weak; he
| knew how to reconcile fidelity 10 his own party
with moderation toward his opponents" How
| worthy of commentator and imtatiOn
Many in an Olden time believed that nothing
! good could come out of Nazareth. SO in the
I present day. Even among Tennesseeans we find
/ these disposed to decry everything in, of, or
| from Tennessee. With such have no patience,
| less sympathy. For myseif, / glory in the past
| Of the noble old State / am boldly proud of her
| present, and have the highest hopes Of her flu
| ture. Her history, her resources, her prospects,
| are such as TO make the heart OF every trne son
thrill with joy undertake to say, notwithstand-
| ing the opinion entertained by those who delight
| 20 run toGther States for examples Of perfection
in journalism, that the Press Of Tennessee stands
| upon platform equally as exalted as that Ofany
other profession in the State. / heartily concur
| in the opinion expressed in the circular of the
! 5 cretary Of this Association, from which have
! already Quoted, GThe journalists of Tennessee
are equal IN ability and influence to those OF any
| commonwealth" go further and say, attend
ing circumstances considered, they are the equals
] in ENTERPRISE. / care not W1etnET goa A3ke The
| daily, or the weekly press, or bOth whether the
religious the secular; whether the agricultural
OF those Of law and medicine. 1t is not to be eX-
| pected that the Herald, publishedin Lebanon,
| should employ u e same number Of editors, re-
| porters, correspondents publish the same amount
| of matter, editorial, telegraphic and miscella-
| neOus, as the immensely wealthy Herald pub
| lished in New York, with its enormous advertis-
| ing and subscription patronage. When you in
stitu;e the comparison, you must consider the
number OF readers and advertisers, who, it is
true contribute their means for the sole purpose
of benefit to themselves, but tTCm which the
newspaper derives the means TO entertain, in
struct and profit its patrons. When you take
into consideration the number of our reading
population and the limited extent of our adver-
Using patronage, together with the great extent
to which the system of barter is used,-a paper
or advertising to be paid for in beans, peas, po-
tatoes dried apples, feathers or ginseng,-and
the TOO prevalent use of the credit system, l as
sert that the Press Of Tennessee may well chal-
lenge comparison with TIE Press Of any other
State. Within the last six weeks 2 gentleman
connected with Cincinnati paper, generally
considered the most enterprising, aud as publish
ing the largest amount Of matterOt any paper in
the West, expressedt2 ne ms astonlshment at the
amount of matter published, during this very
severe winter and spring on southern and Vest
ern newspapers, by a certain Tennessee Journal
] suggested that it was attributable TO the pru-
dence of its business management. lie then eX-
pressed establishment that there was prudence III
the business management of Southern paper,
as be had understood that the business depart
terfered with the deadshead hospitality in which
30 many newspaper pTopriet0r5 delight to revel,
until the demands of some long suffering credi-
tor who cannot fatten on dead-head passports,
put an end TO their newspaper experience. /
could but feel that there was enough of truth in
the satire of my friend to make it sting.
What we lack, gentlemen of the Association,
is pride Of profession and pride of State. If we
have as many impertectiOns as some would per
suade the public, let us learn lesson from the
conduct of the children Of Noah, when he was
drunken" and uncovered within his tent. Ham
"saw the nakedness of his father and told has
tiDo brethren lyitt0ut" Shem and JaphetL took 8
garment and laid it upon both their shoulders,
ard went backward and covered the nakedness
OF their father; and their faces were backward
and they saw not their fathers nakedness. The
curse which fell upon Canaan and the blessings
which were shOwered upon SEem and Japheth
are matters of Biblical history. IT gOu cannot
speak well of your brother, DO not speak III.
am not TO be understood as urging that you shall
not oppose with all the strength of argument,
and with all the force OF language, the principle,
policy and practices which he advocates. De-
nounce these, if you please. What urge is that
YOU shall not indulge in personalities. You shall
award to him gs honorable motives for the course
he pursues as those which actuate you in your
course, unless you have iacss--nOt supicOns,
surmiSes, hearsays, which any enemy l9ay
adroitly originate and give currency to =
not facts which might probably satisfy your
mind, biased by opposition and glowing with the
fervor OF controversy, but facts which would
convince an honest, unpreindiced jury OF the
country Mr. Whitelaw Reid, OF the New York
Triburs, ia his address before the University of
Euan,. .TG Of Fg.rnR1n 1dA~ avzs