Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-06-04
EDITORIAL Conversion.


GRIND Conclavo Sf tho Nilsson,
J. Editags ut Louietana.
-
All Dcaa Mcaas ana mnny Don
Dcats.
From tho Louisiana tsTol journal, Slst.
The seventh annual meeting OF u
Missouri Editorial Association cor
vencd In tina city op last Wednesda,
tho 28thinst., and We can truly 80
that 1t was tho lnrgcst convention Q
thnt body that has over mot.
Tho editors began TO put In thoi
appearance OH Tuesday, and the,
continued to arrive by every tsai
during Tuesday night and Wcdnes
day.
Owing TO tho present crowded stat
of our hotels, u largo number of OH
citizens generously throw open thei
doors for tho reception and accommo
dation of our guests.
The co%nvemtios met promptly q
10 o'clock "Wednesday morning, al,
was opened with prayer by Elder j
III. Berry. The address OF wclcom
Wa delivered by Hon. Tlios. j. &
FTSgg, aEd although delivered entire
ly extsmpore, Without any prcviou
preparation, it ssas exceedingly up
propriato to tho occas!oii, and clicite'
hearty applause. Ting roa!nonso wa
delivered by the PrcsIuont, Dr.. a. \
Hull, from n manuscript paper.
The following Committee OH Nom
inationsswas appointed:
First District, Minor e. W. ellison
Of the St. Louis Globe. Second, Il
McIienry, St. Louis Times. Third
Colonel N. j. Colman, Rural World
Fourth, W. L. Malone, jackson Casl
Book. Fifth, J. G. S. Foss, Frank
lin Observer. Sixth, II. C. Kennedy
Springfield Leader. Seventh, Miit
Blair, Boonville Eagle. Eighth@A
Ninth, L. V. Comstock, st. Joe Com
mercial. T'cnth, T.. D.. Bogic, Key
tesville Herald. Eleventh, General
l.. j. Eastin, Glasgow Journal,
Twelfth, w. G. B. Gillespie, Kinks.
willie Register. Thirteenth, Lewis
Lamkin, Louisiana Journal.
Tho annual address was delivered
by Gen. John S. Mar1naluko, of tho
ST. Louis Journal OF Agriculture
Tho fret part of the Generals ad.
dress was devoted to q history o.
newspapers, and the establish mcnt oil
n party press, which We are com.
pellcd to omit for the want of room
Ills closing was rs follows:
THE POWER OF THE PRESS,
1t is difficult to conceive, much. less
to define, the vast power OF the Press
1t very often happens that those
things~which arc. of the greatest i'm,
portancc TO us, aud that mo st fire.
qucntly present themselves in oul
everyday life, arc, ia reality, the
loast thought of. That kind of he.
costly which familiarizcs us will
them, and brings us i'll daily contact
with them, makes thep &C
commonplace that we do not stU1
to investigate or examine them. Sc
with our newspapers. Tho smillion
who read them daily little consider
the great amount of labor that has
been expended in the preparation OF
each and every one of them. They
read the paper, throw it aside, or
perhaps abuse it, without ever re-
membcring the great body and brain
work that has been given to it, and
still less arc they aware of the extent
TO which that paper influences them.
The. Press has literally come to
the front, surprising the influence OF
warriors and statesmen, kings and
ministers, presidents and senatas.
Its lriumphs increase and IFS power
is expanding. The best ability and
finest nrnrTtnp 80 a.. ,a . :..
brought into rcQuisition by it. IN
every part Of the civilized world its
presence is seen and its influence felt.
Wherever civilization has planted
her standards there its representa-
tives are found, dispensing light and
speeding prosperity, stimulating n
terprise and fastening the universal
progress. Barbarism rcccdes be-
fore it; enlightenment follows it. Ie-
norancc, the banc of ages, disappears
i'll the educational light of its pre-
1t is doing more to dissem-
mate knowledge and to cdu-
cMo tho people up to n certain
(and at less cxpensc) than
all other instrumentalitics OF the age.
1t is the swift speeding vehicle of
events. current facts and liy-
ing figures. Oratory-that mighty
power that maddcns m%ultitudes and
rcvolutions-is actually dy-
ing beucath the shadow of tho press.
With Il extremity upon the sun
rise and tho other upon the sunset, it
its voice over the world.
it there is an Interchange of
sentiment and feeling from ono side
If the globe 10 'hc other. BY it con-
.incnts are made neighbors, and from
opposite sides of the great planet
mind is in constant communication
With mind. 1t is the great speaking
trumpet through which the nations
If the Garth converse and negotiate.
t is the censor at whose tribunal ru-
ers and all others in authority are
leld to answer for tho use or abuse
f their stations. BY its vigilance
nd omniprescncc tyranny is antici-
'atcd and its purposes defeated.
'ublic scrvitors, and alike private
Individuals of evil dispositions, know
hat its slecpiess eyes are upon them,
nd dread the effect of its disappro-
alton. By it is discussed, and often
y it is determined, the destiny of
atoms, tho fortune of rulers, and
he fate of millions. AS a medium of
bought and an instrument of power
stands uncqualcd and alone. Mol
influence is at work in the
'orld; and, rs a consequence, no
alling has SO great n responsibility
5 that Of tho press, and of that re-
possibility we come now. to speak.
is futile to elaborate this branch of
ur subject. 1t is enough to say-that
3 responsibility is commensurate
18th its power. How great and how
rave, then, that responsibility is, let
] consider who pursue it as q means
: use it rs All end.
1t could be wished that, while the ,
'css has boon so profuse in its blcs- ,
ngs and beacfits, it had no attend ,
1T evils and abuses. But it has, and !
which VIC feel it a duty to speak, I
I'D speak plainly, too. = 1t too often +
isrcprcscnts the facts-is too eager 8
+ something new, too hasty to be
'rrect, too unconscientions to be ,
st, too inconsistent to be under |
God. and too dishonest to be be- !
wed. This, We say, is too frequent
the case. The people do not conn., !
'ehcnd it. and they + staggered in S
e general integrity, justice aud re- :
of the press. And no WON !
II they should be. One illustration r
our purposc-though many such, Z
ID from different stand-points, could T
given. All remember tho ire T
'cssible bitterness of the late Presi-lr-
initial contest. There is scarcely I
Iyt1iing We know of in the history