Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-19
NUMBER 12.
From Charles Francis Adams's Address at Harvard
College.
The Field OF Journalism.

The Field OF Journalism.
When compare the state of the newspa-
| per press as it is now with what it was at
the commencement of the federal govern
ment, it seems to me that Of all the changes
that have taken place in our social system,
this is the most striking. Then semi
weekly, or possibly daily. journal, in the
largest towns, was conducted for the most
part by laborlng printer, who confined
himself to the task Of filling his sheet with
news casually picked up, and relied for the
treatment of topics Of mOmentary interest
| upon such voluntary contributions a. cOuld
be secured from promising young men,
amply paid BY seeing their productions in
print. Now and then n heavier pen would
endeavor to cnlighten the community on
grave and important subject. But the
circle of readers would be at best very limi-
ted, unless in a few cases where republican
tion might be thought an object in
the few large towns. II was in that
way that Hamilton and Madison
| and Jay labOred and succeeded. not
without serious difficulty. in disseminating
the views which effected the adoption of the
constitution. But although a few able
writers might gain admission to several
presses which could unitedly operate upon
opinion in some cases, it by no means fol-
lowed that access would be given even 10
the strongest pen which should venture to
reason, however forcibly, against anv earn
est popular excitement The loss of some
subscribers might ensue. and that loss
would be enough to cripple the paper. The
party lines. too, were closely drawn, so that
no person disposed to express an independ-
ent sentiment of a controversial nature
could rely upon n hearing. The cry of
stop my paper :" was too frequent and too
formidable not to inspire great caution in
touching angry questions The effect was
practical exclusion Of independent
thought, and the multiplication Of presses
which studied rather to follow in the wake
OF public opinion than to lead it.
We have outgrown all this. And the
new condition, though not unattended with
evils Of its own, must be admitted to be far
IN advance of the old one. Many presses
now spread their circulation 50 far and wide
that they no longer have reason to dread the
consequences of maintaining free, unbias-
ed course. Party organs, purely as such.
rather lose than gain fOOthOld with con-
siderable numbers. And in the treatment
ofquestiOns Of great interest there Is rapidly
growing up demand upon the most com
petent sources, of whatever they NAV be
pleased to furnish, without calling the senti-
ment in question The mere name of
writer Of established weight is sufficient to
secure him free admittance somewhere or
other to the public view Nay, the thing
has gQae farther than this in Europe, and
even in some places in America Persons be-
lieyed to be the best qualified to treat some
particular subject, for the moment exciting
ftt+o 4 !
al compensation offered for their work. if
desired. The effect Of this must naturally
be to present additional inducements to the
cultivation Of the particular gifts which Sc
cure similar results. One consequence has
actually been, in the chief countries of Eu-
rope, mode Of treating the higher ques-
tiOns of morals and politics, law and gov
ernment, BY the public press, very much in
advance OF the practice Ofancient times. And
Just 50 much must it be with Us presently if
not now. The effect ought to be to raise up
a class of persons fitted to meet the particu.
lar want. How much that want was felt
during the critical portion of the late war
may well be measured by the painful mon
uments Of error which remain a. a warning
on the records of the legislative department
Of the government. The rudimcnts Of an edu-
cation of such class should be taught at
this university. They viii stand in no need Of
place to benefit the public, and yet they will
be fitted for it if called on any suitable emer-
gency. In any event. they will be likely to
guide public opinion without regard TO
personal considerations. Such men make
the best Of advisers. may be permitted to
cite an example that occurs to me As a fine
illustration Of my meaning. | would re-
spectfully point 10 the learned treatment by
the venerable person lately the president Of
the university at New Haven, our foremost
rival in good works, of the chief disputed
questions growing out of the last treaty
with Great Britain. Free as he is from all
possible ambition for place, he has yet been
doing 4 service 10 US and the world in gene
RAJ, for which the nation should count him
one Of its benefactors.