Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-19
GRAFTON
Delivered by George A. Mathcs befor
she Tennessee Press Association, i'm
Session at Brownsville, Tennessee,
june H. 1874.

Delivered by George A. Mathes befOr
she Tennessee Press Association, in
Session at brownsville, Tennessee,
june III. 1874.
A retrospective view of the origin and
wonderful development of journalism in
America, though hastily presented, may not
prove altogether uninteresting TO the lovers
of newspaper literature who honor us with
their genial presence tonight. The field
here presented for important research and
philosophie reasoning on the science of pol
itics and civilization is almost boundless.
The theme, when fully understood and
justly comprehended, is well calculated to
arouse the slumbernlg genius of poets, ora
tors, ana statesm n. American journalism,
when reviewed Tor moment, staTtles tine
mind with the incOmprehensible magnitude
OF the power itwields in molding the status
OF moraSs. society, and politics. lis begin
nlng N 1890 suggests a contrast with its
present power that has no equal either in
fact or fancy. Then it was almost a
Ronentity-a mere experiment. Now
AZ is the great moral lever of civil
government and religious liberty. 1t the
parent shade of revolutions. But how
was this marvellous greatness achieved
Few, indeed, are c0nve-Sant with the bap-
tism of toll, hatred, persecution and self
denial that tried the hearts and souls of the
founders Oftbe American PRESS. Amid the
pecesSes of vast wilderness that stretched
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, aud from
the lakes to the CULTS they planted the
germs that finally ripened into a system that
now wields the deStinieS of the American
republic. With the press came liberty and
civilization. But the fierce contest it urged
with bigotry, tyranny and ignorance was
long and weary.
The first American newspaper was
printed in Boston in 1890, by a man named
Harris. Its title was "PubIic Occurrences"
which was doubtless the significant cause
of its destruction. This quaint little jour
nal, not larger than a sheet of foolscap
paper, and not containing a single adver-
tisement, lived just one day. 1t was sup
dressed by the legislative authorities be-
cause it had dared to allude, in a quiet
way, TO a few unimpOrtant public events
then transporting. T. tyrants seemed to
know by instinct that if the press were
permitted TO live it would expose their
corruptions, and so they crushed it, as they
verify believed, forever. The same shirt
that impelled them to this course still ran
kles in the restless bosOms of a few over
bearing politicians CT the present day. who
would sell their souls for tire titles of lords
and dukes, and whose lOngings 70 muzzle
the press, if gTati6ed, would soon give us.
instead Of ayepublic, a monarchy. After
this singular birth and death Of embryonic
journalism, fourteen years OF mental dark
ness elapsed before a second attempt was
made to give freedom to thought by means
of the press.
We come no 6 10 consider the Colonial
Press, which made IFS appearance in Bos-
ton, April !, 1904. The first paper of that
period was. called tire Boston Nelcs Letter,
and was edited by John Campbell. That
was % years ago, and the great hub then
only boosted of 5000 inhabitants. Camp
bed was the Father of the American Press.
Ihe -NelcS Letter was a rare novelty. Il
contained neither local news nor advert ise-
I1fenis, but was filled up with articles that
snight well answer for a schOOl-boy's
Ileclamations. Its editor pTided himself
however, on his foreign news, and in one
issue he naively apOlogized to his score or
two Of readers for being thirteen months be-
hind with the news from Europe. That
was before the day of lightning expresses
and telegTaphic dispatches. For fifteen
years it was the only paper in America.
During that period il was constantly peTse-
cuted by the authorities. Often was its
devoted editor arrested and thrown into
prison for daring to speak his sentiments.
Single handed and alone he upheld the
standard of our noble profession when it
Was weak and tottering, TINS presenting
the nobiest example Of moral heroiSm that
mas ever been recorded ON the pages of
history. For long years he bravrly stemmed
a vindictiye tide Of malignant opposition.
He lived and died surrounded 10y difficult
ties and enyelOped in poverty. In 172S he
passed away, leaving rich inheritance to
coming pOSterity-the gem Of American
freedom. His name shall forever be en-
shrined liz the hearts and memories of those
who rejoice in the freedom of our insticu-
aions and the liberty of an enlightened
press. But for his untiring zeal, who
knows what the fate Of American journal
ism would have been to-day? Certain it is
he lived and died martyr in the cause.
In 1919 an enterprising genius conceived
The idea Of starting another paper, but he
was ardently opposed on the ground
that zone paper was enough for
America Nevertheless be faced the
imagined logic of his opponents
and embarked in the enterprise by issuing
the Boston Gazette, which was the father
Of ali the Gazettes that now flourish in eY-
cry State in the Union. We may mention
that this was the name Of the first printed
paper Of the world, which appeared in MI
remburg, Bavaria, in 1851, and was also the
name Of the first papers Of France and Ven
ice. In 1921, James Franklin, an uncle Of
Benjamin Franklin, started the Ne1g En-
gland COITdHt, and in the same year,
Peter Zereer issued the Net0 York Weekly,
he frs paper of New York city. To the
latter belongs the honor of successfully
fighting the first great battle against the
flood of libel suits that was directed agains.
he press with such malice in that period
This event occurred in 1875. ZerEer had
boldly opposed corruption in high places,
that and that alone was his crime. The
authorities were astoniShed and maddened
and they made a desperate struggle 10 offer
Zerger az a sacrific;al example on the altar
of their unbridled rage. Doubtless in
their saneuineous gloatinsS they could see
their victim in the near prospective dashed
10 a whipping post shorn of his ears. Other
editors had met similar punishment for his
offenses. and why should he escape? At
the most critical junctuTe Of The trial, wlRn
hepe for the prisoner seemed almost gone,
Andrew Hamilton suddenly appeared as
volunteer counsel in his behalf. Herger
was charged with publishing gross libel
against an imperial official. The corrupt
court decided to admit no testimony that
would so 10 prove the truth of the pablicd-
tion.declaringthat The EIeaterthe truththe
Greater the libel. - In spiteofall corrupt oppo-
ition the wonderful speech If Hamilton had 4
thrillrr eff'.,f. and TIL jury brought ~ a
verde. .-,iot guilty" The triumphant
Zercel. \, Iag the Erst laurel wreath OF
victory tor the press, was released only to