Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1875-12-11

AA''''S ~ I'LL. meyers III tnc
recent Anniversary Of the Elliotts, in
response to n sentiment toasting the
press:
M'. Foreman, and C"ptlcmcn
feel honored in your call upon
me to respond to the tribute
accorded the press. 1t is natural, how
ever, that | should regret that no
nbier representative Of ",he fourth
estate" is here to do justice to its
prceminent record, as one ofthc pow
crs "behind the throne stronger than
the throne itself"
Ever since the days Of Homer,
whose Iliad and Odyssey arc the text
books of the scholar and the poet, the
pen, which Byron calls "that mighty
instrument of little men," has been
the guardian Of the rights Of the
people, and the universal teacher Of
tho nations; and ever since the 18th
century, the type, That little monu-
mcnt of human genius, has been the
type of civilization, the ornament
Of social life, and the guard anil grace
of humanity.
Born amid The struggles Of the
people, crushed beneath the icudal
institutions, it rose to give expression
to their rights and in vindication Of
their wrongs. 1t soon attracted the
attention and aroused the fears Of the
thrones Of Europe, and whenever they
failed to use it manufacture a false
public sentiment i'll favor cftyranny,
they combined to tcticr its limbs or
to stamp it out Of existence. But
wherever the element Of constitutions
al liberty was part and parcel of the
government, or the shadow Of popu-
lar freedom prevailed, there the press
asserted itself and fulfilled its high
mission. Before the time Of the Re.
formation, it concealed itself in the
nionastcrics and became the handmade
of the ancient learning, or the chronicle
Of the hcroism. the genius, and
the eccentric chivalry Of the oldcn
time.
In those days there was properly no
press rs we know it now. Except
here and there i'll England, the press
WAS shacklcd and silent until the ter
rihle storm Of 1858, which had gather.
cd for centuries in the hearts of the
French people, broke, like Il thunder
| bolt, over the palace Of tho Tuilcrics.
In that tremendous outbreak Of Tic
people in which, rs The poet says,
France got drunk and ,vom ilaL blood
over Europe" the press tooE its place
beside the Tribune III the national
assembly. It gave NAY to all The
madness ofthe hour because ii was the
true exponent Of u people wild and
furious in the first rnirvmcn Of that
carnival Of liberty 1T Which christi
anity trcmblc,l aud civilization stood
agha,t.
While OIL one side Of the English
channel, the press illustrated the un-
unrestrained vigor ora popular upris-
ing, OIL the other side it cxcmplifc,l
the steady light Of liberty ordered
and restrained by right reason, and !,
perfected system ofjusiicc aud law.
But no where, gentlemen, had the
press reached its proper sphere, or
risen to it's full manhood, until it
planted itself upon the soil Of the new
world, and stood by the side ofa young
and free people i'll tho establishment
Of the American Republic.
Here, gentlemen, it has grown with
its growth and been strengthened with
ils strength, until it bas become the
muniticent patron Of our generous
youth, the fearless champion of law
and order, and at once tic sword and
shield Of the Republic.
Every day magnilcs its usefulness
aud importance. 1t is the best and
highest educator Of the people, and
the education it imparts makes us the
invinciblc nation that we arc, giving
us, as it does, the intelligence to under