Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-13
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The toast to tie Press being read and
the members of the Fourth Estste" ex-
cusing themselves. 4. W. Brown was
called for and responded as follows:
regret that the i'll health Of my friend
Mulroy and the characteristic modesty
Of my friend Mathes have put upon me
the alternative of a feeble tribute to the
Press, or the omission OF the honors called
for by the toast as rightfully belonging
10 it. The latter alternative is
not to be brooked; therefore, inasmuch
az the legitimate scions of the family de-
cline on this occasion 70 uphold
it's banners, an Legitimate child,
whose ~connexion is altogether &C
cidental. must step TO the front.
The task, however, to me ia q pleasant
one. The influential agency of the Press
In the social, national and individual de-
velopment of the rsce has always been
to me q most interesting phenomenon.
In any aspect you may choose 10 view
il, there must be accorded to it q won
drous power, results achieved the most
miraculous, and 8 variety aud intensity
of intellectual force that leaves far be-
hind all other agencies Of civilization
and progress. In the main all this power,
all this force, all this intellect have
been exercised for the good" In this
connection l instinctively recur to those
feudal days when from the strong bat
Elements the baronial tyrant laughed to
scorn the just indignation Of the labor
ing masses and rode down with mall
clad horse and rider the unRrmed peas.
ant. At last chemical skill and mechani.
cal genius combined. Gunpowder, the
frelock and the cannon were the result.
The peasant, the lsborers and the burgher
we're st once the match Of the armored
knight. Eeudsl tower and battlement
cmmbled before artillery, and with
erumbling wall and crushed harbican
ven. down this superstructure OF politi-
cal and physical tyranny. But there re-
NAMED. behind. social d~espotism, the
cruelty OF bigotry, the incorporate and
dangerous passions Of ignorance and the
prescription of opinion. Against these
Btrongholds Of oppression, more fatal
to human liberty than the rough.riding
baron and his men-at-arms, the Press
leveled its artillery ss did the people Of
q former time their cannon against castle
and turret. What @ triumph was &C.
complishedl Freedom has at last be-
come the heritage Of all. The human
mind at last moves untrammeled ia
boundless 6elds Of thought with no re
sponsibility ave to God. These bene6-
cent results are not confined, my
frieRds, to this Republic but Europe
to-day accords to individual manhood
the dignity that nature and the great
FIRST cause proclsims for It. Then, 90
far as physical circumstances admit, the
career of mind is free to do and achieve.
The battle Of life is now a free fight for
all. Impartial Fortune is sole arbiter.
Merit at last, despite all disturbing infu.
ences, awards the crown. AS in the
games OF ancient Greece, where the
competitors stepped on the race course,
dependen. alone on his muscle and
pluck, and no questions asked to pedi.
gree, so under the democrstizing
efforts Of the Press. he who now strug
giles for the prizes Of lite enters the con-
test as the old athlete-sCripped of all
encumbrances, end however far the goal
may be, however urgent the rivalry may
be, still the goal 10 there and may be
won. These equal chances have,
through the agency Of the Press more
than through any other motive force of
human progress, been established for
man, and through this agency more than
any other are now maintained. II is
an argosy, freigbted with the richest
thoughts OF the ages, and bearing on the
stream OF time the destinies OF nations.
How magnificent, too, is its fostering
care Of geniusl 1t matters not whether
the aspirant for fame presents himself in
rags or in royal purple. he may even
be- ditch born The Press, in impartial
recognition of merit, points him to the
starry pathway Of glory and bids him
on. This is a patronage that humbles
not, aud follows not the courtiers'
sycophancy. 1t wins for genius that
guerdon Of wealth and dignity which Of
right belongs to the tri6mphs Of intel
luCb INV mmChb0AhbAy buPcElot 70 tulu
patronage to that Of royal pensions
Elizabeth doubtless regarded herself Is
immensely generous when che smiled sp-
probation and accorded private audience
to the Immortal" Shakespeare. Her
successor thought himself q muni6cent
patron of letters when he provided q
comfortable garnet for rare Ben John.
SON." To the Press the stage and the
drama can never cease to be grateful
It's mostintelligent efforts are directed to
elevating the taste OF the people and the.
atrical standards. The actor Of true
merit never finds the cold shoulder turn.
ed to him blythe Press. This knew the
distinguished guest OF the evening viii
cordially coneede. 1t has never been
laggard in according his supreme excel.
lence or stinted in its measures OF praise
for magnificent renditious Of the mimic
life Of the stage, yet all must scknowl.
edge that encomium has not gone beyond
his desert. At least, SO for our people
| can say that, however years may gather,
ha will neVar noutlive our liking" y