Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-11-08

Oupeu TIE tltLc MuNtu Sou+t NHSh t"Sh w.
patton will be elevated to tie rank Of the
learned professions, and they will be better
educated. more Lightly respected. aud last. but
DOT least, better paid To this latter remark
we said an iuaudible Amen lie tAen OBJ
served that, while the country editor usually
ranks with the professional man for ihte!'i-
geuce and morality. and. being well known in
his community is considered a responsible
member thereof editOrShip in the city is a
very different a:,air. lie dwcit a, some length
on tie immense power Of toe Press-po~er
unres,raiued by any legal force or any limits
whatever-iu short. the Editor in this republi-
can government is a King said hey. and oh I!
wonder Of wonders, cue whose legitimacy is
never caHed into question The lawyer, be-
fore admission to the bar; the physician, be-
fore he is permitted to cure and k;H; the min
is;er Of the gospel. before performing certain
duties appertaiuiog to his ofice-all are re-
qn;red to appear before the proper authorities
and take out license for the exercise Of their
profession, but Of the Editor, who has the
most unlimited sway over the people Of any
Of them-nor bond nor license is required
no pledge whatever taken for the proper per-
Torrance Of bis duties. What is the remedy
for this eyil2 Some will say let the law take
il 10 hand and establish censorship Of the
Press. To that be would reply, Never. Co.
lumbus discovered America In order TO the
establishment Of freedom Of the Press. Nir-
sinia in her Bill Of Rights, thirty days before
the Declaration Of Independence. provides dis
tincty for the entire freedom Of The Press
There must be some other remedy aud 10 his
Judgment it is only to be found in establish
ing schools or chairs in Colleges and Uniyersi-
ties for tie profession Of Journalism, where
the future Editer shall be trained mentally and
due attention given to his morals and asthet
les. 10 q beautiful flight OF oratory tue lectu-
rer here gave the old NEUROLOGICAL fable Of the
imprisoned Titan with .Eiua on his breast
throwing up volcanic scorip through its cra-
ter. ard by it illustrated the tSroes Of thought
coufued until, away back IN tie ages, Cadmps,
or some other, emanc. pated i, in a measure by
the Invention Of letterS-and centuries later
Gutenberg, with his sti, more wonderful To-
yeution Of the printing presto which no
modern invention, whether telegraph, tele-
phone, phouograph or what uot-is worthy of
comparison for the greatness Of its results
The Editor, who welds this vast power, is the
creature Of accilent-and yet, seated, as 1t
were. at the uerve-ceutre Of this country, be
las the privilege Of placing bis hand on any
nerve aud cause It to CULVER or work at his
will. Let us look at the phTaseology Of the
modern Elitor, said he. lie calls his oaice
bis Sarctum." a term used under the cd
Jewish dispensat'on for the Holy p!ace-t.C
inner temple or Holy OF Holes where only thC
High Priest was permitted to enter. HIS edi-
torial chair IS his "t.ipod "a tripod was in
olden time the seat Of the Delph'c Orac'es
whence they issued their prophecies. So our
Editor issues his heather prophecies from tie
tripod in the sanctuary Of the divine temple
Another peculiar feature Of tae Eli.or's occu-
patton be would al'ude to as styled bis 'chai
militant" lie did not see why the Ei'tor
more taan any Of Ihe professions, IS pr. vicscC
to keep a private park Of artillery 10 bis ,Abl
drawer. yet such IS toe case With nc sverag,
American Editor. II then Slowed by a mum
Der Of extracts from ifereut journals tie &c
cidedly warl;ke manner in which their occu
patton is conducted, showing from instance
IN Mississippi, Texas. California. New Yorl
aud Philadelphia the be,'gerent nature Of tL
men who fil tAe editorial CHAIR AT this, h
couteujed, IS only to be corrected by the es
Enlistment Of journalistic schools and the ele
walton Of the trade to the rank Of a profession
for which those who I'll 1t are TO be quaffe,
bv 4 regular college course. He then touched
lightly on tAe power Of the Editor to smircl
the characters Of men and womeu-of wh;cl
we see but little here 10 the South, but in th,
North this personal journalism has become S,
rife that no man or woman either has any as
surauce that his or her reputation may not b,
. J'ackeued. lie alluded to tie attack on IL,
beautiful Ms Langstry Of England by Lon
don paper, which was promptly punished by
the Imprisonment aud fine Of tie author, bat
not until il had circulated all over tie worlt
farther than the fame Of her virtue auc
beauty bad gone. Tilden-one Of the wisest
men Of the day-has termed that the great
hierarchy Of ofice-holders in America, who
control and handle for their own purposes a
+ large proportion Of the newspapers Of tie pres
cut day, aud Judge Black has deprecated the
use made by the vas, body Of monied men
monopolies or corporations, Of the political
journals to defraud tue labofing man Of his
rights. lie believed that all along the Allan
tic seaboari from Baltimore to Boston, this is
a moustrous, crying evil, calling for a remedy
+ All these aud many other points were ably
touched upon by the speaker, aud however
much we may differ with him in some partic-
ulars. We cannot but admire the ingenuity and
eloQuence which handled theme not Of gen.
cral interest aud ouchaiaed the close attention
ol al admitting audience for 40 hour OF more.