The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-01-23
NEWSPAPERS MEN IN OFFICE

The first foreign minister represent
ing the United States abroad wss Benz.
Franklin, printer. From that time
forth printers ami editors have not Of
ten held Federal offices Of this or any
character. An editors place is almost
official. I, is surely judicial, snd
should be distinguished 10y perfect
judicial fairness and trutbfuluess rath-
er than pqrtisanship. He who COM
mends a professional hterdteur or edl-
| tor because he is the faithful slave or
mere mcuthpiece Of psrty-leaders is
only interested in spoils. The people
who would read unvarnished truth,
differing in this from offlce-seekers, in
hnitely prefer writers and newspapers
addicted to the fearless assertion of
praise or censure. tits this independence
OF feeling and fearlessness of express
sion which have prevented the discov-
cry, by party-chosen Presidents and
Governors, of the virtues, capacities
and attainments of toiling editors. We
can count upon our fingers those news
paper men who have been honored by
Presidents and yet these journalists
made the fame of these Presidents.
The late John Forsythe, of the Mobile
Register, was sent to Mexico, but no
other Southern editor, whose name we
can now recall, has been sent abroad.
Bret Harte, Catlin of the New York
Commercial, Lowell and Baker, all In
tellectual, industrious and successful |
editors, have lately been awarded |
consulates or made ministers by Mr.. |
Hayes. Besides those designated, an |
editor of the New York Tribune was |
minister to Turn, Bigelow of Bryaut's
E'Uening Post was sent to Paris, and |
Washington Irving, made immortal
by his "Sketch Book" and hav-
ing his memory popularized by Joe
Jefferson's ubiquitous recitals of the
legend of Sleepy Hollow, was minister
resident at the court of Spain. Fran
CHS, of the Troy Times, went to Greece,
Bancroft to Germany, Motley and Ed
ward Everett to England, Hawthorne,
whose charming stories are as fascinat-
ing these long winter evenings as the
Reeeries of Bachelor or David Cop
perfeld, was consul at Liverpool, while
Payne, the poet of patriotism, was at Tu-
mis-, and Ross Browne went to Canton
and cantered with the Bedouin Yusef
across the sands of Egypt and Arabia.
There is singular wisdom in sending
trained, industrious editors to distant
lands. They become the choicest
pedagogues. Few books have been
more widely read in this country than
those published by our foreign repre-
sentatives whom we have designated.
Their books and published let
ters promote trade and commerce by
advertising the industries, products
and peculiarities of countries visited,
while an ordinary ex- Congressman
devotes himself at foreign courts to
women and ecarte, and privately to"old
sledge." He leaves only greasy
''spot" in Europe or Asia. 1t is we'll
that reforms have been wrought in the
character and conduct of our foreign
coksuls and ministers. They are now
used for commercial purposes, and 80
that the effect of consular
and ministerial intervention in COM {
merclal affairs is recognized In New f
York and Boston, and the demand for '
steam ship lines to connect American
and foreign ports comes from abroad
As well as from New Orleans, Chsrles-
TOP and New York.