New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-03

Report Of the Press Fund Dinner from The NanoheSter En-
GDai,aer.
The American Minister. who was very cordially
received. SAID, in reply; His Eminence Cardinal
Manning has alluded to me a. the represaufafive of
foreign power and. although that is an IMPRESSION
which am sometimes PAINFULLY inclined Ia resent
thinking that an American is hardly. perhaps so
mnch foreigner the representatives. II other ma
tlonahties-thcrr can be- no dan bt ina, th,s,
men represent not only the conflicting interest Int
the mntual amenities of nations. Hear hcarl Hs
Emnenee has referred to me as representing a great
by that term physical space or intellectual
space. cardinal Manning: Both. But
merely that ! represented a physical space <.
stated, in effect that represented nothing. Iitts
h'ih"fy IMAM iIc enormous empires that have arl-
and passed away since her fall lcheersl aud whe.
states OF America, think | am not oyersioppug
the bounds of mO3csty when say that | ncpre~.rf
also great and heneicent idca-an idea which -
masking itseli morc and more felt I'm the oiitics and
III the history of the world. Hitherto W. have sent
YOU corn cotton and cutlery mainly; but il VIII net
always be so.
have reached that period Of life when almos
every man becomes more or less. lqmdotr f,7pper,
dcn; and when he begins. either silently publicly
opinion of That Consul Pl3ucas whom be particu-
larry ampooncd in the hot days OF his youth IL beers
and laughtcrI That l. probably natural tendency.
suppose that Adam, IN ms old days. regretted tho
degsneracy of apples llanghi.rl that the modern
apples had not the navor and the piqUancv. and
were not sucil as 10 DIGESTION. a. those which he
remembered IN his youth. li-anghter.l But think
t-cit II one tlllhE IN winch even those Who aI8
peSSlmiSlcally Inclined Wall say that the world has
improved, and that is the press. iChers Ii is cen
talnly long stride from The Grub Sfrt,f Journal
nay, from Ihackeray's picture Of the FRESHMAN,
which only generation old-to such
table this, aud prosperity
of the press which indicates n higher civil
natlon, and which Is also justified by the
noble manner in which il is used. lCh,crsl The
great danger which thoughtful men have always
dreaded from the press the danger OF ;rcspOnsi-
Bile power: and irresponsible power has Almost IN
Narably been ill-uscd power. But must SAY that
IN that respect the press has advanced IN the riRhf
direction. and that such publicity AZ IL gives is more
useful than harmful. Hear hear l have more
than once protested against the interviewer" who
has certainly done what few Of genius have
been able Ia do-that Is. 10 add a verb II viii
not say whether OF not IL Is elegant onc to the
language. lIauchter.l But / must ackuow 70
that he Is frequently useful, and that hc enables
public men out of power to make speeches from
which they Wond otherwise Ice pnecudca. Iiear
hear And when remember that tie first gr,.at
feelings soften toward the whole race f. heers and
laughter alluded a moment ago " hat Is Some
times a Observation-Disclosures may become "a very disa-
grceablc ana dangcrouS-quality of the press. and
that is the catering The universal curiosity which
leads 10 an invasion of the privacy of hic lcheersl,
and which, If II justified all that has been feared of
II, would make ns all live in a much lcrccr light
than that which is said TO beat upon throne. But
when considcr-as think all thoughtful mon
should consder-that. viii not say the majority,
but To considerable portion of mankind their
sciences are external to them, and that Mrs Grundy,
In short, is a large part of their law, think can
how In this direction the press MAY be highly
scrVlccabe in promoting purity OF life and a high
code OF public morals.