Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-07-06

not be defeated When the Irishman rode
in sedan chair without a bottom, he re-
marked that except for the name of the
thing it was very much the same as walk
ing and to stump for Ananias and to vote
for Diddler seems to be very much the same
as supporting the party of falsehood and
dishonesty. To cling to the party regard
less of the principles of the party, to sup
pose that Il regular nomination can make
political sharpers and pettifoggers and
traders fit for public trust because they do
not pick pockets or burn barns, is to follow
the banners and the bugles, the glittering
arms and the serried ranks of the army be
cause it is the army, and whether they
march to defend liberty or to destroy it.
THIS is the party spirit which is the chief
enemy OF the independence of the press,
How many party newspapers dare to DISC
bey the party commands? Yet, as the tow
ering specter of the Broken is created by
the reflection of the terrified peasant him
self, so the power before which the party
press quaiis is bodied forth from ITS fears.
1t makes its own tyrant. 1t brands the III
dependence which is the glory of the citizen
and the power of the press ITSELF the indie
pendenee which it might make the purify
ing energy OF parry, as treason TO party
Even the news such a press dIstorts 10 Its
own ends, SO that instead OF believing
story because it is in print, the only good
reason for not believing it often is that 1t Is
told by party newspaper. have read IN
newspaper within Il month, statements
which professed to be news telegraped from
distance which | am sure were hes written
i'll the office of the paper to promote per
sonal purpose, & [ was in Washington dur
ing the late debates said friend to me,
''and / read dozen newspaper reports
every day, every one of which was virtually
falsiged by the party feeling of the paper"
| This servihty to party spirit Is the abdic-
| ton of that moral leadership of opinion,
| which is the great function of the political
press. 1t is subserviency which destroys
the independence of the paper, but it does
not save the party. There is not party in
the history of this country which has been
utterly oyertlroWn, not the Federal. nor the
| Whigs nor the Democratic party, that might
not have survived long and victoriCusly if
| its press had been courageOusly independ-
ent. The press submits to be led by party
| leaders, while its duty is to lead leaders.
| They dare to disgrace their party, to expose
| it to humiliation and defeat because they
count upon the slavery Of the party press.
| The leaders dare to praise rascals and to
| Justify WrouS becatis6 theS coliiuehtiS SA-
| pect their party press to prolong their words
III one bast sustained echo OF approval from
| katahdin to Santa Barbara
The press is never a more henefcent
power than when ii disappoints this maligr
expectation and shows the country tina
while loyal to party and its policy, it i
moro loyal to honor and patriotism. 1t i
the palladium of liberty because ii is the
only power in free country which cal
alone Withstand and overthrow the craft,
conspiracy of political demagogues. II i
does not lead it is because ii chooses to fol
low it is because it does not know that it
Office is so great as that of moldin9 tn
opinion that makes parties and presidents
that no patronage is so powerful as the jus
fear of unquailing criticism brought hom
to every word and every act of every pubh
man; and commencing its Judgment to III
intelligence and conscience of every citizen
The political press OF this country does no
fu]gll its true function until party chiefs il
caucuses and conventions and Congres
learn that there is a power mightie
than all of them combined, whicl
will not come merely at their call, whicl
will not be content merely with the regula
party trade mark, but which for the sake o
its party, and despite Congress and conven
| tlOn, VIII auNOcate, Only worthy iutdsufS
and support only fitting candidates. Thus
and thus alone, can the press of any colo
save its own party from decay, by forcin
leaders to depend for support, not upon dis
cipline, not upon party spirit and part,
patronage. but upon the essential excellence
of the party policy and the character of tn
: party candidates. When leaders know tina
their own party press which goes int
every house and reasons with every voter
will ask first of all whether the candidat
nominated ought to have been nominated
and whether the policy proposed is SCUM
!, policy, and whether those who propose t.
lead are worthy and honorable and faithful
leaders, the first care of those leaders wi
be to provide a body of sound doctrine, an
to present candidates like the old chevalie
, of France, without fear and without re
proach.