The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1884-09-18
McGahan the COrrespOn-
dent.
Extract fresn the Address of
Judge SiIas III. Wright,
or the "NeWspaper Cores
pOntlent'' AT New Lextns.
ten. On the OrCaatOu Of
Mc(i ahan ObseQslies.


= X X s
have often wandered by what
infatua,ion of the masters and ri
ders of mankind the first printing
press and inventor were permitted
to exist a moment after the first is
sue of the paper. That very instant
was the tu ming point in the might
lest stake among men. Thence on
ward 10 the present, purple has
been growing as cheap as calico, and
crowns of no more account than a
wooden cap. The press is largely
in the hands or under the contro! of
men fond of liberty ana ipocculat-
ed with the sentiment of justice.
1t cannot he bought, captured, con-
quered or coerced. its stock can
not belxatered or weakened. Its low
est value is ever par while often its
intrinsic value is beyond computa-
ton. If for a time banded dishOn-
esty and corruption become seated
at the tripod, their own voice pro-
claims their iniquity, the country
takes alarm, and the public, which at
last is always right. silences them
as though mopn;aln had fallen up
on them. A press without the
printed column is q mere latent alb
iIity, harmless or useless entity;
but with its column it is voice that
shouts lamb or lion, or man or wolf
to all the world. Conspiracy can
not thrive in primer or nonpareil.
n6delity or irrel'gion cannot turk in
print D;sloyalty cannot engender
or creep about the cylinder. They
all proclaim themselves when they
put on the black and white and the
world is watchful to put them down.
The freedom Of the press is as fa-
tai TO all iniquity as it is felicitious
in fostering righteousness and jus
tice. This being so, with what
clear soul and fine conceptions of
duty should the editor and CORES
pondent come to their several SER
vice.
The Office of a newspaper cor
respondent may be pronounced mod
ern. 1t has scarcely a prototype in
the literature of past ages. Some
thing of its spirit occasionally dis
titled through the old English Mag
azines, the ..naybooks and Pocket
books and Penny papers of the past,
but nothing which in form or sub
stance to any considerable degree
resembling the letters and commu-
nications which for some years now
gone by have been the chief We
h;cle fer the dissemination of news.
as we'll as of opinions on all topics
1t is the best son of q free press
1t is encouraged and nurtured by
liberal minds; and is demanded by
the curiosity of a tree people,
and grows by the liberation of be-
nefceht government. A promis-
cuous, unlicensed correspondence
will work the liberation of the worst
King ridden subjects of the world.
1t Is not allowed except under Sc
we're conditions and careful surveii-
lance in any realm of Emperor or
district which princes hope to hold
lawful succession to the scep.re. 1t
strikes at the transmission of sover
eighty, and is as thoughtIess of the
muniments Of power as the laborer
is of dust which collects on his coat
collar. An article or sentence that
strikes at the neck Of a King is not
like the plunge of the daggar or the
stroke of the sa bre, which ends with
the act. but it stands there in ink
as a menace and a stroke while
ever the paper or page of the doc
ument exists: yea, longer than that,
for it enters into the conduct and
copsciences of men, and is trans
mitted like virtue to the blood of
every worthy generation. 4 good
thought we'll expressed is well nigh
indestructible, and may be counted
upon rs the most unalienable prop
erty. Neither is it for the exclu
sive enjoyment or benefit Of the au-
thor, but it lies like a great COM
mon. where the world may roam
and rummage and appropriate and
carry away according to pleasure
or ability.
X X =
A very large fraction Of the wit
and humor that sparkles under the
name of facetious, and which keeps
the world from stsgnalion on &C
count of too much wisdom, drops
from the pen n-points OF writer's whose
garments are.seldom r newed, whose
chambers are unincumbered with
carpets and whose purses are un-
acquainted with coin. The very
best work OF the world is never