Year: 1864

THEORY OF JOURNALISM


The Philadelphia Age, Democratic journal,
after referring in terms of commendation to re-
cent article which appeared in our paper, proceeds
to say:


"As coming from the quarter it does it should be most
impressive. The Intelgencer hardly be called an
opposition paper 1t is of the printers by auhO-
rity Of the Federal statutes 1t has from time to time
spoken if from official inspiration, and certainly has
INDUCED in any strain OF harsh criticism on the
doings or short comngs Of the Administration Regret
has indeed often felt and expressed that with its
conservative tendencies and known regard for the obga
tiOns of law the Integencer often should have
seemed to connve at acts which were confesed n vo
ation of the law aud had word OF condemnation for
the long category of wrongs that have been peperaed
Therefore that when ITS editors speak such words of
earnest apprehension as we to-day reprint they should be-
and we family hope, will be needed"


The conductors of our Philadelphia Democratic
contemporary must be little familiar with the past
history Of the National Intelligencer, and must
have read its columns to little purpose, if they sup
pose that our relations to the present Administra-
tion differ at all from those which we have borne
to its predecessors of whatever party. We have
never wsged systematic opposition to any Ad-
ministration with which we have been coeva,
however much, on general grounds, We may have
been opposed to its political creed and just as little
have we pledged an unquestoning support to any
Administration, even when the party with which
we most sympathized has been in power and place


1t has SO happened, that in the division Of parties
which has obtained in the country for the last
thirty or forty years. We have generally found our
selves in opposition to the reigniDg Administration
because during this period, the political power has
for the most part been in the hands Of the Demo
cratic party, and we were not able to concur in the
wisdom or policy of those distinctive measures to
which this party was once addicted by its political
principles and traditions But when the measures Of
this party commended. themselves to our judgment,
or when its incumbents in office discharged their
duties with fidelity and skill, never felt it just
to withhold from the one our support or from the
other our humble tribute of praise


We see no reason for departing from this course
in presiding to ourselves the relations we bear to
the present Administration. As candid journal
lists VIC feel it our duty to sustain the Administra-
ton in all it's measures and in all its departments,
SO far as they commend themselves to our approval.
And as independent journalists, called to consult,
according to the light before US, the best interests
of the Republic rather than the wishes or feelings
Of men in place, ieel it equally our duty to op
noee all measures which we deem unconstitutional
or inexpedient, and to animadvert on official negi-
gence and incompetence wherever their presence
Is source Of weakness or danger to the common
veal


We are well aware that in pursuing this course
we can assure for ourselves no exemption from the
infrmites which pertain to all human judgments
and opinions, but as we always seek to base our
approval Of measures or our dissent from measures
on grounds stated with equal frankness in either
case, we hope we generally succeed in impressing
on our readers a confidence in the honesty Of our
motives, even when, as we know must often be the
fact, we do not succeed in carrying conviction to
every mind with regard to the justice of the grounds
on which we base the one or the other We do
not doubt that there are Republican journals which
sometimes think we transcend the limits of just
criticism in condemning such civ policies and
acts of the present Administration as we conceive
to be wrong or ipjudicious, just a, the Philadcl-
pbia Age makes it apparent that there may be De-
mocratic journals which think it just to tax us
with "sseming to oonniye at acts confessedly In
violation of law" becauscas as it ventures to alege
eve have had no word of condemnation for the long
category Of wrongs that have been perpetrated." "
As our conscienccs do not accuse of being just
yliabe to the or the other of these reproaches
we beg only to say in reply to each that if we have
not blamed for the sake Of blaming, ue have not
withheld censure from motives Of complacency
We leave to our critics, Of whatever party, full
privilege to dissent from the theory or practice o.
our editorial conduct being content to find in the
conflicting grounds Of their dissent some reason tc
hope that we have not fallen entirely below th,
standard of impartiality which we erect for ou,
guidance.