Year: 1861

MOO08


Newspapers...and, Incidentally, OF


Fremont's Proclamation, and our


own War Creed.


There are many different modes of con-
Quoting newspapers. We shall notice two
of them now.


The first, and most common, mode, is to
make the paper the representative of its
editor; the second, and the truest method,
is to make the paper the representative of
the times. A paper conducted on the first
plan, is, in some respects, the more attrac.
tive a paper managed on the second basis,
is doubtless the more valuable.


The paper that represents its editor, sole
ly, attaches to itself kind of personality,
which. in our country, where individualism
is 30 marked and coveted, gives piquancy
to style, and dogmatism to judgment. The
fault of this method, is, that the subjects
which the editor discusses, become so inter-
penetrated with the cast and peculiarities
of the editors mind, with his personal in
terests, prejudices, reputation, that be is
deprived of the power to form fair judi.
cial estimate Of any one of them, for the
information and guide of his readers. 1t
fosters in the editor an obstinacy of opin-
ion, which vanity transforms into virtue,
and which is called consistency. Around
this false notion, and pride of consistency,
all questions and policies are made to re-
volve and from this standpoint events and
measures receive their judgment. We have
heard an editor of this class make it as
boast that be could produce record of
twenty years consistency on a given ques.
tion and he would bring it forward as con-
vincing proof of his forecast and integrity.
Whereas, the fact was, that the question
itself, in reference to which he had held
an unvarying language, had gone through
numberless notifications, until it differed
in every essential point from what it was
when the position was originally taken
and the assumed consistency was really the
worst inconsistency. And this is always
the tendency and effect of the method we
are considering that the editor who seeks
to make his paper representative of him>
self, is always viewing current questions
from the rear, and deciding upon them
with reference to opinions Already express
ed. Such an editor is therefore always be.
hind the times, and is never able to come
up with the times, so as to give full and
just estimate of any matter which is before
him for review.


In setting forth some of the faults which
mark the paper that represents its editor,
we have clearly enough indicated the merits
of the opposite class of papers that represent
the times, as we'll as our desire that our
paper should be ranked with the latter
class


- We have been led to these speculatioDs
by the fact that our neighbor, the Press, sees
fit to make point against us, that our view
of FREMoNT's proclamation, expressed
shortly after its issue, and that which we
gave on the 18th inst, differed from each
other in tone and substance. We were
aware of this difference, before the Press
alluded to it, and We presume our readers
were, also. And we beg to assure our
readers and the Press, that this difference
was designed. When FREMoNT's procama-
tion appeared, although its language was
general and comprehensive, it did not enter
our mind that he intended to make it
operative beyond the limits of the law,
which had been enacted for his governance,
with that of all in military authority. So
much of his proclamation as exceeded the
law, we set to the account of the chronic
bombast and humbuggery Of the man, and
so did not regard it. Nor did we imagine
that he had been guilty of the audacity of
committing an extra-legal act without the
authority, and against the policy Of the
President, of whom he was the subordinate
and representative. Least of all did it
occur to US as possible, that, after the
President, in Difference to his oath and duty,
and in furtherance of the policy of his
Administration, had restricted the pro.
clamation within legal limits, its illegal
features would be made the basis of political
action to embarrass the Administration,
and be used to feed the flames of an
expiring fanaticismA We could not have
foreseen these things, nor taken them into
account in our first estimate of its merits.
The difference in circumstances, accounts
for the difference of treatment and to our
mind satisfactorily.


If the Press shall keep sharp eye to our
columns, it will likely find many other mat.
ters of a like nature for it's notice. We
shall allow no pride of opinion to hinder us
from frankly stating our views of all ques>
.;,,, os fhox, or;oo and are modifiod hv o;r