Year: 1875

NA1lONAL A6I O4A44ON AoNSGN'


We often wonder whether it is exactly
charitable in us to smile at the gravity
with which foreigners treat some of our
journalistic pleasantries. The time was
when people abroad actually believed what
they saw in an American journal, and from
its contents judged of our people. "Dick-
ems American Notes, ," about which many
of US waxed very indignant, furnished an
antidote to much of this feeling in Eng
land, and gave Europeans to understand
that we were nation of Dragging egotists.
Now it has come to be the rule in Europe
to believe nothing simply because you see
it in an American newspaper This may
not be very flattering to our leading jour
nalists, and especially to those who pro-
fesS to be entirely Independent of partisan
influences. One would naturally suppose
that the latter class would find its profit in
a strict adherence to the truth. But the
unprejudiced foreigner assures US that it is
the worst of the lot "If" said a for
eigner, al were to take the assertions OF
"the leading press of New York, through
"its editorial and Washington correspond
"ence columns, for the truth, should
feel obliged to advise my Government
land my fellow, countrymen to cease all
"diplomatic and commercial relations with
"you. Instead of this, am obliged to
"write that nothing of partisan nature
"that is, nothing spoken regarding the
"party inpower by the press-is worthy of
bo1; ;oF. fhaf ,e eaiI nffnpf


"from motives of revenge, to affect the
"prices of stocks, or from simple love Of
"gossip, and is only retained in the mem
cory until the next lie supersedes it"


And this is true. Each Foreign En-
bassy here is obliged to furnish its home
government. with an epitome of all reliable
intelligence of public interest instead of
permitting q reliance upon our journals.
What beautiful character we should enjoy
abroad if its certificate depended upon the
Detective press of New York? Why there
is not a member of this Government from
the President down who could produce
letter of credit from such a source that
would entitle him TO an eRtree to a respect
able gaming house or club in England or
on the continent. And what Is still more
strange, the very scribblers who so meanly
and constantly malign our public men at
home would probably be among the first
TO take umbrage at similar language if ap-
piled to them by foreigners. Our credit
would not be worth a single rap if it de-
pended upon the representations Of the
press. We could not sell our bonds at par
or buy goods on time from foreign manu-
facturers. We could not construct single
railway with foreign aid. Take Jay
Cookies case for illustration. He and his
firm and their projects were universally
extolled by our press until the panic came
and swept them away. Now, although
every one knows that the intrinsic merits
of the Northern Pacific Railway are just as
good now as ever they were, the press has
not a single word in its commentator. On
the contrary, not only is Jay Cooke freely
and unsparingly denounced, but the North
ern Pacific Railway is sneered at and
whistled down the wind as an outgrowth
of the Utopia of Stephen Pearl Andrews,
Albert Brisbane and Charles A. Dana.


The unprejudIced reader must naturally
conclude that this press was either lying
for pay before the panic or that it is lying
for revenge now. The foreigner must con-
clude that this same press, which claims to
be non-partisan and independent now, was
either lying when it extolled the honesty,
patriotism, ability, fidelity and extreme
modesty in the field, and as General, as
well as during the first term Of his PresI-
dency of General Grant, or that il
is lying now, when it accuses him
and his subordinates with everything
that is corrupt, dishonorable and crimi-
nal in the administration of the Gov
eminent Which is most likely to be ac-
credited? The true and tried man of the
people, whose present position has been
forced upon him, or this garrulous thou
sand-tongued press which is read for its
current news only, and in spite Of its par
tisan and Ishmaelitish editorials and lob
bying correspondence? If the editors and
correspondents of the Detective press could
see themselves and their inconsistencies as
they are viewed abroad they would at once
steer by different guide. They would en-
deavor to preserve so much of consistency
in their course as to convince their readers
at home and abroad of their earnestness in
the advocacy of principles. Our national
reputation abroad, such as it is, we enjoy
in spite Of our independent press.