Chap. XXIL] Political Joiiniah. ^2 



It is worthy of remark, tlitit newspapers have 

 almost entirely changed their form and character 

 within the period under review. For a long time 

 after they were first adopted as a medium of com- 

 munication to the public, they were confined in 

 gejlteral to the mere statement o^ facts. But they 

 have gradually assumed an office more extensive, 

 and risen to a more important station in society^ 

 Tliey have become the vehicles of discussion, in 

 which the principles of government, the interests 

 of nations, the spirit and tendency of public mea- 

 sures, and the public and private characters of indi- 

 viduals, are all arraigned, tried, and decided upon. 

 Instead therefore of being considered now, as they 

 once were, of small moment in society, they have 

 become immense moral and political engines, 

 closely connected with the welfare of the state, 

 and deeply involving both its peace and prosperity. 



Newspapers have also become important in a 

 literary view. There are few of them, within the 

 last twenty years, which have not added to their 

 political details some curious and useful informa- 

 tion on the various subjects of literature, science, 

 and art. They have thus become the means of 

 conveying to every class in society innumerable 

 scraps of knowledge, which have at once increased 

 the public intelligence, and extended the taste for 

 perusing periodical publications. The advertise^ 



lions. It will be seen, by comparing this Avith a preceding note, 

 that, while the population of the United States is not more tlian 

 one hulfoi that of Great Britain, the number of newspapers cir- 

 culated in the former country may be estimated at more than 

 mo M/VJy of the number published in the latter. — See 4dditioiiul 

 N^Uf!, (Hj. 



