32 INTRODUCTION. 



incidents which occur within its vicinity, to the central press, and i-eceives in return 

 and diffuses information gathered from all portions of the world. 



The press studies carefully the conditions of all classes, and yields its reports 

 with such a nice adaptation of prices as to leave no portion of the community 

 without information concerning all that can engage their curiosity or concern 

 their welfare. It no longer fears the odious information, or the frowns of power ; 

 but dictates with boldness to the government, and combines and not unfrequently 

 forms the public opinion which controls every thing. Yet the press is not despotic. 

 Its di\asions distract its purposes, and prevent a concentration of its powers upon 

 any one object. That the newspaper press is capricious and often licentious, 

 will scarcely be denied ; yet if it assails, it arms the party assaulted with equal 

 weapons of defence, and yields redress for the injuries it inflicts. The ability, 

 learning and spirit with which the press is now conducted, strikingly contrast 

 with the dullness and superficial learning of its earlier period. Its editors, no 

 longer regarded as mere chroniclers of events or pains-taking mechanics, hold 

 rank as a liberal profession, and exert a just influence upon the multifarious inte- 

 rests of society. Nor are the sweeping allegations of indecorum, venality and 

 violence brought against the press in any sense just. That it sometimes offends 

 propriety, decency and candor, is unhappily too true, but it reflects in all things 

 the character of the country ; and while the ignorant, the prejudiced, the malevo- 

 lent and the vulgar cannot be deprived of its weapons, it never withholds its resist- 

 less influence from truth, wisdom, justice and virtue. Every improvement of the 

 public morals and every advance of the people in knowledge is marked by a cor- 

 responding elevation of the moral and intellectual standard of the press ; and 

 it is at once the chief agent of intellectual improvement, and the palladium of 

 civil and religious liberty.* 



There were in New- York in 1762, two Dutch Reformed Churches, and reli- 

 gious worship was celebrated therein in the language of the Netherlands. These 



• Notes on the History of the Press until the close of the Revolution, were received from Edwin Croswell, Es(j. 



