magnify Fly Market loafers into the conservators of the country, and minify decent men into bloodsuckers. The best of the instructive leaders' are full of cool, deliberate, party heat. They are paid for."

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Well, you are a queer one. Whom will you except? What do you say to the Animal Magnetism Advertiser ?" " "No let up. The bitterest partisan-methodistical and solemn its partizanship; It would take the Canadas for itself, by artifice, but write against the true soldiers of the Republic entering them by bravery."

"What against the 'Quicksent?" "

"A mere made thing, baked out of the ashes of two or three dead prints. It knows barely enough to help to distract the public comfort by joining in the chorus of Ruin,' which the Dispatch leads the air to."

"Journal of Merchandize ?"

6

"There's an exception. I believe that paper is pure. It is good, at all events, and it tells the story on both sides. If you have acid in one column, you have soda in the next. You may mix up Amos Kendall and Daniel Webster, and have a right good drink."

"What do you think of the penny papers ?"

"Some are strong; almost all good; but their excellence arise from their freedom from party thrall. Where they do owe allegiance, they are slaves, and can talk no freer language than an English clodhopper. But I am interrupting you. I only called in to say how d'ye do. What the deuce was you going to write when I came in ?" "I can't say, Jack, I forget. You put me out. It was something about newspapers-I was going to praise them, but you have put a twist into my pen, and belied the craft.

The liberty of the press, "

I shall have to do the thing over. the glorious freedom of thought, the "I see the fit is on you yet. "Good bye, Jack. But don't be in a hurry. Hold on half a minute. What do you think of the Moon?"

Good bye."

"It's like all moons-it has its changes. It has its phases. It sometimes runs high, and sometimes runs low. It professes great morality, talks windy solemnity in its editorials, as though it was learned and serious upon every subject -Newton today, Beethoven yesterday, Napoleon to-morrow, Channing next day, Recorder Riker the day following. Successive sermons stamp its editorial columns. But look at its advertising part-can you find anything more filthy than the constant notices about 'no mercury'-' French specific'—' no quackery'-' to the ladies,' and so on? I cannot speak the infamy of the accumulated titles. 'Rapes,' 'robberies,” murders,'' coroner's inquests,' and all sorts of police reports, of the most disgusting detail."

"You are pretty much of my sentiments."

"I see that you and I agree that all papers belong to some clique or party. Now, I say that the Moon is a party paper. It belongs to the no-party-party, and to that class of people who need secret quack medicines, and lose dogs and cows, and who like advertisements of drinking-shops, and can tolerate lectures on temperance. But it will never hurt the country as the partisan warriors do, and there is really much talent thrown away upon its leaders. But its columns, instead of teaching American boys the pride of National Honor, more effectually call their young eyes to the Quid novi' of the Police office and the Five Points."

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Why, Jack, you beat all men I ever heard talk. Pray how does the Herald' stand in your estimation?"

"I don't know the coin, my friend. But to return to general observations. It is safer than to particularize. The newsspaper press throughout the whole Union is by its own confession, and by its mutual proofs against each other, the mere organ of ambition, selfishness, and humbug. They usurp, it is true, the places of the ancient orators, and dictate morals and patriotism to the country. But you do not hear Cicero ;you recognise not the pure flame of Grecian boldness, that threw itself into the mob, and storm-like, dashed out the fire of plebeian madness. The difference between our ditors eand ancient orators is something like that between garden fireworks and Heaven's lightning. Would any of the old-times voice-strikers for liberty have ended his speech with a notice that Jacobus Corvus had a farm for sale at 12 M. at the capitol-terms easy ?'-wouldn't he have fallen at the feet of Pompey's statue? or been torn to pieces? Now look at the successors of the orators! Read their affectation first, and then look at their proof. "We call the particular attention of our readers to the sale of the splendid building lots at Frogpond, advertised to be sold this day at 12 M., by Blinker and Book, auctioneers." For the same hour you see-" We must not forego the opportunity to remind our friends! that the sale of Colonel Bankem's delightfully situated building lots on Prospect Hill comes off to-day at 12 M." Next-" It is expected that Mr. Preston will address his fellow citizens at 12 M. this day, from the steps of the Astor House. No true friend of the country should be absent. Citizens who have got them, are requested to appear in white pantaloons, on horseback." Next-" Our readers will bear in mind that the sale of all the imported blood stock of Creature Comfort, Esq., is to take place to-day at 12 M., at the Exchange. The horses will make a fine stud. No true lover of his coun

try should be absent." Then-" Remember! 12 is the time Mr. Ascent starts his balloon from Castle Garden. That invaluable citizen, Mr. Marsh, the proprietor, has provided extensive accommodations, and no friend of industrious enterprise should be wanting, for any consideration. Let no one be absent."

"This is a specimen of editorials. Call you it honest ?— Independent? Free from party falsehoods and gull-traps? Are they not all paid for? Who cracked up the miserable speculations in town lots and wilderness tracts, in the wretched speculation times, but the newspaper editors? How many a trusting fool was gulled by the editorial lie of We take pleasure to call the attention of our readers,' &c.? Which daily theatre puff shall we now-a-days, out of the six or eight, believe ?"

"Jack! Jack! you'll get into the papers yourself. They'll put you in for high treason!"

"Damn 'em, let 'em do it, and I'll give them more truth. They're ruining the country. The police ought to stop them. The Chancellor ought to issue an injunction against them. They all go against Vice, but they teach its existence, so that they may have a chance to abuse it, and clarion their own health, while they pamper, or poison, or create subjects for new articles. There is such a thing in criminal law as 'crimen non nominandum ;'—but these collectors of rottenness, paste, as it were, the name upon their forehead, and stand in the street for curious, innocent purchasers-perhaps virgins! If things are not sufficiently rank and gross in nature,' they or their reporter-horrid office! Rag-picker! Street-sweeper! Kennel-cleaner!-must pepper more filth of prurient imagination into it"

"Hallo! Hallo! Jack!"

"Where are the fathers of the city who tolerate such newspapers ?-Here, take up a number of one of them by chance; it is the number for August, 13th, 1840. First is a puff of themselves, and their success. Next a part encyclopedia and part magazine copied sermon set up as 'original matter,' on the much vexed question whether a countryman ought to be allowed to charge more than sixpence a-piece for his chickens now, in consideration of the state of the currency. Then a sprinkling of more gammon. Then the cream of the paper-Fatal accident'— State prison'- Shall not be surprised if we before long hear of some act of desperation' -alias, kill your sentinels, and come to the city-then 'Inquest'-on a-fallen woman-Indians' Shocking sui

cide'

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My friend I've not gone far enough. If you want evidence of the licentiousness and degradation of the press, look at the police reports in that same paper-'Stealing a shawl -a female'-'Stealing dresses-Maria Stone'—' Stealing money and a watch-some person.' But look at the two following, entitled 'Disorderly house,' and 'Scenes in Anthony street!'-Great God! are we not bad enough by nature, but that we need the devil to teach us through the printing-press how to sin, where to sin, and how many others sin ?"

want? Would you go back to old John Lang's time, who wouldn't let more than half a little finger of editorial go into the Gazette, because it did'nt look like business?"

"I would. A newspaper is not a place to inculcate general literature and morals, or to lay down the laws, or herald vice. We have books enough, holding the fountain where we can bend and drink for ourselves wisdom and virtue. VOL. II.-15