Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

earth, air, fire, water, aye, even immense tracts of space, far as the telescope can discern, tributary to man's comfort, knowledge and happiness. Aided by Gutenburgh's copying machine, every new idea, useful to mankind, soon crosses every sea and every ocean, and finally, pervades every part of our habitable globe. It was this copying machine that enabled Martin Luther to spread his doctrines over christendom, and to assert the rights of conscience, and the liberty of speaking and writing our opinions, upon all matters in religion, science, politics and literature. This machine has prostrated error, wherever it has had free scope. It is the friend of genuine liberty, of justice, of human happiness and human glory. Through the aid of this machine, the scriptures have been spread, are spreading, and will continue to do so, until the light of the gospel shall shine on all lands, enlighten all nations, and render all men happier and better. Happy will it be for mankind, if the Press continues to be unshackled, as it now is, in this country. May those who use it, never descend to licentiousness-to the servility of panders, for the men in power, nor become the tools of aspiring demagogues, either in church or state. The Press multiplies copies of books, and renders them cheap,* and accessible to all readers. Ideas beget ideas, which are the parents of others, in endless progression. One invention leads to other inventions, enabling man to overcome time and space, and turn to his use and benefit all the elements. He conquers the whole world, rendering useful to him earth, ocean, air, and every plant and every animal. He is enabled to make the very stars in the deepest vault of the far blue heavens useful to him. And whether he travels back, down the long lapse of ages past, or rise on the wings of his enraptured imagination, and fly into the most distant regions of futurity, his wanderings may be all recorded by a pen, and by the Press circulated all over the world, and their remembrance be perpetuated forever.

*Two hundred years ago a New Testament cost two hundred dollars-it

costs now ten cents.

In this way, he may be said to overcome death itself, because his thoughts are immortal. They live to ennoble, to animate, and bless mankind. The spirit of an author will forever hover around, and take possession of the inmost souls of his readers. Kingdoms, states, and empires, may rise, flourish, decline, fall, and be almost forgotton, in the dim distance of oblivious eld, while the inspirations of the man of genius remain green, flourishing, and entire, unimpaired and indestructible.

May those who conduct the Press, elevate their ideas into pure regions of thought, and fly, always there. To them, in a very special manner, are committed the future destinies of mankind. They are the lights of the world-shining, not for themselves, but for the whole human family. By the aid of these lights, all can see their several paths through life. As these lights increase in number and brightness, men will see clearer, farther, and better all around them, all over the world, until time shall end. Until then, may the Press be free, pure, and useful.

The first newspaper ever printed northwest of the Ohio river, was issued at Cincinnati on the 9th of November, 1793, by William Maxwell. It was entitled "THE CENTINEL OF THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY"-its motto, "Open to all parties, but influenced by none." This paper, after changing its name and owner, in 1796, was continued until 1800.

In the autumn of 1810 The Western Spy was commenced by Captain Joseph Carpenter and Ephraim Morgan. It continued to be published by them until the death of Captain Carpenter, in February 1814. It passed through various owners' hands until its title was changed into the National Republican, which name it still bears. It is printed by James H. Looker and edited by Charles R. Ramsay Esquire. It is published weekly, tri-weekly and daily.

The two oldest papers in Cincinnati are published at large establishments, and have a considerable influence on the public mind. Soon after the state constitution went into operation, John W. Brown established a paper at Cincinnati: It

was printed by his son, Samuel J. Brown, called the Liberty Hall. It is now the Gazette and Liberty Hall, edited by Charles Hammond, Esquire. It is the oldest and largest newspaper establishment in the state. It is published daily, triweekly and weekly.

To trace the rise of each newspaper establishment in every town of any importance in the State, would be needless; but we content ourselves with a few remarks. At Columbus the seat of Government, Philo H. Olmsted, published the "Western Intelligencer," commenced in March, 1813. Without changing its owner, it became the "Columbus Gazette" in 1818, and is now the "Ohio State Journal," published by Scott & Wright. There had been before this time two newspapers established in Chillicothe, where the ancestor of the poet Wyllis, and Joseph S. Collins, now of Washington city, published a paper, under the old Territorial Government.

All the first papers printed in Ohio were small ones, and badly printed. The most of the presses and types first used in Ohio, were old cast off ones, in the east, with a few new job types to each establishment. The change within the last twenty years, in all respects, as it regards the art of Printing in this state, is highly gratifying to our state pride. We have now, at least, one hundred newspapers, published weekly, in the state. Many of them are as large as any in the eastnine of them are daily ones-several twice a week; -and we have twenty establishments for printing books, in which they are printed handsomely, as well as bound well. Our printing presses are made in Ohio, and the types are cast here. Our papers are not only handsomely printed on good paper, which is also made in the state, but they are edited very ably, especially when the interests of Ohio are endangered from any quarter. On all such occasions, those who stand on the watchtowers of liberty will ably do their duty to their fellow-citizens of Ohio.

41

BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.

During this last period of our History, there have sprung up, into existence, three societies which have state societies and state officers, with branches of them, in many, if not most of the counties. From their influence and importance, our duty in the station which we have assumed, does not permit us to let them pass by us, without a few remarks. Not belonging to any one of them, and having never supported or opposed them, we feel no personal interest in them. We are perfectly aware of the delicacy of the subjects, which we are about to notice, but our duty, must be so far done, as to state, that we have organized in Ohio, first, an OHIO TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, which meets annually, at the seat of Government. It has been in operation several years, and, it had a paper devoted to its views. It has changed already, to a considerable extent, a custom of keeping spiritous liquors in every family, which were formerly urged upon friends, when they called to pay visits. It has, to a great degree, banished distilled spirits from the table at dinner. This society has operated on the higher classes of the community, and banished spirits from some, indeed many steam boats, canal boats and public inns. Thus much it has done. It has been conducted wisely, and has prospered. It is no longer fashionable to drink spirits as it once was, and lawyers and physicians rarely drink any thing, stronger than water. In some towns, little has been effected by the society, but, on the whole, a reformation is effected. Many have reformed who once drank to excess, and thousands of the rising generation, are saved from ruin by being educated not to taste distilled liquors. The subject has been discussed in all lawful ways, but has found no opposition to its full, fair and free discussion.

Could the practice of distilling grain be altogether abolished, a vast amount of money, time, and labor, would be saved, and much human misery would be prevented. The money, time and labor would be turned to some useful purposes. As soon

as a temperate legislature is elected, in any one of the states, penal enactments may be passed, to punish, as a crime, the drinking of spirits, or at least the sale of them in such state.

THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY,

Is a National Society; Ohio has a state branch of it, and the counties have auxiliaries. Having very few free blacks, in the state for it to operate upon, little has been done here by it. In other words, having nothing to do, it has done nothing.

But another state society and its numerous branches, have excited highly, the public mind, and called forth expressions, on both sides of the question in dispute, not always in strict accordance with truth and propriety; This is THE ABOLITION, or ANTI SLAVERY SOCIETY. The first society of this kind, the parent of all others, in this Union, was established in Philadelphia, sixty four years since, and Doctor Benjamin Franklin was its first president. Its object was to protect and defend those who were unjustly held in slavery. Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and, the most distinguished men in Virginia, highly approved of it under their own hands, in letters addressed by them to its thrice illustrious founder. This society wisely moved forward operating beneficially, and opposed by none. But some few years since, things took a different turn, in which Ohio had nothing to do, and it belongs not to our history. Finally, a few societies were founded here, mostly, we believe, by persons immigrating into this, from slave-holding states. A few remarks on the origin of this society in Ohio, its views, tendency and persecutions seem to us to belong to our history and cannot be dispensed with by its author. We do not make facts, but merely relate events, which we would sometimes rejoice were they otherwise. Thus situated, and compelled to speak, what we believe to be the truth, offend whom it may, we proceed in our remarks, on the society, and likewise, on its sensitive and bitter opponents. This society is of very recent origin in this state, dating no further back than February 1834.

« AnteriorContinuar »