Gazette Of The United States

OBSERVATIONS.
For the GAZETTE of the UNITED STATES.

A FREE PRESS has been justly considered as the palladium of liberty-the scourge of tyrants -the terror of Sycophants-and the detector and dread of mock patriots and demagogues;-it is likewise a developer of daring machinations against the peace of society-the schemes of ambition, avarice and peculation. It is a most powerful engine to counteract the plans of policy which may be laid by aristocratical juntas, for their own aggrandizement, and the depression of the people ; as also to stem the torrent and expose the injustice of the majority of an overbearing and arbitrary Democracy. In short its effects on publick men, and publick measures, are such, that the degrees of freedom and safety, which any community enjoys, may generally be calculated by the independency and free,state of the press in such community. How highly then to be valued, and how sacredly to be preserved, is this sublime privilege! The citizens of America are justly tenacious of this darling birthright. They are nurtured in the ennobling idea —that to think what they please, and to speak, write and publish their sentiments with decency on every subject, constitute the dignified character of Americans. Having derived the most permanent advantages from this source, viz. superior light and knowledge upon the great subjects of liberty, laws and government; and having been inspired by sentiments of heroism and sound policy derived from this origin, to establish an independent empire, and adopt a glorious federal constitution; they are enthusiastick to preserve and perpetuate this inestimable jewel. Our children, the rising generation from the copious streams which continually issue from this fountain, early imbibe the same independent principles, and by this medium we may anticipate the transmission of political knowledge, virtue and patriotism, thro' a long lapse of years, producing a race of heroes, freemen and statesmen, till time, the invincible leveller of states and empires, shall stop the revolutions of nature. The adoption of the Federal Constitution by this great and various people, may be ascribed to the Freedom of the Press ; this is an event unparelled in the annals of mankind ; and the more it is contemplated, the greater is the admiration of the philosopher, and the citizen of the world... While the bosoms of the patriot and philanthropist exult in anticipating the complete triumph of reason in a firm establishment of this System. " C."