第68章

Toyourrequestofmyopinionofthemannerinwhichanewspapershouldbeconducted，soastobemostuseful，Ishouldanswer，`byrestrainingittotruefacts&soundprinciplesonly。’

YetIfearsuchapaperwouldfindfewsubscribers。Itisamelancholytruth，thatasuppressionofthepresscouldnotmorecompleatlydeprivethenationofit’sbenefits，thanisdonebyit’sabandonedprostitutiontofalsehood。Nothingcannowbebelievedwhichisseeninanewspaper。Truthitselfbecomessuspiciousbybeingputintothatpollutedvehicle。Therealextentofthisstateofmisinformationisknownonlytothosewhoareinsituationstoconfrontfactswithintheirknolegewiththeliesoftheday。I

reallylookwithcommiserationoverthegreatbodyofmyfellowcitizens，who，readingnewspapers，live&dieinthebelief，thattheyhaveknownsomethingofwhathasbeenpassingintheworldintheirtime；whereastheaccountstheyhavereadinnewspapersarejustastrueahistoryofanyotherperiodoftheworldasofthepresent，exceptthattherealnamesofthedayareaffixedtotheirfables。Generalfactsmayindeedbecollectedfromthem，suchasthatEuropeisnowatwar，thatBonapartehasbeenasuccessfulwarrior，thathehassubjectedagreatportionofEuropetohiswill，&c。，&c。；butnodetailscanbereliedon。Iwilladd，thatthemanwhoneverlooksintoanewspaperisbetterinformedthanhewhoreadsthem；inasmuchashewhoknowsnothingisnearertotruththanhewhosemindisfilledwithfalsehoods&errors。Hewhoreadsnothingwillstilllearnthegreatfacts，andthedetailsareallfalse。

Perhapsaneditormightbeginareformationinsomesuchwayasthis。Dividehispaperinto4chapters，headingthe1st，Truths。

2d，Probabilities。3d，Possibilities。4th，Lies。Thefirstchapterwouldbeveryshort，asitwouldcontainlittlemorethanauthenticpapers，andinformationfromsuchsources，astheeditorwouldbewillingtoriskhisownreputationfortheirtruth。The2dwouldcontainwhat，fromamatureconsiderationofallcircumstances，hisjudgmentshouldconcludetobeprobablytrue。This，however，shouldrathercontaintoolittlethantoomuch。The3d&4thshouldbeprofessedlyforthosereaderswhowouldratherhaveliesfortheirmoneythantheblankpapertheywouldoccupy。

Suchaneditortoo，wouldhavetosethisfaceagainstthedemoralisingpracticeoffeedingthepublicmindhabituallyonslander，&thedepravityoftastewhichthisnauseousalimentinduces。Defamationisbecominganecessaryoflife；insomuch，thatadishofteainthemorningoreveningcannotbedigestedwithoutthisstimulant。Eventhosewhodonotbelievetheseabominations，stillreadthemwithcomplaisancetotheirauditors，andinsteadoftheabhorrence&indignationwhichshouldfillavirtuousmind，betrayasecretpleasureinthepossibilitythatsomemaybelievethem，thotheydonotthemselves。Itseemstoescapethem，thatitisnothewhoprints，buthewhopaysforprintingaslander，whoisit’srealauthor。

Thesethoughtsonthesubjectsofyourletterarehazardedatyourrequest。Repeatedinstancesofthepublicationofwhathasnotbeenintendedforthepubliceye，andthemalignitywithwhichpoliticalenemiestortureeverysentencefrommeintomeaningsimaginedbytheirownwickednessonly，justifymyexpressingasolicitude，thatthishastycommunicationmayinnowisebepermittedtofindit’swayintothepublicpapers。Notfearingthesepoliticalbull-dogs，Iyetavoidputtingmyselfinthewayofbeingbaitedbythem，anddonotwishtovolunteerawaythatportionoftranquillity，whichafirmexecutionofmydutieswillpermitmetoenjoy。

Itenderyoumysalutations，andbestwishesforyoursuccess。

ASUBPOENAFORTHEPRESIDENT

_ToGeorgeHay_

_Washington，June20，1807_

DEARSIR，——Mr。LatrobenowcomesonasawitnessagainstBurr。Hispresencehereiswithgreatinconveniencedispensedwith，as150workmenrequirehisconstantdirectionsonvariouspublicworksofpressingimportance。Ihopeyouwillpermithimtocomeawayassoonaspossible。Howfarhistestimonywillbeimportantastotheprisoner，Iknownot；butIamdesirousthatthosemeetingsofYrujowithBurrandhisprincipalaccomplices，shouldcomefullyout，andjudicially，astheywillestablishthejustcomplaintswehaveagainsthisnation。

IdidnotseetilllastnighttheopinionoftheJudgeonthe_subpoenaducestecum_againstthePresident。Consideringthequestionthereas_coramnonjudice_，Ididnotreadhisargumentwithmuchattention。YetIsawreadilyenough，that，asisusualwhereanopinionistobesupported，rightorwrong，hedwellsmuchonsmallerobjections，andpassesoverthosewhicharesolid。Layingdownthepositiongenerally，thatallpersonsoweobediencetosubpoenas，headmitsnoexceptionunlessitcanbeproducedinhislawbooks。ButiftheConstitutionenjoinsonaparticularofficertobealwaysengagedinaparticularsetofdutiesimposedonhim，doesnotthissupersedethegenerallaw，subjectinghimtominordutiesinconsistentwiththese?TheConstitutionenjoinshisconstantagencyintheconcernsof6。millionsofpeople。Isthelawparamounttothis，whichcallsonhimonbehalfofasingleone?LetusapplytheJudge’sowndoctrinetothecaseofhimself&hisbrethren。ThesheriffofHenricosummonshimfromthebench，toquellariotsomewhereinhiscounty。Thefederaljudgei