"This will only so much the more oblige him," she said, laughingly; "for
Mr. Blunt, in speaking of the editor of the Active Inquirer, said that he
had the failing to believe that this earth, and all it contained, was
created merely to furnish materials for newspaper paragraphs."
The gentlemen laughed with the amused Eve, and Mr. Effingham remarked,
that "there did seem to be men so perfectly selfish, so much devoted to
their own interests, and so little sensible of the rights and feelings of
others, as to manifest a desire to render the press superior to all other
power; not," he concluded, "in the way of argument, or as an agent of
reason, but as a master, coarse, corrupt, tyrannical and vile; the
instrument of selfishness, instead of the right, and when not employed as
the promoter of personal interests, to be employed as the tool of personal
passions."
"Your father will become a convert to my opinions. Miss Effingham," said
John, "and he will not be home a twelve-month before he will make the
discovery that the government is a press-ocracy, and its ministers,
self-chosen and usurpers, composed of those who have the least at stake,
even as to character."
Mr. Effingham shook his head in dissent, but the conversation changed in
consequence of a stir in the ship.
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