I cannot dismiss this subject without pointing out a most dishonest practice, which has latterly been resorted to in the United States, and which a copyright only, I am afraid, can prevent the continuance of. Works which have become standard authority in England, on account of the purity of their Christian principles, are republished in America with whole pages altered, advantage being taken of the great reputation of the orthodox writers, to disseminate Unitarian and Socinian principles. A friend of mine, residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, sent to a religious book society at New York for a number of works, as presents to the children attending the Sunday school. He did not examine them, having before read the works in England, and well knowing what ought to have been the contents of each.
To his surprise, the parents came to him a few days afterwards to return the books, stating that they presumed that he could not be aware of the nature of their contents; and on examination, he found that he had been circulating Unitarian principles among the children, instead of those which he had wished to inculcate. [See Note 5.]
The press of America, as I have described it, is all powerful; but still it must be borne in mind, that it is but the slave of the majority; which, in its turn, it dare not oppose.
Such is its tyranny, that it is the dread of the whole community. No one can--no one dare--oppose it; whosoever falls under its displeasure, be he as innocent and as pure as man can be, his doom is sealed. But this power is only delegated by the will of the majority, for let any author in America oppose that will, and he is denounced. You must drink, you must write, not according to your own opinions, or your own thoughts, but as the majority will. [See Note 6.]
Mr Tocqueville observes, "I know no country in which there is so little true independence of mind, and freedom of discussion, as in America."
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Note 1. Miss Martineau talks of Dr Follett as one of the greatest men in America. I was surprised at this, as I never heard of his name, so I inquired--"Who is Dr Follett?"--"I don't know."--"Do you know Dr Follett?"--"Never heard of him."--"Do you?"--"No." I asked so many people that at last I became quite tired; at last I found a man who knew him, his answer was--"Oh, yes; he's an _Abolitionist_!" As the American critic justly observes, "He shines in the future pages of his grateful guest."