The American Democrat/Rumour
RUMOUR.
The people of the United States are unusually liable to be imposed on by false rumours. In addition to the causes that exist elsewhere, such as calculated and interested falsehoods, natural frailty, political machinations, and national antipathies, may be enumerated many that are peculiar to themselves.
The great number of, and the imperfect organization of the newspaper establishments, as has already been shown, is a principal reason; necessity, in some degree, compelling a manufacture of "news," when none exists in reality.
The great extent of the country, the comparative intelligence of the inhabitants, an intelligence that is often sufficient to incite inquiry, but insufficient for discrimination, the habit of forming opinions, which is connected with the institutions, the great ease of the population, which affords time for gossip, and the vast extent of the surface over which the higher intelligence, that can alone rebuke groundless and improbable rumours, is diffused, are so many reasons for the origin and increase of false reports.
Falsehood and truth are known to be inseparable, every where, but as rumour gains by distance, they are necessarily more mixed together in this country, than in regions where the comparative smallness of surface renders contradiction easier.
The frequency and all controlling character of the elections keep rumours of a certain sort in constant circulation, bringing in corruption and design in support of other motives.
The ability to discriminate between that which is true and that which is false, is one of the last attainments of the human mind. It is the result, commonly, of a long and extensive intercourse with mankind, But one may pass an entire life, in a half-settled and half-civilized portion of the world, and not gain as much acquaintance with general things, as is obtained by boys who dwell in regions more populous. The average proportion between numbers and surface in America, is about twelve to the square mile, whereas, it approaches three hundred, in the older countries of Europe! On this single fact depends much more, in a variety of ways, than is commonly believed.