1740 Franklin Editorial Policy · Founding Made Plain

1740Franklin Editorial Policy:
1It is a Principle among Printers,
  that when Truth has fair Play,
      it will always prevail over Falshood;
4therefore,
  though they have an undoubted Property
      in their own Press,
  yet they willingly allow,
      that any one is entitled
          to the Use of it,
      who thinks it necessary
          to offer his Sentiments
              on disputable Points
                  to the Publick,
      and will be at the Expence of it.
15If what is thus publish’d be good,
  Mankind has the Benefit of it:
17If it be bad
  (I speak now in general
      without any design’d Application
          to any particular Piece whatever)
  the more ’tis made publick,
      the more its Weakness is expos’d,
  and the greater Disgrace falls
      upon the Author,
          whoever he be;
  who is at the same Time depriv’d
      of an Advantage
          he would otherwise without fail
              make use of,
          viz.
              of Complaining,
                  that Truth is suppress’d,
                  and that he could say
                      MIGHTY Matters,
                  had he but the Opportunity
                      of being heard.
37The Printers of this City
  have been unjustly reflected on,
      as if they were
          under some undue Influence,
      and guilty of great Partiality
          in favour of the Preaching
              lately admir’d among us,
      so as to refuse Printing any Thing
          in Opposition to it,
              how just or necessary soever.
47A Reflection entirely false and groundless,
  and without the least Colour of Fact
      to support it;
  which all will be convinc’d of
      when they see the following Piece
          from one Press,
      and the Rev. Mr. Cummings’s Sermons
          against the Doctrines themselves,
              from the other.
Official source · Pennsylvania Gazette, 24 July 1740

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