---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are in receipt of numerous…"
description: "\"“We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning the Harper's Ferry affair, and the various topics connected with it... We must decline to publ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png"
---

#  We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning…

![“We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning the Harper's Ferry affair, and the various topics connected with it... We must decline to publish them all,-simply because we see no possible good which they could accomplish.” quote by Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png)

> ““We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning the Harper's Ferry affair, and the various topics connected with it... We must decline to publish them all,-simply because we see no possible good which they could accomplish.””

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author refuses to publish all communications because they lack clear benefit.

**In simple terms:** Not all information is worth sharing.

Key Takeaway

Publish only useful content.

Themes

ethics media discretion

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical ethical

When to use this quote

- editorial decisions
- newsroom policy
- historical archives
- public statements

Key Concepts

information value public interest journalistic judgment

Questions to Reflect On

- What criteria determine a message’s value?
- Who decides what is “good” to publish?

A Different Perspective

Risk of censorship or bias if deciding what to omit.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Communications Concerning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communications-concerning-2626146/) [Concerning Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerning-harper-2626144/) [Decline Publish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline-publish-2626142/) [Ferry Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferry-affair-2626143/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Numerous Communications](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numerous-communications-2626145/)

## Related quotes

> [The Internet is not just one thing, it's a collection of things - of numerous communications networks that all speak the same digital language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clark/the-internet-is-not-just-one-thing-it-s-a-collection-of-things-of/)

[Jim Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clark/)

> [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/)

[Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/)

> [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/)

[Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/)

> [Newspapers have an extraordinary amount of local content, including real estate listings and restaurant reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/newspapers-have-an-extraordinary-amount-of-local-content-including/)

[Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/)

> [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [One lesson to learn is that the press and the broadcasters are not neutral. And it seems we have to learn it each time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/one-lesson-to-learn-is-that-the-press-and-the-broadcasters-are-not/)

[Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

## More by Melanie Benjamin

> [“Elisabeth was the same as ever, and I was the same as ever around her; no longer a confident college senior, I was diminished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/elisabeth-was-the-same-as-ever-and-i-was-the-same-as-ever-around-her/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“Who was this woman before me, her face imprinted with the expectations of others? I was Mom. I was Wife. I was Tragedy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/who-was-this-woman-before-me-her-face-imprinted-with-the-expectations/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [Why were there so many barriers between us, always? Barriers of clothing, of etiquette, of time and age and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/why-were-there-so-many-barriers-between-us-always-barriers-of/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“my breath sour against my fist, which I still held to my mouth as if this was a sorrow that could be stifled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/my-breath-sour-against-my-fist-which-i-still-held-to-my-mouth-as-if/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“And this was the greatest gift that aviation could ever give me; not the sense of freedom but the sense of permanence, coupling, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-was-the-greatest-gift-that-aviation-could-ever-give-me-not/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“ashamed of it even as I craved it. “Oh, she does! There’s a party tomorrow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/ashamed-of-it-even-as-i-craved-it-oh-she-does-there-s-a-party-tomorrow/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“Now and adult, allowed a glimpse of these first cracks in my family's perfect surface, I couldn't help but wonder what else I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/now-and-adult-allowed-a-glimpse-of-these-first-cracks-in-my-family-s/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“To live for oneself is a terrifying prospect; there is comfort in martyrdom... p 364”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/to-live-for-oneself-is-a-terrifying-prospect-there-is-comfort-in/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“For I can think of no fate drearier than sitting at home...for the rest of my life, watching all of you go off one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/for-i-can-think-of-no-fate-drearier-than-sitting-at-home-for-the-rest/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“...all his smiles were just a little sad around the edges, as if he knew happiness never could last very long”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/all-his-smiles-were-just-a-little-sad-around-the-edges-as-if-he-knew/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“And I did not speak German well; I found the language harsh and guttural, my ear simply couldn’t find it pleasing, and so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-i-did-not-speak-german-well-i-found-the-language-harsh-and/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“No, this was the career I wanted; a writer could be employed for as long as she could hold a pencil; for as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-this-was-the-career-i-wanted-a-writer-could-be-employed-for-as/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [Unlike men, women got less sentimental as we aged, I was discovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/unlike-men-women-got-less-sentimental-as-we-aged-i-was-discovering/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

> [“His death notice included the mention that in 1880, he had married Alice in Wonderland. I like to think he would have been pleased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/his-death-notice-included-the-mention-that-in-1880-he-had-married/)

[Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

[Explore all 105 Melanie Benjamin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/)

## More Communication quotes

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/)

[Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/)

[Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/)

> [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/)

[Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

[Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

[Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning the Harper's Ferry affair, and the various topics connected with it... We must decline to publish them all,-simply because we see no possible good which they could accomplish.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Melanie Benjamin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communications-concerning-the-harper-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communication"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communications-concerning-the-harper-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/melanie-benjamin-4832_communication_we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communicat_1065585.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We are in receipt of numerous communications concerning the Harper's Ferry affair, and the various topics…” — Melanie Benjamin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Melanie Benjamin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“We are in receipt of numerous...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communications-concerning-the-harper-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/we-are-in-receipt-of-numerous-communications-concerning-the-harper-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
