Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-02-06
CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS.

CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS.
There is a class Of flult-fnders who are
continually grumbling at the course pursued
by abolitionists, and instead of opposing sla-
very, are ever to be found opposing the use
of harsh language and ultraism on the part
of the friends of the slave. We should think
that such had long since learned from obser-
vation, that a condemnation Of his practices,
whether in harsh, or in mild and gentle lam
guage, is what the hot blood of the slave
holder will not patiently submit to. We are
| glad that he is thus sensitive, that although his
moral nature is terribly diseased, yet the dis
ease is of such a character that it quickens
his mental hearing, so that the slightest whis-
pers of the spirit of freedom come to him like
a thunder voice pronouncing the death doom
of slavery. The trumpet tones of The Liber-
ator as they came hurrying on the wings OF
the North wind, from within gun shot of
Bunker Hill, startled the South from h-rsense
of propriety, and threw her into a paroxysm
of rage. The iudicious people, the prudent
and softly speaking ones, who in firing acln-
non would do as the Irishman did in the sto-
ry, "touch it of aisy," said its language was
too severe-its doctrines too ultra.
After the lapse of a dozen years, or more,
a paper was established in a slave State which
dealt out diluted Anti -Slavery to those who
would receive it.. Was its mission regarded
with more favorl Let the action of the Lex
ington mobocrats answer! 1t may be said
that the True American was established for
the purpose of advocating emancipation
prospective it is true-but opposition 70 sla-
very was its primary object. Granted, but
there is the " Baltimore Saturday Visiter," a
family paper, which only makes slavery a
subject for incidental discussion, and are the
Shareholders any better pleased with that.-
Let their efforts to crush it testify !
We have just received an "Ertra'' from
that Office. addressed "To the Lovers of
Truth and Freedom" bearing date Of Janua-
ry 23th, and containing a statement of facts
in relation to the crusade which some Mary
land despotS are trying to get up against the
Visiter. We wish we had room for the whole
docume1ieb but must content ourselves with
giving a few extracts. The opening para
graph is as follows:
GA crisis has arrived in my public life
one of little moment to the community at
large, some at first blush, may infer, yetreai-
ly of incalculable importance TO every citizen,
when viewed with reference to that depart
ment of human agency in which | have been
long an arduous and sincere, however OBJ
scure, laborer. The Liberty Of the Press"
has been threatened in my perSon-and that
to subserve the interests of the few as oppoS-
ed to the many, and to bolster an institution
which is e~ntaiiing nought but ruin upon even
those who ~absurdly claim for il exemption
from that examination to which all other sys-
tens are allowed to be subjected"
The cause of complaint, and the body from
which the charge emanated, will be discov-
cred in the subjoineI extracts taken from the
journal of the House of Delegates:
Extract from the Journal for Jan. 2lsf, 1916,
pages 1872 and 1913.
"On motion of Mr.. Clagett,
Ordered that the door-keeper be required to
prevent people of color from sitting in the gal
lery of this House,
Mr.. Clagett submitted the following pre-
amble and resolutions:
Whereas, BY the act of Assembly passed
in 1885, chapter 1926, it is made unlawful for
any person know ingly to circulate, or in any
way knowingly assist in circulating among
the inhabitants thereof, any pictorial represent
tation, or any written pamphlet, handbill or
other paper printed or written, of an infiam-
matory character, having a tendency to Gre
ate discomfort among, and stir up to insurrec-
ton the people of color of this State, and that
every person who shall BIZ duly convicted of
this offence shall be guilty of a felony and
shall be sentenced to confinement in the PEN
i%tentiary of this State.
And, whereas, in the opinion OF this House,
the Saturday Visiter, a newspaper printed
and published in the city of Baltimore, by
J. +. Snodgrass, is an incendiary paper and
calculated to create discomfort, and stir up
insurrection among the people of color of this
State; therefore,
Resolved, That His EXcellency, the Gov
ernor, be respectfully requested to institute
such legal proceedings against the said J. E.
Snodgrass, as in his judgment shall seem
best to convict him of a violation Of the said
act of 1885, and TO abate said newspaper,
called the Saturday Visiter, as a public nui-
sance.
Resolved, That a copy of this preamble
and resolution be presented 10 the Governor"
Extract from journal joy Jan. 23ra 1896,
page li2.
The preamble and resolutions submitted