New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-25
quiry in the Capital yesterday. We shall be
most happy to find il mistaken.
LIBEL ANNOYANCRS.

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Among the commonest snnoyances TO which
publishers Of responsible newspapers are sub
ject, are suits for libel, often grounded upon
the sbsllowest pretexts, and instituted for the
basest purposes. Such annoyances are especi-
ally fostered by the statute, which seems to
have been drafted for the purpose of showing
how much law and how little justice could be
got into the compass Of single enactment.
A really just and wholesome act is most desira.
BILE, not for the restriction of honorable pub.
fishers, but for the control of the ephemeral
and irresponsible, the freebOoters of ink and
type, whose trade is SANDER aad whose susten-
aDce Is wruDg from black mail and mental
prostitution.
Yet, even with the present partial and unjust
Jaw, complaints might not be numerous we're
suits bona fde in their character and brought
upon reasonable grounds and by responsible
parties. But in nine cases in ten, libel suits
are instituted by some thievish pettifogger.
some characterless wretch of Tombs' shark,
whose name is unknown and whose presence is
unrecOgniZed in cases or places of respecta-
bility, and whose constitutional laziness leaves
him no guard against starvation except the
mean articles of a naturally knavish temper
These fellows do not wait for clients: they
prowl over the mody files Of some daily paper,
where they find an item of news stating per-
hsps the simple fact that John Smith was ar
rested on charge Of robbery and committed
to prison for hearing They next find that
John was examined and acquitted, and then
(sOmetimes with and sometimes without the
knowledge of john they make him plaintiff,
and the unsuspicious editor finds, year or
two after the item had been published and for
gotten, that he is sued by John Smith for libel,
damages $4,000, Sneak & Steal, plaintiffs
attorneys. This may be called model libel
suit, the purpose of it being not TO repair
Smiths character, but TO rob the defendant Of
money in the way of compromise or costs
damages being entirely unhOped for. Usually
these sharks are ready TO compromise, and
numbers of suits are thus disposed Of by the
defendants pay ing 10 Sneak Il Steal from $25
to 800 as the case may be desperate or prom
ising la this way a great majority of libel
suits against publishers are strangled, the de-
PENDANT preferriDg to submit to the robbery
rather than be at the trouble of defending
suit brought by creatures of such vile char
acter.
Every paper suspected of thrift has been
more or less annoyed in this manner and every
publisher can attest that so far from having
a libel within the true meaning of
the term, he neither knew of the article before
hand or heard of it or of the parties after
ward until served with summons by the Sneak
& Steal who had taken the dirty business in
hand. Our own experience in libel suits has
been pretty extensive, yet but two judgments
have ever been recorded against us, and these
were for triling sums
The Legislature is or has been contemplate
ing certain amendments to the Libel Law.
Whether they will patch up the old abOmina-
ton so as to prevent these Outrages is doubt
full. The better course would to make new
statute, one that might have some affinity with
common sense aud common Justice one that
only protect the people from reall IL
bels, but shield innocent publishers from the
quasilogal robberies to which they are now SUBJ
jet whenever the empty stOmachs and pockets
of pettitogging pirates drive Sneak & Steal, or
their ccunterparts, forth as footpadsupon thele-
gal highway. Let the public have ample protec-
ton, but let it be remembered also that the
innocent publisher has rights to be pro-
tected Let some reasonable limit to the time
in which suits may be brought be estab-
lished If a man is injured by publication
be can certainly find it out in less than year
That character cannot be very seriously
wounded which can afford patiently to wait
until all means of defence are out of the way
in order to pOunce upon the unsuspecting
editor for revenge in dollars and cents A just
libel law fairly administered, would be hailed
by the Press as shield of protection, for the
want of which they have long suffered both in
pocket and in patience.