The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-09-21

=
iumbia Railroad below Belton, nor will there
he any increase this season. From all tho sta
tions below Bolton the Freight is and will be
the came as it was the past year.
L. +. RAwORTH,
Geueral Superintendent.
eep.embcr 20. 1855.
-e~ee--
: The City Council of Columbia versus
Newspaper Privileges.
Our Columbia correspondent ailudes to
the action of the City Council of Columbia,
in reference to the editor Of the Curol;nian,
in strong terms Of disapprobation, land i,
deserves them. The history of this trans
action, with the causes which led to it, we
find detailed in the Coroliuion of Tuesday,
the substance Of which if as tolows
The City Council, which, as our core
spondent says, is claimed to be Know Moth.
ing, upon going into power, chose and ap-
pointed the Carolina Times as its official
organ, with something Of a salary. This,
of course, it had right to do. The then
editors Of the Carolinian. who had before
occupied the position Of City printers, APP
Piled to the City Council for tho privilege
Of publishing, grstuitous'y, contemporaries
ously with the official organ, a report OF its
proceedings. This reasonable request the
Council refused to accede to, and subsequent
ly PASSED a resolution prohibiting the Car
Gilman from the privilege Of attending its
meetings as 4 reporter.
the shn dcfG3di fGdiHREs u ss then determined to soand
act such regulation, and accordiihgaiT2, en- u:.
last Monday, presented himself in the CITY
Hall, the Council in session. The Mayor
asked him if he had not heard Of the afore-
said resolution; to which DR.. G1BBEs re-
piled attirlnatively. Tho Mayor then asked
linn IT he was present as reporter; to
which DR.. G1sBEs responded that he was
there as corporator. The question. was
repeated; and Dr.. G1ssEs answered that he
claimed the right as corporator and cit
'zen TO attend without lot, hindrance or
question, and denied the right OF the Mayor
to propose such query. The Mayor there
upon ordered the Marshal to put the Doctor
out Of the room.
Upon this extraordinary and unpreccdeut
edproceeding of the City Council we have
but few comments to offer; yet, as we con-
slider it not only rs an act of ungenerous-
ness to the Carotsnian, and the readers Of
that journal, but also as involving the legit-
innate rights of the press, we cannot refrain
from an expression of opinion in reference
to 1t. 1t seems to u, that any other than
an intoerant, inquisitorial Know Nothing
Council would have been glad to have its
proceedings published as promptly and as
widely as possible, when it was proposed to
be done "withou. money and without price"
and at no Inconvenience whatever to any
member of that body, even though the
right to exclude reporters we're unques-
toned. We are no lawyer, nor are we
apprized as to the exact extent of the cor
porate powers vested in the City Council Of
y Columbia; but one thing we know, that
gsaueitherthe Congress of the United States, or
the Legislature Of South Carolina, have
the right to abridge the legitimate liberties
OF the press or the people; and we cannot
imagine City Council to possess higher
authority than those bodies. If citizen.
chooses to attend any public meeting. and
whilst there demeans himself quietly and
orderly, no one has right to question him
as to his motives and objects; and if he
II further chooses to report, truthfully, either
orally or otherwise, the proceedings, his
hight to do SO is equally clear Any at
I tempt to deprive him Of it is presumptuous,
and must be futile. :" Il
3 The City Council of Columbia has,
therefore, in our judgment, transcribed its
powers, and we hope Dr.. G1BBEs will, as he
1 ;has announced his determination to do,
1 institute measures to vindicate the rights of
'the press, and teach those who need it that
City Governments are not to be converted
, Unto Know. Nothing sInquisjtiens. e |
-'-------ase>-~--sA-I
The last issue Of the. Hamburg Pioneer
we are sorry to say, closed the career of
that paper. 1T was conducted by talented, ]
sbpld, ,sindepsnds snt editor, and, potwithstanid.
Ing aR s Know Nothing her.
sssy deserved 4 longer lifs. The retiring