The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-05-26
EDIroRs FINED FOR PuBLisHrSc TEsrr.
HoHY IN A MURDER CAsE.-The lafayette
(nd. J American Of Tuesday says:

NAuo.,J AWettCuu VI uesooy oeyss
Notwithstanding the order of Judge Pet.
tit forbidding the publication of testimony
in the murder case now pending in the Cir
cult Court, the Courier and Gazette, of Sat.
urdsy, gave their readers digest of the evil
dsnce a. far ss it had been rendered. Both
papers seemed to regard the order ~ exceed
ingly arbitrary. and against the spirit of our
constitution. which guarantees the liberty Of
the press. Judge Petit considered the con.
duct Of the editors of the Courier and Ga
zette a. q contempt of Court, and caused
them to be arrsigned yesterday morning, and
~ they would not make promise for the
future, assessed ine against them of 500
each.
The infamous order Of Judge Petit pro-
hibiting the county newspapers from pub
fishing during the trial Of any murder case,
"any ruling or pretended ruling, or any evil
dsnce or pretended evidence therein, or ANY
ARTICLE thereon" is specimen of small
despotisn and tyranny of position, which 10
precisely on par with the notorious char
acter Of the man. This order 10 made q
standing rule" Of the court, just ~ the
Hon. John Petit has made himself . sta nd
Ing rule against all decsncy. morality and
even religion. from boyhood to the present
time. Such "stsnding rule" might have
been expected Of him. It 10 John Petit all
over. Every press in the State 1hould speak
out against this worse than Austrian despo-
tism over free speech and free press. The
Ohio press crushed one of their judges for
issuing an order Of this nature, but which did
not extend to the publication of articles on a
certain trial, but only Of the eridsncs in the
case. We may not crush Petit, for il is
beyond the power Of public opinion, or the
eensures Of all the decency 10 the State, to
even bring blush Of shame to his cheek
but the press can at least let him know, and
let dirty despotism know wherever it may
be found at home, that the press Of this
State will not submit to any Austrian rule
Of supervision, but its freedom shall be pre-
served At all hazards.
Was there ever moro monstrous piece Of
tyranny attempted in our country, than THU
order Of a petty judge, to prevent free news.
papers Of free land, publishing articles VI
. subject of general interest. What woule
not this man do in the form Of despotic rule
il he had the power! Long since, he woul'
have driven religion from the land, and ex
hibited in untold prosecutions of men o
Christian faith, that adherence of their doc.
trines and Of themselves. which he has al
ready privately shown in thousand instan
ess of disgusting but harmless exhibitions o
vulgar contempt. All morality would have
shrunk remblingly before his blackguardisu
and obscenity, just a. private circles have il
unconceaIed disgust Withdrawn from the
faint of his corruption. All. indeed--wha
would not the despotic rule of such spirit
a. has been exhibited in this man, backed By
such corrupt soul rs the man himself pos
sssses, accomplish If it had the power, FOL
the destruction of all that is good and pre-
cious and beautiful in our land!
And because certain editors at TER,
Hsute have shown disposition to resis
this arbitrary order, and in its face exercised
q privilege ~ much theirs ~ the privileg'
any man may possess to speak in the stree
in proper language his opiaion-they hav'
been fined one hundred dollars each, an
warned that q repetition Of the offence
would subject them to imprisonment Now
we say to those John Petit msrtyred editor
in Lafayette, that they have the warm sym.
pathies of their brethren Of the press of 10
diana, and of the whole Union for that mat
Ter. and more than this, they can have, W
are sure, substantial help to aid them in re
sisting the tyranny Of this man, which,
successful, assists in establishing PrinciPI
In which the press of the whole country
interested. We look to these editors to q
their duty a. they have commenced, at an
oacri6ce Tim aciu be susfni,,ed