Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-16
From the Charleston Standard
TTTE MERCURY And FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

From the Charleston Standard
/ TIE MERCURY And FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
"No paper" says the Mercury Of End Sept.
"can be 6ornd to print anything questioning anl
positions IT may think proper to assume in 1t:
columns"
had some knowledge Of the practice Of thi:
press, but the announcement of a proposition
SO unqualified as the above, even from the Mer
curry, fills me with surprise. Take the case pre-
sentesl. An election is held in the city, and the
Mercury undertakes to declare that certain po
ltical principles were involved and that the ma.
iority Of GIG votes obtained by one of the can.
didates over the other, was an exponent of the
preference OF the community Of one set Of prin-
ciples over tue other. "With a Eberalty" says
! the Mercury, "by no means usuat (bm ahich
shall mol easIy be repeatedly we admittedinto our
columns the ANONYMOUS communication signed
"Charleston," questioning and disputing these
POSITIONS" Tie Mercury, exhausted by a "libe.
rality" so nnnsuai, and Of which it now express
seS its repentance, refused place, the next day,
tn 4 communication from correspondent who
protested, upon other grounds, stating that he,
AMI others similarly situated, had been unjustly
treated i'll the representation made by the Mer-
curry. This correspondent, like the first whom
the Mercury calls a"onymous," sent his name
with the piece. The Mercury knew him to be
subscriber of long standng-an hereditary
sub>criber-one who. as he himself stated in
his communication, had expected to leave the
Mercury as family appertenance to his children.
His father had, with the Mercury, fought
valiantly and effectively in the days Of nuilif-
cation. He himself mbibed the same princi-
pies, and had been with the Mercury in every
political contest-on the Wilnot Pr0vlsO-the
Cass and Taylor canvass-the compromise acts
he was q SeceSsionist-a Kansas agHatm-an
anti Cincinnati Cunrentionist- and yet, when he
respectfully protests against being read out Of
the State Rights Democratic party, for voting
against Mr.. Whaley, he is denied bearing in
the journal which be has so long contributed to
sustain.
This may consist with the conventional morals
of the prcss-the press may speak for ITSELF l
take no issue on this point, but it is revolving
to the feelings, and shocks the sentiment of eve
ry just man who is not an editor.
"The liberty Of the press" upon this idea, is
mockery; and the man who Gas know this
rejected correspondent Kansas" has done in
regard to the Mercury aids in extending tue
circulation of 4 paper of his own political faith
helps to elevate tyrant, whose bchests he must
obey, or loose position among his political asso-
ciatcs. The Me curry knows, as we all do, that
most of its readers can be reached only through
its own columns, and hiS it p1esuaaes upon No
>ophlstry can reconcile such course with the
inhurn sentiments of freeman.
The Mercury, in the very paper refusing ad-
mission to the protest and explanation of its
constant political associate, Eansas," publishes
a new communication reiterating the old mis-
representation, and adding another erroneous
statement affecting still larger number OF vo.
tiers in regard to the election Of last fall With
this second additional misrepresentation, it de-
cares Is columns cLDScd to "turther discussion"
On the ID September, it is driven from its
silence" however, and favors its subject readers
with royal manifesto more full Of perogative
and the naughty spirit of selfemanating puis-
sance, than anything addressed to Anglo Saxon
cars since the time of that superb specimen OF a
would be despot, Jamest lst
"To be aSsaleI is by no means agreeable!
"to furnish type, risk and labor" for this pur.
pose, is out Of the question Our "liberathy'
already has been extraordinary" Ungratetul
LindS, you shall have no more OF it No feudal
mullarcl could speak more proudly. We would
suppose that tile hcrcury was not only owned
by those who spoke, but that It's readers and
the public were eLcno>yuayy depenlanls upon the
sllzerain pruprictors who issued daily sheet
gratis.
The Mercury has misrcprcscnteda large num-
Der Of those who have helped to pay for their
"type and labor" and who have ai,ed to place
its editors IN the position III which they now
lord it So magniiicenty.
My question las been answered by the Alcr-
cury-now satisfactorily. this communication
will express.
address it now to the press at large-iS the
! liberty pf tue press confined to editors only
Or, i, there recognized such thing as free dis
cussipn by the citizen! Are the doctrines .!
the Mercury, and the Practice ot the Courier
exceptional, however. in this ca>e-anproved by
their brethren of the press? Does the autho-
rzed suppression Of free discussion extend SO lar
as to justify paper in refusing TO print the
contribution of Il subscriber and supporter OF the
same political faith, merely because he questions
! positions assumed in its columns?
If we have in South Carolina n press which
is really free and Independent, ask free anu
independent answer. Otherwise, in'.>t suppose
that ic M.rrury, "n this point. speaks the SEN
; !irn: Of the mr->, -: least "t this State.
WIDE AWAKE.