New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-03
PkO-SLArgRY GAGS.
Ccr~.Poai.soe Of N. y. Y. r'rss.s..

ElkTON, Ifrh Va, Md. MAY n. 1871.
At the April term 81 the Circuit Court OF Der
chester County (Md.) }, Sam Green. free negro,
was tried for having in his possession certain noen
diary papers, &C.. and thus aiding slsvcs ts escape
1t appears that yolume Of Uncle Toms Csbin."
map Of Canada several schedules Of routes 10 the
North, end a letter from his son IAN abscondeA
slaye) who is in Cansda, &c, were found in hs
house but for some cause or other the Court held
that the law under which be was indicted was not
apnlicsble 10 the ease ard he was accordingly sc-
omitted. He was then Immediately srraigned upon
smother Instrumentation having in bis possession
Uncle Toms Cabin tried, convicted and sen
fenced to ten years Imprisonment IN the fenlten-
tiarv. Upon this conviction The kikfon (Cecll Col
Dersers, of the 23d inst, thus oditorialy cont
menis:
This is the secord conviction within our know
ledge under the act forbiddng the circulation OF III
cerdiary publications in Maryland. IL Uncle IONS
Cab. comes under this class OF publications. mum
Der Of our most respectable citizens ere liable to the
fate Of Green The law in question Is exceedingly srin-
gent this point and il becomes our citizens gener.
al, to acqusin theuselv with ITS provisions u WIN
be remembered that newspaper m neighoonhy
State The Blue Hens Cktckr tell under It's oan ana
tae editor dared not into this county Tux Nsw.
YoRK TRIBUNE, it is said, would also be prohibited
from circulating here, If the law duly enforced,
and =, has been said in The Worcester She'd, that
certain language of The NGc- York Christian Adro-
cate 0pd Journal in reference 10 the bred Scott CASE
is REGARDED in that quarter as mccnds0rg, ana lnu-
n law ought to be correctly understood by all wha
are in the receipt Of Abolition pamphlets or news
papers OF they might un~ittiugly fall into trouble
The Democrat is somewhat out IN regard Ia its
lsN. rs the act Of Assembly under which Green
Was convicted is that Of 1871 and does not re'sr At
all to whites. Ii declares that il any free nege or
musto shall knowingly call for, demand or rcetye
at or from, auyfost Office in this State, o. shall
knowingly receive, have in his or her possession,
any Abolition handful, pamphlet, newspaper picto-
rial representation, or other paper OF an irsmuina-
tory character, having tendency 10 creatSdiscon.
tent amoug or stir up 10 instruction the people oil
coor in tins State be or she shall be deemed guilty
Of felony. and shall. upon conviction be sentenced
Ia not less than ten nor mere than twenty years
imprisopment in the Pcnentiary. We nave law,
howeyer-that Of lS35-which declares, IL a high
ofleuse against the supremacy Of this state for arg
person knowingly 10 circulate among the lnhaotaRts
thecOtsny Misrepresentation or any pampnier
newspaper, bandbill. or other paper printed or
written Of an nflamnatory character, or calcaNtcd
To create discomfort among aud stir up to insarrec-
ton the people Of color of this State; or TOR any
citizen to make print eDgraye any pictorial rep
resenta;ion; or to write or print any pamphlet,
newspapers, handful, or other paper OF an intam-
matory nature, &c; and any one, upon conviction
of such oense shall be sentenced to not less than
| ten nor more than twenty years Imprisonment IN
| TIE Penentiary.
These YOU will see are pretty stringent laws, both
| upon White and black men, and the only question
about which there is any doubt, is as 10 what con-
siitutes nflanmatory,' or as the phrase now is,
"incondi0ry" matter. II nigger.driying jures and
newspapers in the interests OF Pro-Slsyery party
leaders are 10 settle the matter for u.s. and tell us that
Uncle Toms Cabin" THE N. Y. TRIBUNE"
"Chriaion Adrocate and Journal" &c, arc n'
chded in the category We may soon expect to DO
placed under the strctest surveillance and tO have
petty ckspittle officer sneaking into all cur houses
10 ascertain whether we engaged IN reading or
writing incendiary articles. And that there are
plenty Of men among us who would IKE 10 sec SUCH
laws rgidh enforced capnot be- doubted for mo-
ment. The quotation which We have given from
The Democrat shows cOnclusiyely that il such laws
are not in high favor with the editor he hasn't the
courage Ia denCunce or say aught against t9em. lie
thinks them all right. The case VI The Blue Hens
ChcktR referred TO- occurred some seyQn years ago,
when the ex. Hon. Ezekiel +. Chambers violent
Prc-Shyery fanatic, was ON The bench. At inc
April QS50) Term OF the Circuit Court Tor thls
NeciO County, the editor, Wm. I. Jcandol, was
indicted for circulating inccpaiay publications. but
Gov TlOnas refused To demaud him, At the iO
loving October Term THE indictment was qusshed
Md "a new one found, hut the Governor again re-
icsed to demand Jeaude aud animated that prose-
cniouS under such Ddiglm""'~s wouon't pay The
people SINCE the. have permitted the Hon Ezekiel
!" ;eur' 10 the shades Of private life where his mig
Scr-OINDg proclyIfIes cannot work So much injury
to The community But while such tyrannioal laws
remain ON our statute books, and while such men as
the Judge who think Gas heard him remark few
months ago. TBE TRIBUNE ga highly proper sub
"iect for Indictment" quite numerous among
us, the people of Maryland have MT much to boast
Of in the wby Of free thought or free speech We
opine, however that when mn attempt is made, in
this part Of the State at least, to prescribe what
books or papers free white citizens shall read or
;ta 10 l,ar tust will "A
that will make il tremble to it, foundations.