The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-08-24

SovraEas DISLIKE TO AN hDrPEsDEnr PRssss
-PRo0REss OF FREE OPn1os.-E ELSEWHERE wSn
Be found aletter signed "a vrginian.1 repudias-
ing In indignant terms the effort made at the
Knoxville Convention, by q clique Of disunios
fire eaters and rsbid secess0nists, to exclude the
reporters of the Northern press. Our cores
pondent states that an overwhelming majority o.
tSc Southern people unequivocally disapprove II
this movement, which he stiginatizes as anti
American, anti national ard ungrateful," for, as
he justly observes, but for the NEw YORK HERALD.
which went to the expense Of sending speciA
reporter there, but little would have been known
to the world of its proceedings.
We can fully understand the warmth with
which our correspondent expresses himself In re-
gard to this matter. At this time Of day i.seems
difficult to comprehend how such a propositoa
could have been entertained for moment by any
body of intelligent Americans But the passions
and Individual interests OF men will frequently
blind them to the folly of attempting to stem The
cnxeut of public opinion, or Of seeking to gag
ikiegitimate orgaas. For our own part although
The special object of this foolish proceeding, we
dc not entertain particle Of feeling in regard to
it. We know that it is q necessary incident Of
the development Of the influence of an indepea
dent press in the South and we therefore hail the
defeat Of the proposition as Il satisfactory evil
deuce that the Southern mind is becoming fully
alive to its advantages.
When We fret commenced our efforts TO su6sti-
tute for the old spiritless party hacks journal
of untTammelled action and independent views,
we recoliect that we encountered here in the
North just the same obstacles attempted to be
thrown in our way by Mr.. Pryor and his asso-
ciates. The first resistance that we met with was
from the moneyed interests in Wall street, which
were unreasonably alarmed by the reports that
we began to publish Of their operations Since
then, what revolution has taken place in the
opinions and practices of these men: Next
the religious world took fright at the re.
ports which we commenced publishing Of their
anniversaries and missionary meetings. For this
We encountered no small amount Of the spiritual
thunder which ''the pulpit drum ecclesiastic'
knows how TO deal out on the heads of Offenders
We were styled impious, biasphenous, unrighte-
Gus, nay, an instrument of Satan himself, for
daring to NEEDLE with things sacred Look ON
that picture and on this. Now we may regard
ourselves as the most favored organ of the ortho-
dox Of all creeds, for in their pous thirsting after
Christian fame they all run to US for aid. This is
natural, for in none Of their own organs do the
different sects find themselves 30 fully or on the
whole, 20 fairly represented. Parsons militant,
parsons suppliant, parsons proud and parsons
meek all readily find place in our columns. In
our desire to do equal justice to them, we must
admit in all candor that we sometimes inaict
penance on our lay readers by giving them over
does Of theological twsddle.
But these are not the only classes Of persoos
whom In the outset Of our career we found ready
to throw distractions in our path. Curious TO
say, the politicians, who now look to the
newspaper as the chief stepping stoue
to the qualification of their ambition.
were amongst the most determined foes to
the operation of q free press Henry Clay, and
even the great Webster himself, had at one time
the strongest repugnance to have their speeches
reported by any newspaper. We remember.
about ten yesrsago, the former publicly announcing
from the stump in Kentucky that he would not
speak if the reporter of the New York HERALD
continued to take notes of what he said.
II is still fresh in the recollection OF our
readers how Governor Wise made war upon
US on his stump campaign through Virginia for
daring to send reporter to preserve to
posterity the winged words Of his eloquence-
The Governor has, however, seen the error of his
ways, and we forgive him for the hard epthets
which he at that time layished upon US He is
now, we believe fully convinced that but for our
efforts he would not be half the man that he il,
and perhaps would not now be Governor Of Viz
ginia.
The moral of these examples is conclusive, and
will not, We think, be loet upon Mr.. Pryor and
his fellow obstructvcs Of the South They win
sec from what has occurred at the Knoxville Con-
vention, that any further efforts TO shut out tho
light, by waging war against the Northern news
papers, will only disgust intelligent mnds, like
that OF our correspondent "yirsinian," and teach
them TO think for themselves Let them not fat
ter themselves by supposiog that they vcx US by
singing out the HERALD as the object Of their
ridiculous spite. AL that they effect by IL Is to
advance the cause of truth and The legitimate in
iiucucc OF an independent press
RoTnsCBuD AND TILE FRENCH RAILROAD DB-
rNLTEEs--TBB LAWYERS AND rHB NIws-
TarERs.-Ihe action brought by 10 called
deputy jsilor in this city against Messrs Towns
bend and Galbraitb the lawyers employed to
defend Crclet, Psiot and the other Frcrch rail-
road defaulters, some months ago. has again
brought that remarkable case before pubic at
tention. The action in question is for damages
IN .nr-cr..,crcc nf nllnar.l ..na.lA L.