The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-28
THE PRESS IN PRUSSIA


struggle of old standing, between the Berlin
police and the press, has recently terminated in ia
vor Of the latter. The domineering representatives
of the despotic principle have been overthrow by
the power of the pen and the printing press. For
eight years, the police lorded it over the Berlin
journals, and their rule bitter and vindictive.
The Prussian law gave the police the right of con-
scating single numbers of journals, under pretence
of intention to file prosecution, and this legal
authorization they used in the most arbitrary
ner. A Berlin correspondent says
They had made a practice of confiscating news
papers for articles which did not give the
slightest pretext for filing prosecution for libel
treason, the like, against the editor; and this
was done merely because the police authorities who
mistook their political opinions for those of the
common veal did not like the political bias of
tain articles. They could do so because the law
gave them that power; but they did likewise what
| they not entitled to by law; they refused to
return the coniscated edition, after the "a hours
allowed them for instituting the prosecution had
| elapsed.
| The very absurd confscations, in which the po-
lice delighted during the regency discussion, have
at last made opportunity for the press to appeal
to the highest legal authorities; and the Attorney
General to whose department the whole business of
prosecutions for journalistic offences belongs, has
now, in language not very fattering to the police
officials, publicly developed, in official letter ad-
dressed to the editor OF the National Gazette, what
| construction he himself puts the law. This
practically puts end to all further abuse of the
power of coniscation 1t will not, however, pre-
vent further movement, probably during the cleo
tlons, Tor total reform OF the law OF the press,
which sprung into existence in the midst of the &C
rimoniOus struggle between the dying revolution
and the rising reaction in 1885, and which fully
bears the stamp of that time.
A CoLoRED MANS IDEAS on AFRICAN EMAxcIPA-
| TIoN.-L. G. Chambers, q colored man, writing to
the New York Tribune, says:
L know from experience that colored man is
more respected farmer than a mental in
anybody's employ. | was once coaehman for a
gentleman in Pennsylvania; and although such a
position is of responsibility and demands good
man to fill the place, yet did not feel ndepen-
dent as now do, being farmer. | work for my
living, although a preacher, because my congrega-
ton cannot give the support | need.
| | would say to all colored men, arouse to the
work of your own elevation, and you will succeed
| Anti-Slavery friends of all names have done much
to awaken public sentiment in our favor; let us
now show by our energy that worthy of the
efforts they have made in our behalf. One division
have been engagedin turning public attention to the
evils of Slavery, and another in providing aid for
the fugitive but there are few who are deeply en-
gagged in eevating the free people of color. When
we all become respected at the North there will be
more hope OF releasing those at the South. ! hope,
then, that every plan that promises to elevate the
coiored race will be examined with impartiaity
| and justice, no matter by what name it is called.
| / have often thought that, if could have a
| country of our own, where we could aid each 9TH
err, and make progress within the oyershadowing
| competition of the white immigrants from Europe
| we could advance much more rapidly than at pres
emit. With nationality of our own, we would call
out all those energies which now dormant, and
which would be used if we had to engage in com
merce agriculture, law politics. &C., for ourselves
With these views, have heard, with pleasure, of
the formation OF the ''Arican Civilization Society,"
in which colored men take personal interest, as
well as their white friends. At first thought
that Central America would be the best place; but
as cotton can be produced in Central Africa, and
sold in any quantity to England have considered
that the latter is the suitable for colored
tionality. There we can become wealthy, honora-
BILE and influential. We ciyilize and Chris
tanize the people of Africa, while we ourselves
deriving subsistence from the soil. | would call
the attention of the coored people to the subject Of
cotton-growing in Central Africa as the means Of
aiding in the removal of Slavery.