The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-19

The duties and responsibilities of the press, have
lately been made the subject of several disquistions,
whose conclusions would, according to our judg-
ment if generally adopted and practically enforced
forever destroy the influence and usefulness of a
high and honorable calling If the functions ofthe
press are to be crcumscrbed within the narrow
| limits proposed it may continue to exist and need
encouragement as an advertising medium" or
chronicer Of dry details of local and foreign news
but its lofter claims to support and sympathy are
gone forever. If it is only to record an outrage,
committed in defiance of laws both human and di-
vine simple fact, and spare the feelings of the
perpetrator by abstaining from all comment-if it
| is to publish a greyous wrong, whose burthen the
mass of the citizens must bear, and is to refrain
from mentioning the doer-f it is to record the rise
and progress of a popular frenzy and take no note
of the victims left hurt and bleeding in its path-of
what avail is such press public monitor or
teacher? 1t is true that with the opinions of pri-
vate men it has no concern, but the instant they
thrust themselves into official station or overstep
the bounds within which society, for its own safety
is content to dwell then do they relinquish by their
voluntary act, the sanctuary upon whose repose and
privacy their neighbors could not rightly break.
He who accepts office, must abide the consequences
of his acts, and must submit to be judged by free
and outspoken public opinion. The insolent bru-
taity that walks abroad, and whose hand is against
every man, ought not to find immunity from pun
ishment in the silence of an insulted community.
Nay, even the journalist himself, who prostitutes
his faculties to unworthy purposes, or shrinks from
the performance of his duty, by palliating false
hood or pandering to error, justly merits the
indignant censure of all honorable and high
minded men. We recognize and regret the
abuses which the 'libaty of the press has origi-
mated and shielded We have seen the Islander
that until then secret, waited into circulation
through its pages, and subsequently find its
''coigne of vantage in the columns of a hundred
journals. We have deplored these things not less
for the sake of Right and Justice, than because of
the stigma they have cast upon an enlightened,
and what ought to be, noble profession. Not
withstandng this we do insist that the actions of
public men the property of the people, on
whom they infict injury, reflect disgrace. We
hold that the characters of those who trespass
daily upon the well defined rights of other men,
and who violate VIGOROUSLY and without remorse
NHdt HtNc utlle Cldl1n 10 ma
a safe and sure defence beneath the shelter of a
plea such as their apologists have put forth Why
should the press bow down in mild subserviency?
Has Society no vital interests to be maintained,
or are its claims but subordinate to those of
the individuals who defy its laws? We do
indeed dwell under a despotism more to be
dreaded than that of an absolute monarchy if
we may only utter vague, though moral precepts,
and dare not fit them to the facts. The authori-
ties in our land are as irresponsible as those we
call despOtic, if we may not condemn them when
they deserve it. The governed have but slight
protection even here if the voices of honest men
to be stihed by the violence of the criminal
Shall our brethren in other lands make manly
protest against the tyranny of King, and shall
we have no appeal from the excuses of Mob?