The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-10-25
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

1t has been truly SAID that 1.-THE freedom OF the
press is the bulwark of Liberty" That this is
true no one in this country will presume to deny.
And it is also true that the abuse of this freedom
is the bane of society and the foe of religion.
Time and experience have shown that in proper
ton as the press is left free and untrammeled, to
call public servants to account before the popular
tribunal for acts of questionable policy and propre
ty and to sound the tocsin of alarm when dangers
threaten the citadel of liberty, do the people ad-
vance in science and morality and live prosperous
and happy. But, on the other hand, this freedom
in the hands of base and designing men, dcgener-
ates into RIGHTEOUSNESS, and becomes powerful
agent of positive injury, not only to public and
private character, but to public morals When
men, actuated by motives of revenge, envy and
malice use the freedom of the press to strike
covertly at innocence and virtue, they should be
sisnay rebuked by every lover of good order and
public quiet, and hurled from position they dis
grace, and which serves them as an engine for
pouring their venom upon the good and upright.
We have been led to these remarks by reading
scurrilous attack upon Mr. Buchanan, by j. W.
Forney, of the Philadelphia Press. Because Mr.
buchanan would not lend his influence for Mr. For
neys promotion, he became bitter opponent Of the
Administration; and the recent death by duel of Sen
ator Broderick, of California, has served as fresh
pretext for the most malicious and fendsh article
we have read; and which, we are sorry to say,
has given southern opposition papers cue for
an attack upon an Administration which has been
true as steel to our interests and maintained south
ern rights in the face of bitter opposition at the
North. Read cxtract-speaking of Broderick
Mr. Forney says:
1--WE knew that the life of this man had been sought
by the myrmidons of the Federal Administration for
the last two years. y "A victim to the insatiatc
and Unsuitable maevOence of the Federal Adminlstra
ton" X at was only because he refused to COM
promise the TRUTH and to abandon his solemn pledges
that now called upon to mourn his untlmeiy
death Thus has fallen the first great martyr to the
political principles of the campaign of 1886 We ask
the arctraltor to those principles IT, III his ola
he feel that his hands clear OF the hearts blood
of David G.. BrOderick? p
President buchanan is here charged with in
directly assassinating ''Dare Brodertck "a man
whose circle of influence extended but little be-
yond a California mob and who, if he did oppose
the Administration, didn't rise high enough in
political, social moral importance, to reach Mr.
Buchanan's contempt! The President would no
more stain his hands with the blood of David c.
Broderick than he would disgrace himself by a
legal prosecution of John w. Forney for SANDER !!
We do not wish to berate man who has gone to
his final reward The evil that men do lives
after them," and Mr. Broderick is no exception to
the rule. But for Mr. Buchanan to be charged
with operating through high-minded man like
Judge Terry, or in any other way, to assassinate
Broderick because he opposed the Administration
is perfectly outrageous, and disgraceful to the
American people For man in MIR Buchanan
position and of his age-a man who has served his
country honestly and faithfully for nearly half
centurv-who has we'll nigh finished his three
score wears and ten-and whose sun of life is going
down in peace and honor-to be thus abused and
Whitfield shocks the refined sensibllities of honest
men everywhere, and stamps the perpetrator with
mark Of infauly which should follow him "down
to the vile dust from whence he sprung, unwept
unhonored' and unh"mg.
1t will be seen by the following that the report
that President Buchanan intended to sue Forney,
the editor of the Philadelphia Press, for SANDER
is false:
WASHINGTON, Oct 1.-THE President authorizes
the emphatic denial of the truth Of dispatch from
Philadelphia, that Col. Forney had received
notification from him of his intention to institute
a prosecution for libel account of the article IN
the Press, on Monday, in relation to the death OF
Senator Broderck.
Rs We are gratifed to see that the democracy
of the Western counties is moving Democratic
meetings we're recently held in Buncombe and
Henderson counties; Gov Ellis recommended
for denomination, and delegates appointed to the
c. Tcn