Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-10-31
"JOnu DEOWUI Esq.
On the back of the letter is 81. r. Gid.
From the Cincinnati CommercI


Mob In Newport, Ky" Last Night !---The
Type of the ''Free south" Pied and the
Forms Thu own in the River.
Last evening about half.pas seven o'clock,
mob of some thirty men inferred the printing
office of VIM. s Bailey, Newport, KY, and
pied considerable amount of type, broke one
of the presses, and carried Off the "forms, +" on
which the outside of the form was being print.
ed There were no persons in the office at the
time of this visitation, except Mr.. Bailey and
his family. His four daughters, who set type,
and Mrs. Bailey, were present. and begged
without avail that their property might be
spared. The press would probably have been
entirely destroy ed, but those who undertook the
Job found it dirty work, the ink soiling ther
hands and clothes. Mr., Bliley was warned
that he must leave town, and quit attempting to
publish q paper there, or that he would be
roughly used and all his property demolished.
When the mob first appeared, they informed
Mr. Bailey that they proposed to abolish his
incendiary sheet. They considered the com.
munity unsafe where such apaper was tolerated,
and SO forth. MI Bailey's paper does not rank
very high among the journals of the day, but
he and his family have long spent upon it their
daily labor, and earned with it their daily bread.
The paper has been, we believe, a family pro-
duction, Mr. Bailey writing the articles, his
daughters sotting the type, and his sons max
ing up the forms and working the press. His
daughters, who have made humble livelihood
in this way, were not, we are informed, exempt
from such insults, last night, as foul language
addressed to them could convey. This was
perhaps the most gross and cowardy part of the
pitiful transaction. We really do not think the
peace and prosperity Of the city of Newport OF
the State of Kentucky, would be imperiled by
the continuance Of the publication of Mr.. Bail.
| ey's paper. 1t might be much better for the
town if it were understood that all opinions ard
their free expression were tolerated there. 1t
| is not likely that a single one Of the mob owns
slave, though our informant declares tue
men engaged to have been respectable in ap.
pearance." suggestion being made as TO the
| police, it was remarked by one of Mr.. Bailey 8
daughters that most of the police were present,
and if they did not positively aid in the destTuc-
ton OF property, they certainly did not attempt
to do their duty, but were passive spectators of
the lawless scene 1t IS question whether
Mr.. Bailey can find any protection under the
law, and the thing most likely to happen is the
continued suppression for some time Of his
paper by mob force. The people and authoTi-
ties of Newport have grave question TO con
slider. It is whether there is to be freedom Of
speech and Of the press in their midst-whetheI
an industrious family, who offend against nc
municipal regulation, nor law of the State oi
Kentucky, shall he protected in their property
or whether there is TO be intolerance on the
subject of slavery, backed by mob violence
Mr. Bailey may not be man personally calcu
lated to excite very great amount of admira
ton, but he stands for a principle, and hil
rights should be respected. II is certain thai
such proceedings as those last night will inilic
far greater injury upon the town than upon Mr.
Bailey. The mob can, by a continued exercise
Of brute power, in attempting to crush him
only magnify his importance and illustrate the
evil tendencies Of the system against which he
has made war. They bring Teproseh anl
shame upon themselves and the institution O.
which they claim to be champions, not upoI
Bailey and the cause for which he stands. Al
he is he can do them no harm but persecution
will give him power to plague them. y is Il
be hoped that these eonsideTations--ifn NJ nighCl
ones are Operative-will induce the 9, =,
order" people Of Newport to give a NN
, formal expression Of their disappr VIZ
such discreditable transactions as thai .sr
aweing an old man and his daughters an
destroying their property, and that such pSO
spirited and cowardly proceedings be guArde
against in the future.