The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-12-25
Freedom of Speech.

dearest of all liberties, and the greatest
pride Of the citizens Of the United States
has been that they possess this right.
The liberty Of thought, of speech, Of the
press, has been popularity claimed as the
great glory ofour institutions, and Fourth
July orators have INDUCED in many
flights Of oratorical eloquence in eulogy
OF the great privilege. Patriotic poets
have sung sweet notes in praise of cur
right to say and to DO, and from every
pulpit thanks have gone up that we live
in land where every man has liberty of
conscience. Many burst Of patriotic
fervor has broken from the lips ofAmer-
leans because here we have no censor
ship Of the Press, because here men dare
give uuerance to any sentiment or as
plralion. Moral convictions and mental
conclusions, it he's been our boast, here
have free expression, and mems teach
ings are restrained only by their lack of
power to convince. The right Of opin-
ion has been claimed AS The corner stone
Of our political cdifce, and each man
was declared TO have the right to prose-
lyle By convincing the minds Of his fell
lows, on the principle Of Jefferson, that
error Of opinion may safely be tolerated
so long as truth is left free to combat it.
Comparisons between the governments
Of other countries and our own have been
necessarily made By our people in this
regard, and are still made, and we have
accounted it rs worthy of orr highest
boast that in this Republic no man is re-
strained in Lis right to tbiuk, and to
speak
The time has been, in the history of
our government, when this claim was
valid. TO be sure we once had Sedi-
ton law, but public sentiment soon
swept it from the statute book, and
thence onward the claim to the pc. sess-
ION Of free speech, and free press was
nearly just one. Disabilities were in
some States placed upon those who were
not theoiogcally orthodox, but we had
81 least ciVI freedom. Have we this
now Have we eli lher civil or religious
freedom now? Is there a free press.
free speech, or even free thought now
Are ren allowed, unmolested, t. pray
and 10 preach the gospel which they
conceive Jesus Christ taught? Let the
mobs which have destroyed printing
presses in Kentucky, in Missouri and in
Kansas answer. Let lhe murierers OF
Methodist Clergymen in Texas, and the
prosecutors Of Rev. Mr.. Worth, answer
Let the fends who have lynched and
murdered and bauished hundreds Of
quiet, inotTensye men from the South,
answer Let the refusal Of Postmas,ers
TO deliver mail matter, answer. Let the
public burning of books and OF papers,
answer. Let the indignity placed upon
men and women, because only e place
Of birth. answer. Let Tie reign Of terror
for few years past at the South, an
swer.
Nor need we 20 South for evidence
that our boosted freedom Of speech does
not exist But week or two ago, in
Boston, lot Of weli-dressed ruflians in
yaded fremont Temple and thrust out
from thence the men gathered there TO
discuss, in terms which suited them,
question now agitating the country. And
men whose moral character is without
preach, and whose eloquence and
scholarship are almos! unsurpassed, had
their lives placed in jeopardy Less than
year ago. one OF the most popular wri
ters and lecturers in The country was
mobbed in Philadelphia. and was The
other day compelled to lorego another
engagement to lecture, because the au
thorlies feared his presence would again
raise mob and arouse similar excite
ment. And in Brooklyn the church and
pulpit and person Of clergyman OF
World wide celebrity had to be projected
few days ago, from violence by large
force Of police. And we hear rumors OF
mobbing and destroying the establish
ment Of the most Influential and able
journal Of New York City or Of the coun-
Try.
What is the cause and indication Of
this I? What influence is it that thus
negatives our claim Of free speech and
puts to shame our pretension Of civil and
religious freedom ? What interest is il
that ties our tongues and pallocks our
mouths What power is it that enters
the pulpit and forbids lie prayer for the
bousd and oppressed What cause is it
dat with mobs and lyncbing, and great
brutality, demands that men shall noi