Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-05
TheJournal of Commerce

The New York Journal of Commerce says in
reference to the refusal of the Government to
transmit that paper through the mails:
:, The proceeding which the Government has
seen fiji to adopt, will doubtless excite sur
prise in many quarters, and If 1T is to be car
ried, as there is reason to apprehend, to the
extent of suppressing all papers which do not
support the Administration, Will extlngulsh
the liberty of the press throughout the United
States quite as effectuaily as it has done un-
der any of the governments of the Old World.
Ii is not our purpose, at this time. to enter
upon a discussion OF the propriety OF the
proceeding to which the Postmas-
ter Generals letter has reference. The
Journal of Commerce yieds ready and willing
obedience TO law, under all circumstances,
and has ever advocated the cause OF law and
order, and the support of the constituted au-
ihorties, in all proceedings constitutional
and legal in their nature. 1t has never, by
word, act or deed, transcribed the constitu-
tional and legal rights of public journal.
uor has it melted others to trample upon
any law, State or National. 1t has not, in
the present unhappy condition OF the coun-
try, approved Secession as rightful or pro-
per proceeding. nor has it placed in the way
of the Government the slightest obstacle to
the maintenance of its authority. in all parts
of the Union. 1t has presented facts and
statistics touching the resources OF the South.
at the time disputed. but now acknowledged
to be correct by the representatives OF the
Administration, and it has labored, first to
procure for the South and North alike their
lust rights in the Union and, failing in that,
to make the war one of humanity and civil
ization, by recognizing the enemy as bellig-
erents=a position now taken by most OF the
Administration papers-and finally TO re-
store peace at the earliest period consistent
with the honor of the country. f..s
This is the extent to which the Journal of
Commerce has offended-nothing more, moth
ing less-for this it appears to have fallen
under the displeasure of the authorities at
Washing ton. We do not suppose that those
whose official action is put in requisition to
exclude the paper from the mails. and posi-
bly to suppress its publication, have any per
sonal knowledge of its contents. or any more
than the Grand Jurors who lately presented
it as a disloyal sheet have lately pernsed its
columns. 1t has suited the purposes of par
tisan contemporaries to charge itlwith HOSTILE
tyto the Government, aud has been q part of
the duty of partisan leaders to. initiate and
procure the proceedings against it, through
the Grand Jury and the direct Interference of
the authorities, the whole being nothing more
nor less than a manifestation of professional
jealousy and sectional malice, to which we
regret to believe the Administration has Civ
ca its sanction, without correct under
standing OF the facts, We would be proud to
submit our record, side by side with that of
any New York journal to the President, for
his candid examination, and willingly to
abide his Judgment. or that OF any impartial
and honorable man in the business.
To say this proceeding has not caused US
deep regret, would be to depart from our
habit of speaing frankly and unreservedly on
all questions of this character, but that re-
greet is due far more to the unjust imputation
of disloyalty to the Government than to any
peculiarly losses we may sustain, in conse-
auence Of a partial or total suppression of
our circulation Having from first to last,
during service of more than third of a
century, as public journalists, rendered a
firm and consistent support to the Govern
ment, although frequently differing from the
views of those in power, respecting the policy
proper to be pursued, 1t pains us now TO be
made the victim of arbitrary power without
judicial proceedings, without any OF the
forms of inquiry usual in such cases, and
without, as we irmly believe, even the slight
est knowledge, on the part OF the Govern
ment, of she contents OF our sheet, against
which complaints have been uttered.
We have but discharged our duty In the
past, and, according to our sense OF proprle'
ty, we have no tacHous opposition to this OF
any other proceeding, having the sem6lance
of law, but in complying thus promptly with
the notice served upon us, we waive nolega
rights, nor can we surrender, except under
what seems a necessity, the high attributes
of an American citizen.