The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-10-10

print elicit, as might be expected, the
loud complaints Of those who feel the
sudden pressure Of legal restraint; for it
is as true now as when Butler wrote,
chat
"No rogue cor fclt the halter draw,
With good ,puiuu Of uo law
Not only these enemies Of the Gov
ernment but loyal citizens accustomed
to tho utmost liberty of speech and Of
tho press, and who justly regard these
as among the most precious privileges
Of free people-become absolute rights,
under certain conditiOns-entertain
doubts concerning the proprioty Of those
measures.
THE TORIES OF 1776 AND 1861.
Let us ask history how our fathers
acted on this subject during the old war
for Independence, first remarking that
the traitors who are now seeking the
life ofthe nation continually attempt to
deluded their followers with the idea that
theirs is the position of the patriots Of
the Revolution when struggling for hu-
man freedom Their abottors in the
loyal States echo these protestations;
and, in speech and print, and more sub
stantial ways, commit the treason
against the United States which the ma
tional Constitution defines as Gathering
to their enemies, giving them aid and
comfort" To those who will make the
comparison, the falsehood will appear
monstrous. l assert, without fear Of
honest contradiction, that in all this re-
bellion there cannot be found q single
feature of the Revolution out Of which
was evolved this consolidated nation,
except the extraordinary likeness of the
abettOrs Of the conspiracy in the loyal
States to the worst tories of that period
In those tories may be found an exact
counterpart Of the men and women of
to-day, who, by speech OF through the
press, uphold the traitors and justify
their attempts to destroy the Govern
ment. These are the persons who are
now. beginning to feel the weight of the
Governments displeasure. How did
our Revolutionary Fathers treat such
people? Let the public records testify
Opposition NEWSPAPERS IN THE REV.
OLUTION.
The leaders of the Revolution had
very little trouble with "opposition"
newspapers. Up to within twenty years
Of the date of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence they were little more than
mere newspapers. They were only We
hicles Of general intelligence concern
ing current events, and were seldom re.
sorted to as a theater of discussions of
any kind. The editor seldom express
ed an opinion. But when the war fol
| independence was kindling, the news
paper was found to be a more convent
ont channel for communication with
the public than the pamphlet, and politi.
cal, religious and social topics we're dis
cussed in its columns. Editors of theZen
ger stamp appeared, and as the quarre
between the mother country and the COL
onies advanced and waxed hot, party
lines we're more distinctly drawn. The
newspapers took partisan positions, il
obedience to the proclivities of their re
spectiye conductors, and neutrality
gradually disappeared.
Such was the position of the newspa
per press in the Anglo-Americau colo
nies when the war broke out in 1775.-
In all those colonies there were only
thirty seven newspapers, and of these, a
the time in question, ouly seven wcr
devoted to the interests of the British
Government, They wore soon stiHcC
by public opinion wherever the Wings
as the patriots were called, bore rule
while five of the remaining thirty wer
soducod by gold or frightened by inuen
does into the support Of the clown, Riv
ingtOn's Royal Gazette, published in N
Y, took ground boldly against the revo
lutionary movement; and at noondayiat
in the autumn of 1875, il was "surpris
cd" by one hundred light-hursemer
from Connecticut, led by Captain Sears
a distinguished "Son of Liberty" il
New York, They destroyed the typ.
and other apparatus, put the type int
bags, and without one word of com
plaint from the people returned TO Con
necticut carrying with them a tory cler
gyman named Seabury, who had preach
ed against the Wings and the Continen
tai Congress The type they cast int
bullets, All the people, except th
"peaco party Of that day, said Amen
After that the newspaper press cease
to be troublesome to the Wings, an
pamPhleteers wrote anonymously.
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND tn
TORIES.
AS the war advanced, the party line
became more aud more clearly define,
when middle. men disappeared and eve
ry man was compelled to avow his prin
ciples, tho number Of tories appeare
so formidable, and their influence so ey
identity detrimental to the patriot
cause, that tho General Congress an
the several State Governments found
necessary to pass disabling acts, and {
punish them in various ways for "givin
aid and comfort to the enemy"
As early as March, 1875, the Cont
mental Congress resolved
"Ihat 10 be recommended to tho Sc,
orul assemblies, conventions, aud con
mitteos or councils Of safety Of the I'm
ted Colonies, Immediately to cause q
, persons to be disarmed within their r,
I speotive colonies who are notoriousl
disaiected to tho cause Of America,
; who have not associated and shall reru,
leo associate to defend by arms the