The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-08
Freedorll OF Speech.


excited over remark made by Gov Nor
ton in his recent speech at Rockville. He
1.-THE Governor) s0arnsd gentlemen aehO
sgaspathized ssith the rebellion to be cautious.
TaqiIant men a7atch them, and the moment
thev put a foot one inch beyond the line of
strict loyal action, they a0oHtd feel the conse-
ouences.'' After quoting this extract, it
showers down a column of abuse upon the
Governor, for daring to threaten the traitors
and spies who infest the State. The Senti-
mel and its coadjutors are loud in their
praises of free speech, and are endeavoring
to make it appear that the Governor has an
organized Vigilance COMMITTEES for the pur-
pose of silencing the utterances of treason.
Unfortunately for the cause of the Union,
this is not the case. Day after day the Sen
tinel publishes its insinuations against Off
GERS in the army articles endeayoring to
prove that the war was forced upon the
South, and dwelling upon the fact that the
war is to cost millions of treasure, in the
hope of seduciDg the masses from their al
legiance and stirring up discomfort against
the Government and those who administer
it. And yet who has disturbed the Senti-
mel in the expression of its opinion? What
difficulty has John G. Davis experienced in
the delivery OF his treacherous speeches p
This clamor about the &c freedom of speech "
deceives no one We all understand what
it means. As Gov. Morton says, the newly
converted advocates of freedom of speech,
mean by it, the right to weaken our hands
and strengthen the hands of our enemy, by
distractiug our councils, by reviling our
cause, by ignominious propositions to lay
down our arms, and by assailing the purity
of all men who are laboring to uphold the
honor and integrity of the nation.
The Governor adds:
If any man in the rebeliious States
should utter in defence of the North a
1.-THE of what men in IndisFasv- would not
ing in defaz-a-sv -ffve long enough to say his
prayers. This freedom of speech is exer-
cised in behalf of those who deny the right
to all others, and who punish its exercise
witg death. The men who thus abuse the
right of free speech are living monuments
of the forbearance of our laws, and of the
the liberty and security OF persons guaran-
teed by our institutions. While l admit
and will uphold the freedom of speech, it is
not improper to state that there are State
and National laws, defining and furnishing
the crime of treason, and that attractions of
these laws will be searched out and punish
ed with the utmost rigor.
The Sentinel and its sympathizers may be
assured, that the eyes Of "vigilant men +"
are upon them, and that the traitors and
sympathizers with secession all over the
State, are watched. Nor can they by their
homiies on free speech, &c, divert public
attention from the great truth that We as
a nation, struggling for existence anu
that all who are not actively and earnestly
win us, are against US. Gen. Beauregard
has just set US precedent that may be use
full, in hanging three men who were suspect
Ell of treason to the Confederate cause. 1t
Is an old law that it is right to learn from
an enemy. If we should adopt the South
ern style of hanging suspected traitors, we
might begin the work here in Evansville.
But we DO not propose to initiate the acts
of those, who, by their fendish deeds at
Manassas aud elsewhere: have proven the
truth of Charles Summers speech, that sla-
very barbarizes and degrades master as well
as slave,