, 1861-09-04

H0W THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS WAs
REGARDED In 1776.
Action Of CONGRESS and the State Leg
1hl4tafeBs
Correspondence Of the N. I. Evening Post.1
The stringent measures adopted By the IA.
noial government to suppress the Detna
gogues' Rebellion, BY siIencing the abettors Of
1t IL speech and pfint, elicit, as might be ex.
EssteG, the lend complaints of those who feel
the sudden pressure Of legal restraint; for it is
as tue low as when Bntler wrote, that
mo rogue e'ez felt tie hitler draw
With good opinion Of theiaw.''
Not only these enemies of tte government,
but loyal citizens accustomed to the utmost
Liberty OF speech and Of the press, aad who
justly regard these as among the most pre.
eloas privileges Of free people-psivllege
which. BY common consent, have BECOME ab-
folute rights, under certain conditions
tain doubts concerning the propriety Of saose
measures.
TILE TORIES Or 1776 AND 1861,
Let Us ask history how our fathers acted on
this subject during the cid war for independ-
ence, first remarklng that the traitors who are
low seeking the life cf the nation continually
attemptt to deceive their deluded follower with
me laea tlat theirs is ths position of the
patriots ct the Revolution when struggling
1or human freedom. Their abettor5 n the
Loyal Sfates echo these protestatioas end. in
Speech anu Print, and more substantial WAYS.
ccnmlt that treason against the United States
Ehich the national Constitution defines IS
"adler.Dg to their enemies, giving them aid
comparison the falsehood will appear mon
ftrcus. assert, without fear of honest con.
tr5diction, that in all this rebellion there can.
lot be found single feature OF resemblau
to the Revolution cut of which was evolved
this consolidated nation, except the extraor-
dirary likeness OF the aaettors of the conspir-
ac5 il 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
today WHO, by speech or through the press
upho!d the traitors and justify their attempts
to destroy the government. These are Iae
petsoLs who are. now beginning to feel the
did cur revolutionary fa.hers treat such peo.
pie: Let the public records testify.
OPPOSITION NEWSPAPERS IN THE REVOLT.
TON.
The leaders cf The Revolution had ysry
little trouble with "opposition'' newspapers
Upto vithin twenty ye3rs Of the date of the
Dec1aiatioE Ct Independence they wera little
more than mere newspapers. They were only
Vehicles OF general intelligence concerning
as theatre for discussions of any kind. The
ttltor seldom expressed an opipion. But
Fhen the war for Independence was kindlng.
TIE newspaper was found to be more con.
yenlcut cEannel for communication with the
public than tie pamphlet, and political, re-.
colhmnB. Editors Of the Zenger stamp AZ.
pfased, and as the quarrel between the mother
country and Tie coIoniste advanced and wayed
E Eof3 Party 1ints were more distinctly drawa.
Ihe newspapers took partisan positions, il,
Obedience to the proclivities of their reansc-
tive conductors, and neutrality gradually dis
appeared.
Such was the position Of the newspape7
Prefs in the Arglo-American colonies Whea
thr WEI broke out in IT'S. In all those colo
apd Of these, at ths time n question, only
seven we're devoted to the interests Of tue
British Government These were soon stiff ed
BY public opinion wherever the wings, Is the
pat1lotz Tere called, bore rule, whiie FIVE Of
the remaining thirty were seduced by gold OF
i5'ghlened BY anuendoes into the support Of
Us crown. Rivington's Royal Gazet6 pub
ii5hed in New York, TOOK ground boldly
against the revolutionary movement; and at
1cCndaY, late in tne autumn Of 1T75, it WRs
"surprised" By one hundred Hght-horsemen
from Connecticut, led By Captain Sears, dis
t5nguished "Son Of Liberty in New York.
Thsy destroy ed the press ald other apparatus,
Put the type into bags, and without one word
Ct complaint from the people, returned to
Connecticut, carrying with them tory clergy
NTH Eamed SeabuEy, Who had preached against
the wings aad tbs Continental Congress. The
type they cast into bullets. All the peop e,
.2etlt The "peace party" Of that day, said
Amen After that the newspaper press ceased
10 be troublesome to the wings, and pamphle.
1ee1s wrote anonymously.
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND THE TORIES
As the War advanced, and party lines be-
came mGrc and mere clearly defined; when
midGle-men disappeared and ererF man was
compelled to aVoW his principles, the number
OF tories appeared so formidable, and their In
1uence SO evidently detrimental to the patriot
eanse, that the General Congress and the seye-
ra1 State Governments found it necessary t.
pass disabling acts, and to punish them In va
nous Ways 1or giving aid ard comfort to the
enemy-n
As early as March, 177s, the Continental
Congress resolved:
That it be RECOMMENDED to the several assem-
bles, conventions, and committees OF councils of
safs t. Of the United Colonies, Immediately to
cause ali persons to be dissfmed within their re-
Epectfye colonies who are notor1ous1y dissffected
to the cause Of America, or who have not assocla-
ted ard sha1 refuse to associate to defend BY
these United Colonies against the hostile attempts
Of The Blitieh fleets and armies
WAsHINGToN's WARNING.
According to the theory OF Magma Charter,
"evt1y Englishnan's house is his castle ~ yet
o1r revolutionary fathers, when the public
safety demanded, boldly entered the houses Of
the abettors Of their enemies and took from
them the implements Of mischief. The Con
tiIental CoDgreEs frtm lime to time adopted
stringent measures for the suppression Of
their seditious words and acts. They were
Eot allowed to say word or perform an act
inimica1 to the pablic good, without instant
punishment or wholesome restraint, and as
early rs TIT the mild and cousiderate Wash
if7pt in e1aT, I'M,
sin behalf Of the United States, by virtue Of
The powers committed TO me by Congress, grant
full liberty to ell such ss prefer the interests and
protection Ct Great Britain to the freedom and
themselves and families within the enemy's lines .
Such q permit from General Scott, with =
wholesome Alternative, might rid the lova1
States of many treascnable eYmpathizers with
the rebellion, and materially reduce the nun
beIs of the treaehe1ous "peacs party" who
ore simply traitors In DISGUISE
ACTION OF STATE LEGISLATURES,
In the course Of the war for indeoeudence
the several State Legislatures passed numerous
sets fer the punishment OF the sympathiz =15
NTH The enemies Of the cpuutry. Ii Massa,
chusetts they could be arrested under q mag
/ istfates warrant and banished, unless they
| would take an oath OF allegiance to the whie
| Cause The select men Gr trustees Of town;
could prefer charges Of political tteachery ia
!! town meetings, and the accused, If convicted
| ly jury, might be immediately b2nished in
| to the region occupied By the enemy. Mauy
| persons were subjected to these penalties il
| that State
| Rhode Island passed laws etill more severe
! again6t the tories. Any person who should
| tcmnunicatc with the ministry or their ra,
+ lEtsentatiyes, CT who should pilot armed
| stips Of the Kings, or who afforded Supplies
TO tEc tnemy's forces, might, By law, be DIN
ished by death and confscatlon OF estate
/ There we're also special scts passed in thai
/ State, BY which the property OF certain per
! sons ua1ned we're cortscated and eeqnes
tered.
! In Connecticut, speaking, writing OF actinf
against the dolngs Ct Congress or the Assem-
bly Of Come cticut, subjected tho offender Il
the penalties Of disqualification for Office, th,
seizure OF his arms and imprisonment. Fo
fu1r!shirg the royal troops with supplies aat
personal aid, the offender might be punished
BY the cenfiscation Of his estate, and ina
| prisoz meat for term not exceeding thres
4ea1s.
In New Hampshire sinilar laws were passe;
ard urder them a large number OF tories, for
msr citizens Of that Commonwealth, were pro
hiblted from entering within her borders an,
the sstatcs Of about thirty residents wer
cunGecated.
L. Nav Ye1k those y ho were opposed to tn
Oeesas alton Of Independence were prohibited
!Fom p1acticing In law courts, and their es
tatts night be 7conf=cated. A parent who's
ecEs ]elned the enemy was taxed ntnepenc
on she pound Of mis- estate for each md ever
sor, County Committees we're authorized Il
eTi 'eherd ind decide upon the guilt Of al
peibcns whc should be accused Of correspond
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