The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-08-28
Freedom of the Press. "


TO destroy the last vestige of our liberties
Freedom of tho Press. Though il
would flatter the Eagle to credit il with
the IDEAS set forth in said article, q sense
Of Justice aud fair dealing compols us to
say, that ADLER minds have advocated the
same dangerous and pernicious principles.
The EAGLE is but the echo of its Detroit
contemporaries, the Tribune and Adverti-
ser--the dwelling of the latter being the
choice food of tho Eagle.
Although sincere believers in the doc
trine of him who said, that it is not best
to tell truth at all times, we rs sincerely
hold to the opinion that in these trying
times of our national travail, truth, peril
nont TO the vitality of our free institu-
tons, however unwelcome, should be told
even though tho Heavens should fall.
The time has been, in our nations his
tory, when TO be in the advocacy of truth,
TO be sincere, honest, manly and patriotic,
in the defense of those liberties transmit
ted to us by our fathers, was not crimi-
nal nor reasonable. But the dim twi-
light is gathering around us. Alas are
such days gone! Is this gloom prophet
ic of the night-a night of lawless terror
ism, military dictatorship and despotism
Tho times and tho occasion demand, alike,
that we should speak and write, boldly
and truthfully, that we should combat or
ror, intrigue and knavery, no matter how
snugly seated or highly enthroned they
may be, with that reasonablencss and
candor becoming an American citizen.
We may incur the displcasure of few
supcrcilious Newcomer, who pander to
the basost passions of the rabble-nay,
perchance be calod "traitor but one
can well afford to be called "traitor," as
well as assassin, for his country, Through
out the whole length and breadth of the
North We hear of mobs matreating
the persons and property Of those sup
posed 10 differ with the present admins
tration, against those who raise warning
voice when the constitution is assailed,
and the liberties Of the Republic are en-
dangcrcd by the acts Of officials placed
temporarily in authority by sovereign
people.
Are we to abstain from consuming those
whose incompetency units them for any
Office or position wherein the liberties Of
our country and the lives of our people
are at stake? They desire a silent ac-
quiescenco to that policy which is resolved
to conquer peace and Union, that will
deck the Republic with vast heap Of car
cases and inanimate dust, silent rs the
grave They warn us against rcciting the
plunderings, and blundorings, and projects
of those who have their own enrichment
the dissolution of the Union, and the i'm
poverishment of the people unmistakably
in view. Blindly, as slaves, are we requir
cd TO support a "war upon tho Union.
Not TO speak with freedom, frankness anC
independence. Because we do not bcliey,
that bloodletting" is alone necessary t
the preservation of the Union-believ,
that we can not win back the love Of {
people by making indiscriminate war up
on them-because we would see the chan
ncls Of industry and commerce restored
TO their wontcd vigor---sco the millions
employed, now unemployed, who Grove
our streets and thoroughfarcs in abject dc
lection, thor willing hands idle, their fami
lies struggling with starvation, then, for
| 90
sooth, we are branded traitor to tina
country which gave us birth and life, anC
where all the memories of our fathers anC
the hope of our children are conferred!
The democratic journalists of the Nortl
= are called " traitors" and by whom? B!
those who, from their earliest boyhood
: have been schooled to hatred Of tn
Union as whole; by those who hav
abused JEFFERSON, and JACKSON, anC
: DOUGLAS, while living but bestow sick
{ ly, insincere, posthumous praise on then
now that they are no more; by thos
who lit up the fires Of disuniol
and Hartford Conventions, in 1912, VIII
have made it their boast "to educate
generation to hate the South and VIII
prayed that our army would meet witt
I "bloody hands and hospitable graves" il
Mexico. We can suffer to be vilfed, bu