Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-08-30


country. s l.,T.1,l',I - o'einmens' a
Inc instrument which secures TO us the rI0b,
o. Mee speech and free discussion 10 the public
prints is our country. IL To- not 90 much eY.
Panse OF territory, however wide-it a neitbe,
.ne earth beneath our feet, nor the coyerjno
SKY above our heads. This couatry Is existence
under the broad shield Of that moral and intel.
ieclual freedom shich make earth and sea and
shy setVlceaole to our uses and purposes, a. men
and ireemen. We cannot have aud epioy them
~ ALL unles, We can think, nor unless we can
cypress Our thoughts 10 one another. II we
pAAaot, or DO not, we are slaves. rns
.s . nls right 10 indispensable to the knowledge
VI ruin ana to the exclusion OF error. We
neeu conference with one another, to correct our
mistakes OF reasoning and opinion, and to inform
@ ou isporance by learning what Others, With bet.
,s .sl opportunities, perhaps, have learned and
uoosa' apd iet luA civil government, we
Ieeo 70 chtck corruption, 70 resist evil ten.
Ssneies' wGttaer to anarchy or despotism. Un.
DER the ordinary provisions and admioist,.,ion
VI 'ne laws, there are safeguards enough TO pte.
vent this liberty from becoming liceut,ou.ness
Before necessity arises for the lntefyept lion of
zoe law, sober public opinion, as an ordinary
.nlng, eventually meets lbe txigencies OF the
ease'-our consciences aud thoughts SHE IN can.
"nhe; e'tner excusing or else accusing one an.
DINER Are We 90 Incompetent TO govern our.
serves, that tue general sense Of the communi.
W. IN tne long run, Is Incapable of corr ectipp
dangerous errors Of 0pinioD2 Are our laws so
inemcaclous and imperative, that they cannot
reacn violent offenders sg iinst the safety of the
ota'ei ouch mas not been our experience for
tnree quarters OF century. For what reason,
should we nov sorogate the Constitution. vio.
late the laws, disregard the sober Judgment of
reason, and give ourselves up to the loose eud. |
ance and indiscretion of a mob, or of 'anY nm. |
authorized poHer7
II our vice fOrefathers deemed IL essential 10
the security OF themselves and of future gene
rahons, that freedom Of speech and Of the
press should be guarded by solemn constitu-
nohai sanctions-so that even the Representa-
tves Oh the States and Of the people, in the
exercise OF their most deliberate judgment,
snoula mol nave power to infringe upon or 10
interfere with it-shall knot of passionate
men, under the influence of popular excitement, |
and perhaps without the exercise of an7 iude. |
ment, make OF themselves an extempore trbu. |
nal ABOVE tne Constitution and the law, to take
away rights so carefully guarded by both7
Nofoio our ancestors establish this sanction
iof peaceaole times and quiet occasions. II is
uCs Ieeoed then They had great experience
OF all the evils as well as of all the benefits of
this essential privilege, which they eDdeayored
TO place beyond the reach of the inconsiderste
and the impulsive-of party and Of faction.
They meant it for periods Of public disturbance
and OF public daDger-for Just such a oon,in.
gency as that now upon us-if it we're possible
ior them to conceive that we should 90 far fall
away from the principles, the standard and the
coLduct which the work Of their exalted minds
and iheir own glorious example had set before
us.
IL is nou, then, aud not at future time, that
we must GEEK a remedy for the beginnings of
tnis great evil and great danger TO all which |
should be most dear TO US. There Is no good |
cause for the violent interference With the free.
oom OF speech aud Of the press, which has been
recently manifested. Such differences of opin
Ion as really exist in the free States are of little
comparative consequence to the great public
ends 10 view, and ii erroneous, they cannot un.
iavorsblY affect the final result. So far as they
are expressed with decorum, they will be Judged
upon their own intrinsic worth aud importance.
They can do no hatm. if wrong-but if right,
'ney deserve consideration, whether flowing
with or In divergence from the popular current
OF the hour. Free discussion, within the bounds
of deeency and law, and not ia conravention Of
VIC PihClPleS oi tne Constitution, is not only |
the inalienable right of every American, out
the foundation and indispensable necessity Of all
free Institutions.
Take this away--and nothing is left--except
oiscontent, anger, and the seeds of future trou-
oies. leading public journal will be found
always 10 reject the sentiments of a large, in
huentiai and powerful body of the people If
10 did not, IL could not exist at all l. is the
worst policy In the world to attempt to suppress
It. 10 do so Is evidence of conscious weakness,
not OF power fixed upon lasting basis We
Know not how long such condition of things
could be endured, in which illegal measures
we're taken to abridge "the freedom of speech
Or OF the press" Neither government nor peo.
pie are Secure, except as they rest upon the
No man. who values public or
private liberty, could endure existence in coun.
Try In which such ouIrsges should become COM
mon For, IL permitted, we should be subject
to despotism like that Of France, in it's most
desPotlc days-or of republican Venice, when
The CHASTITY skeleton Of republication clutched
the assassin's dagger, aud its indiscrimiDate
Victims glared through prison bars, awaiting
the tortore or the block