East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-05-16
ATTEMPT 40 REVIVE Tax Sc
DITEON LAW,


ATTEMPT 40 REVIVE Tax Sc
DITEON LAW,
IF six months ago it had been suggest.
cd that before TIE Grst of June 1851 an
attempt would be made 10 revive the
hated and dctcs'able sclilion lav Of the
elder Adamsia this coaairY, Sul to make
IL especially applca|,5 to Michigan, as
State enaetm'It, tho individual giving
the ini:mation woald have been hooted
at as mad llaiped fool, ard the rropo-
sition been laughed to scorp; but shines
change" and we find before the special
session Of the Legislature, held last week
at Lansing q proposition to recnact sob.
stantially tho sedition law Of July Is, 1893,
making il still more odious By an addition.
alpenalty of three years imprisonment and
eight thousand dollars Gnc; and this prop
osition received the votes Of nine Sena-
tors belonging TO that immaculate party
who claim to follow the immortal Jcf'er.
son as guiding star"
"Oh for a ferty parson power
10 alag Thy praise, nypo1risy.'
We give below tho FIRST section Of the
bill proposed at the Michigan Legislature
aud the second section Of the scditon
lay OF lIGS:
SECTION l. The People Of ti: State Of 1Tieli-
gan enact, That if any person, while any war; re-
bellon, insurrection exists against tho United
st1tcs, or against this State, shall publish cause
10 be published any scditous address, pamphlet
paper notice, letter, advertisements picture design
any other printed, engraved or photographic mat
tex tending 10 BRING into hatred or contempt The
constitution and gOrerHmcnt QfHe JHiisd States
AS lawfully established, 90 excite unlawful cyp0-
sti0a 10 The gorerameHt QfHis United States or Of
his state, he shall conviction thereof, B., pun
ishcd by imprisonment in the State Prison fora tcro
Of not more than five years or by fine o. not moro
than ten thousand dollars"
1898.
"Se,. .. And Dc L. firAe. enacted. That II any
person shall write, print, utor or publish, or shall
cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or
published shall knowingly and willingly ngs' 81 or
aid in writing, printing, uttoring or publishing any
false, s'andlOus, and malicious writing or writings
against tho Government # tho United States, or
either House Of tho Congress Of the United States
the President ofthe United Stuos with intent to de-
fame the said Government, or either House OF the
said Congress the said President or to bring them
or either Of them, into contempt disrcpute or to
excite against them, either or any Of them, tho
hatred Of the good people Of tho United States Ia
stir up sedition within the United States to eX-
cite Gny unlawful combinations therein for opposing
" Cf tha d OIL my net
of the President Of the United States done in pur.
suonce of any such law, or Of the powers IN him
ted by the Constitution Of the United states or "a
resist oppose, or defeat any such law or act or "a
aid, encourage or abet any hostile designs Of any
foreign nation against the United states, their poo
pie or Government, then such person being thereof
convicted before any court Of the United States hay
ing jurisdiction thereof shall be punished by fnt
not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by i'm
pIisonment not exceeding two years"
The only material difference between
these two sections is that the law Of 1895
is by far the most liberal. lIstory
shows that law to have been enacted not
to prevent or punish real sedition, actual
open or secret Vaccinations against on
institutions and laws, but to shield tn,
federal Government from damaging cen
sursc--to arm it with power to put dowl
political opposition; in word, to confe
on it authority during its shorter person
al tenure, about equivalent to that pos
sessed and exercised in political affairs b,
the Government of Great Britain owe
the British realm. It's effects may hes
be shown by citing few instances of it
oppressive enforcement:
Matthew Lyon, a member Of Congress
was fined $1,000 for publishing in a Yer
mont paper that with the federal Execr
tive "every consideration Of pnbli
welfare was swallowed up in continus
grasp for power, an unbouuded thirst 70
ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, an
selfish avaricc, and making statements {
the same tenor elsewhere.
Clas Holt, publisher Of the Bee,
New London, Conn, Thos. Cooper an
James +. Calender were fned SEVERAL,
5000, 800 and $500 for hbcls on Il
President, the language of which WI
mild aud gentlemanly compared wit
that used by thousands Of both Rcpubl
cans and Democrats towards our Ia
Executive, JAMES BUCHANAN. 1t is a IA
which may well be taken into consider
by those whose ignorance and stupidity.
there can be no higher incentives to sue
courso--iniuccs them to cncourae
such cnactments, that there are not,
all probability, a hundred mon Of any pa
ty in Michigan who would not have be-
subject to fine and imprisonment ind
tho administration Of JAMES BucuASA
IL the same sediton law has been
effect % Vas enacted under tho cid