The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-09-06
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TIE LIBERTY OLE TILE PRESS

| The following admirable letter, addressed to tb a
Postmaster General by James w. Wall, ESQ.,, of
New Jersey, was published in the n. Y. DAILY Ne,os
! OF w edneSday last The reply of Mr.. Blair, which
is also appended, is miserable subterfuge. He
! did not, be says, think the papers very dangerous
but the people demanded his aid in putting them
down. The people! What people? Certainly
not the subscribers to the interdicted papers, whose
rights have been invaded. But it is the old stereo-
typed plea The worst acts of the worst tyrants
have been perpetrated in the name of the people,
Eds. ExcHANGE.
BuRLryGroy. n. j., Aug Is, 1861,
nom montgomery Blair, Postmaster General
DEAR SR-HUur recent high-handed uncOnstitu-
LLipld. act IN stopping certain newspapers from
GIuS ecutated through the mails will meet, as it
Is Nss' 'he indignant protest OF every free man.
IL l, 'ne P'"scLi9.d parties have reflected severely
upon the conduct OF the Administration they had
right 40 to do IN repub ic where it has been our
most cherished boast that the acts of our rulers
are open to the treest scrutiny. In fact The right
OF examining the characters nf our pubijc servants
and commenting freely upon their public copduct
is the sentinel standing at the doar and effectusIIy
guarding every other right. II the people reliu-
quish that, they richly deserve to be slaves.
Let me commend 10 your serious consideration
the noble language of your late father-in law the
Hon levi Woodbury., during the war of 1912. to-
ward the influential citizens of certain of the East
era States, who not only opposed the war, but
IL
"a rope Of SAINT" ga milestone about the neck of
New England"
he was indignant at their opposition, but noble
patriot that he was, he proposed that it should be
met only in the constitutional wav. "Such oppo-
sItIon, said lie, ''will and must enpeuder it's own
corrective. Let, then, an unceasing opprobrium
be heaped upon the measures of our Administra-
ton II Is not punishable under Republicans, how
ever severely It under FeieTalists. Our sacred
regard to Independence of opinion and liberty Of
tho press pardons the licentiousuess. But the peo-
m NQrL IL,
them, both by the finger Of scorn and the omnipo-
tenCe Of elections"
Remember, the above was uttered in reference to
peace party who, during a foreign war with
England, avowed the mast supreme cDntempt for
the Eepu5iic-who, in fact, were in direct hostility
T" the Constilution-enga1ed in ntrigues for the
overthrow o. the one and for rullifying the other
IN tact. party that did not hesitate to avow its
sVHpaIhy Ter the foreign foe ut the very time our
CApital was IN flames end in tho hands of the
enemy.
Nov, Sir defy you to lay your finger upon
Ilne OF the editorials OF the Daily Ne,"g Zone Of
the organs under the Government ban that nv
the most forced construction could be declared
treasonabie TO the country. That Journal has la.
bored tor peace. for cessation of this unnatural
war, for an appeal 20 the neople from the acts Of
the GnVe'nmeDt, or 'an appeal from Philip drunk
10 Philip sober" i had perfectly constitutional
right to do this, and in that direction I trust it
VIII continue to labor, uudismayed by either the
menaCes of Government, or thu threats cF q ,nrh
In fact, had the Government listened to the repeat
ed warnings OF the New York DaiJy Nsgs instead
"t giving credencc to those journals that were pre-.
tending to sustain II, the disgrace Of the defeat
az Manassas Plains would not now stain the na-
tiOnai escutchean.
The Necs, over and over again, before the ad-
vance OF the grand arGlT," warned the Govern
ment Of the inelciencF 6f its forces to cope with
the numbers, and storm The strong forifca.fons of
the enemy at Manassas. It's warnings we're sneered
at by those eminentlV patriotic journals, the New
ork Her"Ld and Tribune, the Philadelphia Eqtirer
RyTllg Fh3E lrfr
son." common sense Of gratitude alone might
have induced the Governmer. for this orc act to
have overlooked the Mere. in its wholesale pro
scriptou of journals ia the city Of New York on
posed to the Administrator. But it asks 20
tavors, and is williog to stand or f4tl with its co Ia
borers in the cause Of reace.
Our fathers were intimate friends; ald although
your father to-day belongs to The Republican par
ty, cannot believe that he inlJrses the recent ar
oltrary act OF your department., or egs he must
prove recreant to the doctrines be proclaimed
years ago In the Gio5e. la that able and inHu-
7Dtlal journal, in speaking of the attempt made to
pass bill through the Senate preventing Federal
,tlcers interfering in elections, he once sad Gun
itr no possible emergency, not even IN iuaurrectiou
IT md the throeE Of civil war, this Govern
nent justify official interference with the freedom
II speech or Of the press, any more than it can
With the freedom Of the ballot. The licentiousness
If the tongue and Of the reu is a minor evil com
Jared with the licentiOusneSs of arbitrary power"
little could he have then supposed that one of his
,wn sons should lend himself 10 carry out an ar
'trarv cdic; that Prostrated this boasted freedom
It a blow.
You, hy such an cdict, have assumed to dictate
Q me what political papers NAV receive. Where
10 you derive yOur power? You have Just as
much right to declare what religious works | shall
cceivc. II am in favor o; peace, have right
o be, aud will work for it. write for it, pray for
!, do anything but fight for it, in the face Of all
%hsHfSton. II This war must 90 on, it must be
Haged unconstitutionaiiy. Wage it against the
enemy south OF the Potomac. and not against
'eace loviog citizens Of the North, whose only
rhine is loving the Old Constitution so well that
hey cannot possess their souls in patience when
hey behold the far-tamed "highcr laws" subSti-
utcd in its place. Yours, respectfully,
JAMES w. WALL.