Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-21
The "IrrePressibIe OOnTIeIp ia Ihs



An 'irreprssssble conflict" hiss sprung up IN the
North among the war journals All who dare to
dissent from the conduct Of the war, or impeach
the infallibIity Of Mr. Lilcola and ais 1nnistPa-
ton, are denounced traitors = and Irrsatened
to be reduced 20 the fate Of the rebels in Fort
Lafayette. The New York Times unmasks y its
battery and "opens fire against this military sur
violence in the following manner
A very active and vigorous crusade has been
carried on against the press, for the last two or
three months, to prevent the publication Of intelli
gence which, it was supposed might be Of service
On the night after the battle of Bull Run the edi-
tor Of this paper placed in the telegraph once Cat
Washington) perfectly accurate statement Of the
result, derived from bis personal observation;
the Government agent refused to allow it to be
sent, and reported instead, that our army had
achieved . victory. After the Edwards Ferry
affair, the Government refused 70 transmit
messages from special correspondents on the
spot, and sent dispatch Of their own, giving
view of the battle which the facts subsequently de-
Veloped did not sustain. An intense Jealousy has
been felt of the press In official quarters and every
possible effort has been made TO prevent any reYe-
latons through its agency, which might betray the
strength or disposition of forces the Weaness OF
our positions, the intentions Of Government or
any other facts of which the enemy could make the
slightest use. To such an extent has this been car-
ried that President Lincoln is reported BY the bru
tai and mendacious sheet which assumes to be- the
that the editor of the Inss deserves changing for
having published, with the permission Of the COM
msnder of the Naval Expedition, the number and
character Of the ships composing it, after they had
lain for two three days within cannot shot Of the
eRemy's works at SeWeils Point, and within the
full and unObstructed view Of their glasses.
This vigilance has been highly prsiseWorthy, and
has commanded universal admirgti0n. The press
has been quite content to surrender lis independence
Just as every citizen has willingly surrendered his
personal rights, because the sacrifice was deemed
essential to the public good. could scarcely have
been anticipated, however, that the Government
itself would make to the rebels, voluntarily and
such full, specific and unrestricted
disclosure Of its weakness as is contained in the
private memorandum which General Thomas drew
up for the information of the President and Secre-
tsry Cameron. II any newspaper had told the world
that force, expected at once TO attack the enemy.
EFad no transportztion7-that @Rot twenty 10
hundred Of their guns would 60 of that the
ofhcer was utterly iDcOmpetent-that
The Union cause was hopeless in Kentucky, unless
200 900 troops could &c once be raised-that TIE
young men were sH secessionsts, and that no lsrpe
body Of troops for the Union could be rased in thai
Stats-it would have been promptly denounced as
lIslOyal, If nothing more. Yet all these statements
Ind many more Of the same character, are given 10
he world under the Official sanction Of the War De-
1arvment It is pretty clear that all the indiseratOn
If the country is not mOnopolized bF the news pa
oers.