, 1861-08-27
Edward Everett On Secession NewR-
ipupefs Ii the South.
TTrnm t1e Neu YarE Taitvar

At the present time, those citizens in some
Of the border States who symP2thize with the
Confederates think it hard that they cannot
be at peace aud at war, in the Union and out
tection Of the Constitution as In 8 time of pro-
found peace and universal obedience to the
laws, while they render secret, and, when cir
eumstances admit, open aid to these arrayed
in arms against them. They assault the forces
moving to the defense Of the capital they
convey supplies and arms to the enemy they
recruit his ranks openly and BY stealth, and
to effect these objects they sometimes avaf!
themselves Of official position and authority
derived from the government which they as
sail and when that government, In self de-
feuse, interferes to arrest these IRRESPONSIBLE
movements and maehinatious, they 1lamor
that the liberties Of the citizen are invaded.
There are presses, for the most part in the
border States, though some Of them are found
in cities more remote from the scene Of action,
which are daily pleading the cause Of Ue enemy,
misrepresenting and Vilnfying the Govern
ment Of the United States, e1aggerating every
article Of unfayorable intelli igeaee, and exert
ing themselves to the utmost to disheaften
the friends and defenders Of the Constitution
and the Union. But such is the all but super
stitious devotion Of the people to the liberty
Of the press, that these peraicious journals
have, with the exception Of single instance
in st. Louis, never been mterfered with. 1t
eeama to have been thought better by those in
authority to tolerate the mischief Of these IN.
patriotic presses, than to elevate them to great.
e7 Importance by prosecution, or to encroaeh
in the slightest degree upon the freedom Of
justly regarded as one Of the greatest safe
guards Of liberty. But ii is prcpostsTons to
sacrifice the end TO the mems. We
should In this respect learn wisdom from the
enemies Of the Union. While We regard IS
unbeconing our Christian civilization that re-
sort ta 1p71n, jnUy hu IT hiph aBaru aynrGeSsnu
adverse to the popular sentiment is sup
pressed in the seeding States, We ought 70
remember that in tolfrating a tyatoros&s press
among ourselves ue practice la1era{1y f1aicA
dacakens no gratitude at home and is eesr fscip
+ocated By the opposing party: It is, in fact, an
Of the liberty Of the press, to permit the sys-
teaatic and liccHtious a54se Qf Goees12',2e,1t
which is tasted to The utmost in defending tie
country from general disintegr14ioa and political
chaos. The Governor Of Malta was once cen
sured in Parliament for some alleged severity
towards the editor Of 3 journal in that island,
and the liberty Of the press Was declared to be
in danger. The Duke Of Wellington said he
Was IS friendly IS anybody to the liberty Of the
pTtss in London, but free press in the island OF
Malta Tas as much out of place as 1t Won1d be
Oh the quarter deck OF man-of- war. We
| the liberty Of the press would hardly think It
| right to publish = journal within the Na1s Of
Fort McHenry, IN which the officers OF that
| garrison should be daily advised to desert,
and the men be constantly excited to untiny
| and whose columns should be filed with per-
| sistent abuse Of the government ind all en-
| gagged In its defense Why should Journals
OF that description be allowed to diffuse their
| poison beneath its walls amidst the e1citable
| popplace Of a large city,
So too with reference to the freedom OF
speech In debate, ono Of the vital conditions
Of republican liberty. The late session in
Congress has witnessed . maznanimity On the
part of the majority in both houses Of truly
romantic cast. The acts and the motives ol
TIE goTernment, in the suppression Of the In
surrection, Identified By one Of {ts most dis
tinguished chiefs to proceed plainly from the
disappointment of leading aaptrauts to Office,
have been assailed from day to day with Yir
ulence and Fersista1ce which Eculd bf
harmless IN time Of peace, but which in timt
| Of War can have no other efec. upoR the pop
nlar mind, than to perplex and dishearte1
these who are stalking life aud fortune on tn
canse Of the country. This generosity excite
no gratitude On the part OF thoss towart
whom it is practiced; and 30 far from besnl
recjprocated, the member Of the Confederat
Congress at Montgomery OF Richmond, VIII
should assan the conduct or policy Of tha
body, IS the Government Of the Unite
; states hos been assailed by the sympathizsr
with secession at Washington, would nc
, reach his hotel in safety. He would swim
: from tie next lamp post.