Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-06-25
The Press and the Army.

The Corinth correspondent of the HiSsiSsippian
thus speaks of the recent order of Gen. Bcaurcgard
excluding newspaper correspondents from his army:
/" 1t is believed by mahy that Gen. Beauregard
would not have issued this unjust and tyranica Or
der but for the swarm Of butterflies who baSk in
his presence, many Of whom are volunteer aids or
officers whose merits have been overlooked by the
independent writers of the day. The truth is, the
characters to whom | allude are the bame of the
army There is not General in the service who is
no. surrounded by multitude of volunteer aids -
youngsters who have wealthy parents, and who
have not the patriotism to the ranks and per-
form the duties of true man and soldier. They
are pert, insolent and impudent; ride fife horses
consume an immense amount of gold lace and rem
der themselves generally diSagreea6le and ridicu-
louS. Nevertheless, Gen. Beaureoard is responsible
for the order, and will so be held by the country
and oy the historian
The freedom of the press, though guaranteed by
the fundamental law Of the land exists only in name
The military authorities have for some time claimed
and exercised the right TO inspect all telegraphic
dispatches, and to prohibit their transmission over
the wires unless they were such as they saw fit to
approve. Not content with this stretch Of power
they now issue a peremptory order, completely
closing the door and in effect destroying the news.
paper press of the country. VIII the people submit
to this unustifabe proceeding? Ought they to
submit to it? A few short months ago Gen. Beau
regard was condemaing the Northern 'despotism for
the very thing he is now doing The Federal gov
erument was guilty OF the outrage of searching the
house of citizen without due process of law, sus-
pending the writ of habeas corpus, Selling private
property destroying the liberty of the citizen and
exercising a surveillance over the press which
amounted tGa virtual denial of all freedom of thought
and opinion. The military authorities Of the South
are following fast in the footsteps of the infamous
tyranny that now lords it over an enslavcd people
beyond the Potomac and that seeks to subupate us
to its ruiEous rule. We had hoped that it could
never be said of US it has been of our enemies,
that freedom was incompatible with success, and
that to achieve our liberties we must first become
slaves.
When a correspondent or other person in the army
violates any of the rules adopted for its government
it is proper that he should be punished; but this
is no reason why the innocent should be made to
sutherland especially the people, who have been
lavish of their means and their blood in support of
our cause. This war is the peoples war; their
sons and brothers make up the army, and their
means, and theirs alone, support and maintain it.
And shall they not be allowed to know anything
that is Transporting within that army? When their
sons are manned slain in battle shall they not be
allowed to see list of the killed and wounded? Is
the army to be sealed book to the country? Even
in despotic France and monarchical England, lit
erary men have been encouraged to accompany their
armies and to write freely of their movements; but
| 1t has been reserved for America alone to place q
muzzle upon the press"
The Mobile Neacs, speaking of this order of Gen.
Beanregard, says:
We rebel against injustice whether it comes
from hostile Abolition subjugator or Confederate
military authority. When our Generals stand in
Ineed oil the potential influence and many .tongued
Oh the press to arouse the people to gifts OF
means and men to, meet sudden emergencies, they
10 not hesitate TO call freely upon it. and tho call is