East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-04-01
81 the Freedom Of
The Press.
(Fsym tho n. Y. World

sOrship Of the telegraph, which formed
the basis of oar remarks Yesterday morn.
ing, led Us to speak Of the aggressious
Oh the rights of the press in terms 80
measured that we hasten 20 ablure their
;alneness. We are able u publish this
morning something moro than dry
skeletoa of that important Documents
The details of the testimony taken before
the committee enable Us u discern in the
lincaments OF this ceasorship enough of
it, character to rolieve ~ OF all doubt ~
10 our dirty in the promises. Ii the See
Ietar. of state has anything ~ offer in
-oxtenuatioa of his sg.resSions on the
Wight, vi the press, lei his friends pro-
ducc it, For our part, lookioE at the
subject in the light oi the facts disclosed
by this report, wo cAnn0t conceive what
apology he can make tina, will eltace the
unpleasant impression that Mr.. Seward
j. not Trustworthy Guardian OF the
rights aud liberties % tree po1pe.-
We have sometimes hcsd tae admirers
of this s;atssInal coMpare him to Jetter-
sDn; aai ,hey insianeed tae rs'lical and
th0rough-gaiAg Character oi has demo-
cratic instinets, in support of their opin-
ION. H eanno, be denied that the prin.
oiple of humaA equality has found very
staunch advocate In Mr.. Seward; but 20
Nj. Jellcraoa's tolerance aud moderation
IN the exercise OF power he has very
slender pr1tca ions. J. !; unfortunate
for III .diayc ;epnIaIiH@ In: almost
every So; If isAs s...sc tho beginning
c. tho war, which could be Represented
as ii2ll-handci and unnecessary is con.
nec:ed with his name. The arbitrary
arrests without tho benefit of ha6sas
corpus. the translation 20 this country OF
tho clst.off passport system Of the despot-
isms of the old worll, and tho agrees
ions on the freedom of the press, mako
record winch will not look well in history.
AT all events, they arc n very different
record from JetisrSGnS, oil whose public
acts were in accordance with these all
inirable sentiments from his first nsngn.
raj: "7AS diffusion of Information and tho
arrdigmisat Of all G5.ses at tho bar If public
splgioa. treednln of religion; freedom Of
tho pr0ss; Freedom Of person W'asr the pro-
lection Of habSas eorps; aud trial by juries
impartially selected - these principles
form the bright constellation whica has
gone betnre IA, and gVdod on. steps through
an ago Of rdpoLtiol and reformation. The
wisdom of our sagcs and the blood Of our
heroes have been devoted u their attain.
ment. They should BE- the creed Of or po-
IticaI faab; the text of civil instruction
tbs touch,toae By ,chieb 10 try the services Of
those 100 trust and should We wander
FROM them in moments Of error or alarm,
lot us hasten 10 rctraco our steps and re.
gain the road which nlonc leads to peace,
liberty and safety" In contravcntion OF
the great principles which arc here ex-
presscd with sueh grave aud noble clio.
Qnence; in defiance OF the constitution,
WHICH neither cOnferS on any department.
of the goyernrnent, nor permits Congress
TO confer any power " abrldgag freedom
OF speech or the press" there has been,
within the last six months, the most wan.
90. ard arbitrary, the most uncallcrl for
AMI inconsistent Interference with the
right, of the press. We do not object
TO the suppression, Oh tho contrary we
cordially approve Of the Suppression OF
oil intelligence which would be Of advan-
tage 70 the enemy in the prosecution of
the war. Bat we will neither acquicsce
in words, nor give the implied assent OF
silence, 70 any official Infringement Of
the rights OF tho press pcrpetrsted for the
purpose OF shielding public officers from
iher Just responsibility 20 public opinion.
We arc not inclined to be severe on
Mr.. Stewards tclographic censor. That
he was stupid snt incompetent is obvious
enough on tho face Of tho committee
report; but he is Of too little account, anC
was altogether TOO plant and snbservien
tool Of his official creator to make il
worth while 10 waste criticism on him.
The Secretary of state was triling will
important rights when he intruSted 40 III
competent person with such delicate
dutics. But We make our chief complain
agsins. the spirit Of the instruction
which this mario S.uindel noodle faith
fully carried out according to the best o
his very lean abilities. The tenor O
these Instructions eau easily be inferred
from the testimony taken BY the commit
tee. Mr.. Wikcson, of the Tribune, testi
fed: "Thc general result OF my obServa
tion, since have come in contact will
this new institution of the censorship %
the press, il that I an not permitted
sand anything ocsr tho ,oUes bhich, IN III
ss,mttlaa Of tbs censor, tho Secretary Q
Siats, AMI If lis 1issistaat Secretary 0
STATE, SaiH b. almyiay 10 tie character Q
the administration, or aiy 6,a caaat mcmbe
Of M5 la5.ns., or that woid bc iujuriou
90 the reputation Of the officers charge
with tae prosecution Of the war, and pal
ticularly those OF the regular array
Nh. Ben, Perlcy Poore, OF the Bos,o
Jonraal ''wsa@s,ood that 10 could not crit
Gao the evsry day eosdactofa Cabinet officer.
Mr.. w. b Shaw testified TINT at wa
held that we oGys not TO animrdrert ia an
particular apo. the gocsr.msnt or any Of Il
eFicais. That sccred 10 be the ide
which controlled the censors. W. zoe,
rot permitted 10 criticiss tho officers Of q
Cabisst" The committee say; Ver
few dispatches rejecting on members
She Cabinet or other civil officers wei
found Among the suppressed dispatche