Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-03-21
The Washington Censorship OF
the Press.
ACTIVE EXECUTIVE MEASURES
CALLED FOR.
Attempt to Assassinate Billy
Wilson!
Last Nights Report.
YROM WASHINGTON.

AbhAhdIOAt MdfCu ~
The House Committee on Judiciary, IN
their report made to-day examine at length
into the censorship of the press, while they
say that from want of qualification or proper
discrimination on the part of the censor, has
sprung much of the complaint made by the
press. They remark that the censorships
seem to have been without any clearly de.
fined limits after the departure from the gen
ersl agreement between Gen. Mcclellan and
the representatives of the press.
The Committee give numerous examples
to show that dispatches Of harmless nature
have been excluded from transmission. No
adequate measure seems to have been adopt
ed TO prevent the transmission Of Whet the
censor denominatei eontraband intelligence
through the telegraph Offices at Baltimore.
Philadelphia, New York, and other import.
ant points, while information on almost eve
~ subject was excluded from the wires in
this city.
The representatives Of the press who have
testified before the committee, have manifest
ed no disposition to complain of the suppress
sion Of dispatches of a military character,
which could in any manner be tortured into
disclosures OF information to the enemy, and
might in the slightesr degree embarrass the
Government
They have uniformly expressed themselves
as willing to submit to the rules established
by the Government between them and Gen
Mcclellan. The correspondents generally
seem to have the same understanding Of the
rule BY which the censor determined what
may and what may not be sent over the
wires to their respective papers
Very few dispatches rejecting on mem
bers Of the Cabinet or other civil officers
were found among those suppressed by the
censor. The witnesses examined by the
committee explain this by stating that they
seldom prepared such dispatches as they un-
dsrstOOd would not be permitted to be sent
over the wires.
The committee therefore recommend the
adoption of the following resolution by the
House;
ResOIOsd, That the Government should not
interfere with the free transmission of INTEL
igence by telegraph, when the same does not
sd the enemy In his military or naval ope-
rations, or give him Information concerning
such operations on the part of the Govern
ment, except when it may become necessary
for the Government, under the authority OF
Congress, to assume exclusive control of the
telegraph for its own legitimate purposes, or
to assert the right Of priority in the trans
mission Of its own dispatches.
The bills and resolutions against which the
House COMMITTEES on Judiciary reported ad-
Versely to-day, are fourteen in number, pro-
Viding for the confscation of rebel property,
and had been referred to them from time to
time
Mr., Hickman made report proposing to
substitute for the bills and resolutions the
following:
Whereas the lower Congress under the
Constitution TO authorize the con6scatiOn Of
the property Of persons engaged in armed
rebellion against the United States, or aid in
said rebellion, is doubtful, and the powers Of
the Executive to actin the premises is ample,
therefore be 1t enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives that the President
should use all means not Inconsistent with
the laws of war which, in his judgment, may
be deemed necessary to crush rebellion, in
GLIDING the secure and fRal disposition of all
the property, real snd personal, Of those en-
gagged in armed rebellion against the Gov
ernment, or aiding in such rebellion, includ.
ing slaves, and that in the opinion of Con-
gress, decided measures on the part of the
Executive have already become necessary.
The Senate to-day, in executive session,
confirmed the following nominations: Alfred
Guthrie, of Chicago, Superintendent aud
Steamboat Inspector, in place Of Isaac Lewis,
resigned. John Lellyet Postmaster of Nash
vile, in place of AcNish, removed. John
P. Upshur, Of Indiana, Assistant Secretary Of
the Interior; and Charles Eaton, Marshal for
Minnesota.
Tue following official orders have been Is
sued from the Office of the Adjutant General; i;
Brigadier General q. W. Benham, U. s. v,
is relieved from the operations Of the instEuo-
tions of March l7Ih, 1852, to report to the
chief of the Engineer corps, and will report
without delay to MsjOr General, . s. VOlun-
teers.