Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-11-29

Fundamental Principles and
Constitutional Rights


constitutional Rights.
n Guide for J,ryman-Free Press ana
Fres Speech Mat,enaJLe and Inviolabie
Righst-None bit 7yrantS Dread
Tnem-NeitherC Courts nor JurieS haze
Right TO ST in Judgement upon them
Theg are IN Lar and Justice, a6oUe
Trial and HaUioiabie.
AS there is great deal Of ignorance,
at large, manifested upon the Constitu-
tional and inlienablo rights of free press
and free speech in this country, we publish
below a series of extracts from the Consti
tutions of several States, as well as from
the Constitution of the United States, that
the people may see how sacredly have
been protected these great rights in all the
States, as we'll as by the United. The
very attempt to sit in judgement upon those
rights for the purpose of restraining or
suppressing them, is a gross violation both
of the letter and spirit of the Constitution +,
the great character and bulwark of our
liberties
| CONSTITUTIONAL EXTRACTS,l
The RIGHTS OF FREEMEs The con-
stitution of New Hampshire says:
"The liberty of the press is essential to
the security of freedom, and ought to be
inviolably preserved"
The constitution of Massachusetts, says !:
1.-THE liberty of the press is essential to
the security of freedom, and it ought not
therefore to be restrained by this Common
wealth"
The constitution of Connecticut says:
''No law shall ever be passed to curtail
or restrain the liberty of speech or of the
press"
The constitution Of New York says:
"Every citizen may freely speak, write
and publish his sentiments ON all subjects,
and no law shall be passed to restrain or
abiidge the liberty of speech or of the
press
New Jersey, in the same words, asserts
the full liberty of speech and of the press,
and that no law shall be passed to restrain
or abridge those sacred rights.
The constitution Of Pennsylvania says
"The printing press shall be free to
any person who undcrstakes to examine
the proceeding of any branch of the Gov
ernment, and no law shall ever be made
to restrain the right thereof. The free
communication Of thought and opinions is
one Of the invaluable rights of man."
The constitution of Ohio says:
every citizen may freely speak and
publish his sentiments, and no law shall be
passed to restrain or abridge the liberty Of
, speech or of the press
The constitution of Indiana says:
sNo law shall be passed restraining OIL
restricting the right to speak, write, ol
print freely on any subject whatever
And so says the constitution Of every
State in the Union, guarding only agains
= libels, but in the fullest manner defend
ing and securing to every citizen thu
froeman's right to the fullest liberty o
speech and liberty Of the press-a sacred
right, never questioned but by tyrants
or crushed down but in the most degraded
> despotisms.
The foregoing provisions in the Stat
Constitutions were made in accordanc
: with provision Of the same kind in th
Constitutions of the United States
r [FRoM THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
:. 81. Congress shall make no law respect
f ing an establishment of religion, or pre-
C hibiting the free exercise thereof O
d abridging the freedom of speech, or of tn
h press, or the right Of the people peaceabl
:. to assemble, and to petition the Govern
~ ment for a redress of grievances"
After defining the rigth of the people
n aud the restrictions of the powers of tn
l. Government over the citizen, to doubl
d ensure the people in The protection of thes
1f rights, the trainers of the Constitute
= summed up, as it were their great wor
le by adding the following important prov
/. sion
r "This Constitution and the laws Of th
/, United States which shall be made
&c pursuance thereof; end all treaties mad'
d or which shall be made, under the al
in thority of the United States, shall be II
N supreme lac of tie lqnd +; and the JUDO
ES IN every State shall be bound Merct
is anything ia the Constitution or, LAW
,p of any State to the contrary "otcuhsta'
ID dtag.'
ID This constitutional provision makes Il
r duty of Judges directly, and Jurics ind
in rectly, very plain in regard to the constit
is tional rights of free speech and free pres
l> The laws of any State coming in conhi
A. with these rights are not to be regarde
I'd for the Constitution is the supreme law
i'll These are facts that every one should kno'
Us and always bear in mind.
ct -->-~~---
ed AN EDIToR's ACCOMPLISHMENT
ne late printers festival in Boston the fC
at lowing capital toast was given: THE +
of 1ToR-Tne man that is expected to kno
SIX everything, tell all he knows, and que
'e- at the rest; to make his own charact'
nstnhlish the renntntion Of his neirhb(