The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-07
The independent telegraph.

The independent IeJegraphs
4 1t will be seen, by the subjoined order from
the War Department, published in Mondays
Advertiser, that the new telegraph line, now
nearly completed from this city to Washing
ton, will be subject to the same regulations re-
specting the publication of military intelli-
gence, which are imposed upon all other lines:
WASHINGTON, d. c., May LIST, 1863
TO Mayor General Wool, commandingat .Nep
By virtue of the Act of Congress authorizing
the President to take possession of Railroads and
Telegraph Lines, ETC., passed Feb. 4th, 1862, the
President directs that you take immediate mill
tary possession of the Telegraph Line lately es-
tablshed between Philadelphia and Boston.
called the Independent Telegraph Company, and
forbid the transmission of any intelligence re-
latng to the movements of the Army of the Po-
tomac, or any military forces of the United
States. In this order is violated, arrest and
imprison the perpetrators in Fort Delaware, re-
porting to this Department. If the managers of
the line will stipulate to transmit no military in
telligence without the sanction of the War De-
partment, they need not be interfered with so
long as the engagement is fulfilled. This order
will be executed 30 as not to interfere with the
ordinary business of the Telegraph Company.
By order of the President.
[Signedl E. NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
Capt Rowello, Abide Camp, will proceed by
the first conveyance to Boston and execute the
above order, viz take military possession of
the Independent Telegraph Company's Lines,
and forbid any Transmission of information re-
latng to the movements of the Army of the
Potomac, or any military forces of the United
States. If the principal, or owner of the lines,
will stipulate not to violate the condition i'm
posed without the sanction of the War Depart
ment, he will not be interfered with. If, howev-
er, he violates the stpulations, he will be severe
ly dealt with. JOHN E. Wool,
Major General.
The Advertiser, with the startling caption,
Character and Tyranny ofthe Times, under
Republican Government and Republican
Party" says at would endanger the personal
liberty of any man, who should write, at this
''time a truthful history of single days OPP
''erations of the present Republican Admins
''tration," and deyotes nearly column to the
calculation of this order, promising in conclu-
sion to advert to "the meaning and mOtire,"
at some future time. A column did not fur
nish scope to arrive at these points in an Or
derby and systematic way. The meaning and
motive of an act putting the Independent Tel
egraph under the same restrictions which are
binding on other lines is too mysterious a
subject to be approached without due circum-
spection. Why, what is the use OF an indie
pendent Telegraph, which is still subject to
, the censorship of the military authorities?
The obtuse public will be as blind to the diff
erence between the Independent and other
Telegraphs, as they have been to the differ
ence between an Independent; Republican and
other Copperheads. Independent is no word
to conjure with, evidently.
But the jollest circumstance attending the
PRONUNCIATION Of the order, is the prompt and
spirited action of the manager in the Portland
office of the new line. The Secretary of War
says in effect, Gentlemen. see you have a
"new telegraph line nearly completed. You
will not be permitted TO transmit army news,
sunless such transmission has been previously
approved by the proper officer, and shall be
"obliged to require you, as mere matter of
''form, to enter into a distinct engagement to
shat effect" That is all; and the prompt
&C., Portland Manager instantly sends this
message;
To f. +. Leighton, Manager Boston Office,
Independent Telegraph:
Do not fail to send us the news lust the same
as heretofore-that is, everything made public
in Boston or New York. No Military Dictator
can pre-, ent legitimate use of our facilities for
the transmission to any station of intelligence
already made public. J. W. SLOWER,
Manager of Boston and Portland District
Cannot the Manager of this District see,
that everything that is made public in Boston
'or New York" is by the same token approx
ed by the authorities at Washington? The
Government requires security that intelligence
adjudged injurious to the public interest shall
not be transmitted by the new line Mr. Sto-
yer, with the most amusing inconsequence,
replies that he will at all hazards receive what
ever is not adjudgcd injurious to the public
interest. This is very cheap bravado. Mr..
Slower viii never be incarcerated for such
harmless INSTRUMENTATION as this. He may
protest in any form oflanguage that suits him,
his utter and final determination to transmit
every item of suitable news, and the Depart
ment will not interfere. He will not however
venture to violate the spirit of that order.
The people respectfully unite with the Gov
eminent in the expression of that desire.