Daily national Republican., 1863-06-20
atnnh NInrE.t ro-.i.v.
nrHr Pres, AND IT'S pUTY.p

Cnder this head the Chr Ntcts OF Today con-
tains nearly q column editorial. There are
many valuable suggestions in the article con-
cernDg the exercise of the liberty of the press"
10 misrepresent and abuse administrators OF
the Government In times like the present.
Their general application is Just.
On the subject Of "tOhdt 10 write, " the CAroH-
iels says:
TO rrits merely is no labor 10 him whose
daily custom 1t Ia to indits editorial matter for
tue public. But What 10 write, and how to col
locate words so that they shall have the effect
upon his diversified readers that he designs
them 70 have-these are grave difficulties which
only the conscientious editor eau know, and
which, We fear, ninety-nine readers out of every
hundred utterly fail to appreciate"
What TO write, and how TO collocate words "
"are grave difficulties for the Chroni-
eis, are theyl Now, 1t seems to us that there
are two rules by which an honest journalist
should be guided.
!. To know ulsa 10 write.
T. When be writes to write the trlah or not
write at alt then he viii h1d 1t easier to "col.
locate wordS," and viii avoid all "grave difn-
cultiss," especially II he is a conscientious
Sditor."
Again, and most Important, the Chronicle
ays'
It such juneturO as this it becomes the
journalist's duty, ~ much AB IL is the duty of
the soldier, 70 hold aome Of his constitutional
rlghts In sbeyancs, and give himself up heartily
10 the support Of that Government and Cousti-
tntiou through which N times Of peace he has
enjoyed, and will again enjoy the largest lib
eriy Of thought and speech. The privileges OF
Journ alists are great, but their duty is commsn-
suratei and TO use the langu ,ge Of a communI-
Gallon now before rs, Ne journaliAt cannot be
true patriot who carefully selects for his
columns all articles calculated 10 bring our
Government and rulers into contempt, Tepub-
llsntny them without word of reprobation or
comment, and whose editorials haze i"Udridbly
'oE1Sp4ng IN them calculated 70 injure the cause
ofts UnIoR.'
Now We do not presume TO say that the edi-
tor Of the chrontels is not honest In his opinion;
that Journalistic, who attack individual mem-
berS Of the Government, "injure the cause Of
the Union" But we desire, in all sincerity, to
inquire why It It that this editor, who sees 90
much mischief to the Union in a criticism
about an individual or individuals, (who ought
10 be able TO take care Of themselves,) cannot
See that giving information TO the enemy in q
time Of war like the present as to the tr1srs
abO'aS Of The Commanding General Of the Cnioy
army, 10 doing ten thousand times more injur,
TO the onion than all the articles that wer
ever written about individual men. 1t is al
astonishing fact that the CaroE'el, Of this very
day, which contains the elaborate lecture K
the Press, from which we make the above u
tracts, also contains a loaded editorial in tn,
following words
" II 10 reported that Lee, with the main Dor
tion Of his army, Is within a few mlles of Cen
ireVille, and that General Hooker Is eloss
tchiHg hiTr. II this be SO, a battle canno
much longer be postponed"
BY the above statement we learn, tGrougl
one Of The Government organs, that Hooker !
not far from Centreville, else he could not b
eloSely watching Lee, who "iS within fey
miles OF CsntrevIlle." Lee has his friends fl
this city. They watch every movement of tn
Goysrnmsnt, read everything that appears Ii
the Government papers, and listen TO everything
that iS said BY those who In any way represen
the Government.
Hence It 10 that patriots, whether editors o
civil or military ofies-holders, should be eau
aou' about what they write and what they say
II " FOR this reason that we think the FIRST rul
oi )ourpsiGt should be "to know whe7l u
"lleI' as we'll ns 10 know inhdt TO write.
E-erciSe little caution and we will have n,
trouble about the frstj adhere to the truth an,
our duty With reference 10 the last will be easy
The whole Press, within the last few days
have been too careless In !ts reports with ref
srsnce 70 the movements Of our army. Let u
all agree 70 b more careful in the future.
We DO not write this article with any othe
purpose than sincere desire to serve the GOV
Srnmsnt, aud 20 call attention TO the fact tha
the least the conductors OF the loyal press cal
DO. is 70 suppress everything pointing to tn
strength and movements Of our own army
except where there is battle, the result
which, with now and then an exception,
would do no harm 70 report.
Wet think the detail account published tn
morning In the ChroHiels and other papers,
the strength, movements, and purpose of on
forces, in Maryland aud Pennsylvania, especIa
y Garoy'I, Is wrong, and can tend 10 nothin
but smoarraSsment to Gen. Hooker, and gres
Injury to the cause which we all have at hear
Let Journalists be their own SsnSors, and ther,
by relieve the Government Of the uscesslity q
eTsaung such an ofieSr.