Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-08
THE PRESS OF THE CONFEDERATE
STATES.
rEMoRIAL OF THE PREss AssOOIATION, Q. 8
10 the Honorable tRe COHgTeSs y NC
Goufsdsrafe States Of Am

TO release, w If adopted be seriously detrimental to
the press OF the Confderac, if not destructive to Its
| ex ssence
daily paper issued within the imis OF the Confederate
States, respectfully ask that orange be made in
tie present exemption law, far Rs relates TO tnIm
Is scarcely ne,osssry to call your attention TO the IN
iestora able fact that the vitality OF our present reVo
lukoa has been in to spirit Of free press-at once
the expression AID the conductor Of The sentiment end
eirg OF the people, fostering CONVEYING, AID extend
ing their Influence with mighty power-based upon
tho most exEaodnary unanmiiy that has ever ohlrac
terz any people. AS the chief and potent means OF
rusing knowl dge among the mssss' and of concen-
tratng the convictions Of the public mind IN relation TO
eat principles tmbody rg the rights and interests CT
mar. politically morally and socially, the press has
been engaged mos. successfully in preclaimDg and in
II has ever been the pride of our Southern sovereign
ts that our pee PIE educated in the great truths
that are the proper basis OF
principles tia. we're adopted a1d established o. our
fathers of -ehershed lu trAted aud enforced by
means OF an independent prees
What would be condition OF the South now had i,
few years since been deprived by despoic power of
this great bu wrk Of independence characterize In the
nc biS Areopdgetiea OF Milton, as the palladium OF lib
eft :" Bow could public opinion have bee concentrated
upon the sing question oftbe pol cY vAlre and interests
OF our ciaI uon, Blu; through Tree p.ess!
m ght exeI the argument on its importance, but it is
a work OF supererogat Oh, and would be al insult 10
your understanding. / sil simply coohne myself 10
the ulitaran view o. lis Immediate value 10 the Gov
ernmen' considertd essential vehicle OF cmmu-
ncAtcn betE en- the Government and tie people, at an
insignificant Cost considering The magnitude OF results
compared with tie Email mber Of c0Dsctlps tDgeg
in ia seTyoe Apart from It's importance 10 the Ord
neroe Department pr materials to the Qu 1rer-
maser ior ctntrActs AID transportation, 10 tie Oomn!s
cary for sup lies could the A3jutaut Generl communi
cate is orders 10 even The counties oil sngle State
with FIVE tm, the number of officers that are now de-
laled the whole press OF the Con edeFacyf There
Is no bureau Of the GovcTlment tia IL Dot indebted 10
the day pes for the uAnAmisson of its ordes and
wants ard in no other way could this be effected With
the rpd!ty ext Mt an certainty, that the Iress Effects
Whore. under pecul A. circumstances attending the
Governments its bur aus have been unable fully to
clothe and feed Gus arm in the field, through the
daily Iress thou AMI local relief societies have been
called iuto exAtelce by GU noble women, and the pub
lie eynpethee coccentIaei into an active form, TO the
emneut advantage Of the pubic service, ana ref OF
IA Government
How could the taant dseis of our heroic soldiery
be cad through tie length and hreadth OF the land,
to stm-lats and encourage TO greater fchievemen;s
bu by the lressI With an anxiety s'ldomS II ever,
equal I'd has every hIu ehod wachcd afmies from
dsy TO day. thi crgh the public prius. With the avidy
o. deepest personal they eagerly sought to
satisfy the craving for information Of the progress of
our
VITA uue1ampled unenimy have the people Of the
and will 10 achieve their independence-w patriot
ism chsI actersc Of their ancestry they have united
In the greet I1Jrt to work out the tRvaion Il tier
country end illustrate i.s ttuo character, and in this
IN ghiy srugGlo the lower Of the DAILY and weekly
press has been the great lsver Of revolution. Their
zeal an IN rDg exertion have been exhibited with un
paralleled unanimiy. The power CT to press rests
entirely upon the fact at its freedom hes been untul-
lied even By the faint Of susc on. Let its liberty be
hut 20 forth that the press il depend
that Tod, will
the personal freedom of even portion Of it, necessary
wo. kmen-and Il Strongest support OF Government
pro'esiag to act in COmpance with the viii Of tn peo-
| PIE will te destroyed.
Paslic. discus ion o. lrocpI and powers of Gov
ernmelt Of men and mssslrs' have been so eeary es
tee med right and duty oil reemen that The idea OF ram
melting il has been properly considered subVersVe
of the prercgs!ve o. sovereign people. Il there DO
right more important than others next TO freedom OF
coufcence aud II ought it Is that which dependent
f eeman claims in being heard through the medium of
tie ? ess
"This trus L herty, when 'ree-Sorn men,
Having 10 advise the publ C, may s. eak free,
Which he vho can, and wi dcsoryss high paise
| Who neither can nor will, may hold his peace
What can be juster in a Stale than this ="
Although ths Constitution prohibits the making Of
Laws abrdgng the freedom of speech or Of the press
and is not to be expected in this enlightened age,
that direct legislation will ever 10 attempted for tie
puIpose still the fret step indirectly to st Il ts exis
erce is to lace il under censorship. 0ace allow The
Government the power Of deciding on exempuo- for
the Iress, and the liberty of the latter IS not Only
abridged but its independence Is gone. Implicit nj
deace may CT st IN the integrity, honesty and patriot SIN
of thu individuals who exercise that power, bat the
motto of the pres is Principle non hOn'ineS
The principal necessity fer the exemption OF liza
bs 10 CONSUMPTION for the services Of the press results
| from the limited number Of expert compositors aud
pressmen in the South. The patriotism OF our young
mea has largely depleted the spaper ofees tEat
scare " one exists that is half handed Toe work
o. and working the press is what needs de-
IA ls-the other dutee such clerksbps, usually
| performed by persons who are not conscrips.
In the report Of the Chief OF the Bureau OF Oonscrp-
ton the number Of printers reported exempt under
the law includes all Who engaged in job printing
| for the vaious governmental departments, and en-
bsac5s also ithographic printer. These constitute
much larger opOrton than those engaged on the car
PRES In Olumbla, s. T., for los ance there are two
dsi racers on which 1mpoyed twelve conscrips,
| While in Two establishn enis where Government wo
is done fer the Treasury Qurterma,ters, Commits aries,
Surgeon Generals Department, &c, there are thirty
| eight
daily papes on which are employed by returns recent
" made to me- an average OF fife persons each, OF
| which number fully cne- half are non-conscripts.
Ifthe question Of value to the Government Of COM
muncatDg orders of tho depsrimeI Is be aone conSd-
ered hes tate not 10 say that the number Of men re-
| auired to communicate & EN-, and then imperiecty,
and often With extreme difficulty would cu;number ten
times those required by The daily press.
ask leave respectfully the part OF the daily press
to indulge the hope that your honorable hoy will exact
no law which ty indirecon may abridge INTEL ctusly
or mechanically the freedom of thu press or IN At
way tend checkiss urqiestionabe mission. which Is
to omoe and difuse knowledge and protectthe hoer
Ties OF h. people. The hope Of advancing civilization
l. in the p . ection Ct vital Constitutional provisions
frcedo OF epeesh and freedom Of the prese, AID
trust that such protec ion will be emiuently eharaceEs
tic Of cur Southern Conlederaey.
r. w. GIBBEa, N. D..
President Press Association y. 5. A.
TIE CAVALRY in Mississippi hsi en divided Ito 'wo
uars; all north Of Grenada AID in West Tennessee is
under commani Of j)r Gene al Forrest; AL south Of
an imaRiaary Inc running through Grenada cas- and
west and in Louisiana, is ider command Of Major