Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-08-09

From the San Francisco ArSus.l
Freedom of the Press may be said to be
/ one Of the great bulwarks of free institutions
/ and Goyernment. It aids mankind in their
nrooressiye civilization and advance In the
4 Arts and Sciences, as well as atfording them
| a means hy which they are instructed and
| improved in morals. Nevertheless, ike many
other things, this giant power is constantly
| abused and prostituted by the yenal and cor
rupt. 1t is abused alike by the penny-a-hner,
| who fills up his columns with stale lies Of
the day, or the more assuming bogus patriot,
who, under the garb of patriotism, uses it
as a means to crafty the innate malignity Of
vile nature, BY personal yituperation and
blackguardism.
Since the commencement Of the present
rebellion, or civil war, the so-called Freedom
of the Press has aided materially, by its fool
ish and impolitic publications OF Northern
movements and resources, in sustaining the
Southern Confederacy. BY its means our
armies have been defeated, and the plans Of
our best generals thwarted and rendered
abortiye. If, perehanec, wise and deep-laid
plans have been arranged, then it has hap
pened some minion Of an ubiquitous Press,
prying into all things, has found it out, and
straightway putting 1t into print, it is known
to the enemy at Richmond long before 1t Is
known at Portland, Maine.
How many thousands Of our soldiers have
been slain and led to destruction-which loss
BIS indirectly been occasioued by blunders OF
the Press, or its indiscreet publications. it is
impossible to exactly state-that they have
been so destroyed, we know.
In this relation, before quitting the subject,
we wish to particularly refer to what has
lately occurred in San Francisco, and which
will serve as good illustration Of the above
remarks.
General Mcdowell, on arriving here and
taking command Of this department, found It
necessary to visit and examine the forts and
Notifications of the harbor and its approach
es. In so doing, among those who were
privileged to attend him, were number OF
knights Of the quill. As necessary conse-
ouence, within few days subsequent to the
examination, we find in all our principal
journals, Of the largest circulation, an ex-
tended and minute description of all our
means of defense, and more particularly their
weak points. This information is extended
and sown broadcast everywhere. Could the
notorious Semmes, in q vessel like the Ala
bama, have received such information reia-
tive to our defenses while sailing on our
coast, he might, without great difficulty, nave
steamed into our harbor and laid San Fran
cisco under contribution II that arcn con-
triyer of mischief, Louis Napoleon, desires
to arrange further plans for conquest, or rob-
bling of territory in the Pacific, he will doubt
less find the above descriptions very sugges-
tive.
Members of the Press appear to have no
restraining or moral power TO prevent them
from writing what seems good in their own
weak minds, however much evil may come OF
it. 1t has often happened when the police
have had difficult matters to unravel and IN
vestigate, (where it was impossible to succeed
without secrecy,) they have taken every
caution to prevent publicity, yet by some
Paul Pry tricks, the Items-men have hunted
down the facts, and then long verbose
article appears in the newspapers, and justice
is subverted and the criminals escape.
We cannot avoid coming to this opinion,
sooner or later, that Freedom of the Press,
like other kinds of Freedom, If unrestraincd,
may degenerate into License, and generate
evil quite as much as good.