Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-15
MUZZLING THE PRESS.

MUzzLING THE PRESS.
We caEnot, however send the message to Our
readers without observing the fact, that the sup
preston Of all independent newspapers for three
years attempted by suggestion and by general prop
Ostions which included IT, is now directly and bold
ly demanded. Newspapers should exist but edi-
tors, the: printers and their employees should not
be ereapts but details. "a discretion" says the
message "should be vested in the military author
tiles, so that sufficient number of those essential
to the public service might be detailed to continue
The exercise of their pursuits or professions, but
the exemption from service OF the entire classes
should be wholly abandoned"
Congress" saws the Constitution, "srall pass
no law limiting the freedom of the press" but it
shall make law by means of which Mr.. Davis can
send man to shut up any newspaper that OtteudS
him or any meu.ber of his government by taking
away its editors detail We hope it is needless to
explain how such law is inconsistent with any
species of liberty liz the animadYerslon OF the press
upon public men or measures. An independent
press is literal impracticability where such law
exists; every newspaper, from the moment when
that law is made law, becomes, in exact terms, de-
pendant for its existence Oh the free will and dis
erection" of government Indeed honest man
engaged in the publication of newspaper that pre-
tends to be Independent, will continue his "pur-
suit" for one moment under such conditions. New
er will any but cheats and slaves come before the
public with the pretence of free speech in their
mouths when they know that they can be Silenced
in a minute by Davis, a Seldom or Benjamin.
Declarations of these truths, we know, are the
strongest possible exhortationS to corrupt men, that
they leave stone uptuTned to get the Presidents
Press Law passed Whether their influence with
Congress is sufficient remains to be seen; but if
Congress determines to- interfere with the actual
law this subject, we hope it will do so by
regulation forbidding the further publications of
any newspaper in the Southern Confederacy during
the war. That law will be no more unconsttution-
al than the other, and if the handful of men now
engaged in this business arc needed in the army
candid or honest person among them will urge the
fainteSt objection against the simultaneous diScon
tinuance OF all the public journals now printed pro-
vded the effect Of the law is equal on all But it
will be deplorable day for this country when
ry check OH Official corruption being removed, and
every means Of information being taken from the
people, press shall still live, which is not only
check on public wrong and no light to the people,
but professed tool, paid pimp, sword in the
hands of corruption, guide and strf OF Williams
and tyrants; whose obliged duty shall be to blind
the eyes Of the country, to blacken virtue and to
gid knavery.-Rich. Examiner.
DETAILED" EDITORS
The proposition of President Davis, in his late
message to place editors and printers of newspapers
under the thumb of the Executives that de-
partment NAV have the absolute and entire con-
no favor out of doors, whatever may be the dispo
sition of Congress- 1t is no novelty, having been
tried once or twice before by his Excellency, and
been cted, almost without consideration, by the
Congress Of the Confederate States 1t is the bold
est attempt to muzze the press to make it speak
only such language as the Supreme Head may like
to hear, that has been made this continent. Even
in the Yankee Congress, no such thing has ever
been attempted In the Yankee nation, whenever
an editor says anything which the Dictator or his
satraps consider Objectionable he is taken, at once,
into custody his types are distributed or dispersed,
his presses broken or handed over to loyalist
and he himself left to mediate, bastile, upon
the grandeur of The great Republic, and the tender
mercies al the best government under the sun. But
he not insultcd with the reproach of having acted
against the law, and being therefore justly cspped
into prison in pursuance to law He is tou, and
he knows it without being told, that he is there for
having taken the name Of Abraham Lincoln in vain
--lOr having criticised his measures, rdicued his
person for having attempted to bring the ruling
power into contempt or having said what mig ht ex
pose it to execratiOn He knows there is no cause
for his arrest and he is not told that there is any.
In fact his prosecutors do not hesitate to point to
their epauettes their warrant and to their swords
their justification. Press and law, they are Civ
en- to understand, are alike silent in war times
The case is very different here We have
President who is remarkable for the conscientious
scrupes with which he executes the law, especially
when our enemies to be affected by it. Not for
all the world would he do anything for which he
had not law to show. When he wishes to do any
thing arbitrary, he considers it Better to get law
for 1t. 1t was in contemplation at time, we
hesrd, to suppress the Examiner newspaper, and
this journal, for certain differences of opinion with
the Executive, expressed in terms not sufficiently
courtly for the of majesty. But it was not
done; there was no lGw for the deed. Lincoln
would have acted differently. He would have clap
ped the editors in prison. aud knocked the type
into Pi without waiting for any law. Our more
consIderate Ruler thinks it best to have law, by
means OF which he can effect the same thing. Give
him hook in every editors mouth, and q ring in
his nose, and he will have occasion to send him
to Jail. Give him the power. whenever an editor
may express views not congenial with his own, or
sentiments with regard to INN personally or off
cially which do not accord with his own high a2-
probation OF his merits to break up his paper, by
trundng him and his printers off to the trenches
and you enable him to accomplish, under color of
Saw, all that Lincoln has been able to effect by its
most fragrant violation. And such power the
President now asks Congress to bestow upon him.
Will the Congress of the Confederate States con.
sent to prostitute the entire press of the Confedera
| cy to the pleasure of the Executive? Will they
pass law limiting the exercise of the most impor.
portaIt function Of editor, to his tools and depen
dents? Will they render it impossible for the PEG
| ple-taeir own people-their constituents--their
beneactors-to hear the truth if it 6e unpaata BILE
to President Davis, his friends, or his tools OF
his mlnionsI Shall it. through their agency, be-
come impossible hereafter to hear one word against
ofnclal corruption, no matter how gigantic-agains
Presidential mismanagement however notorious
nNW,GE -