The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-05-26
ssThe Victory over Free Speech


According to the secesh -rebel-sympathi-
zing papers of the North, sFree Speech,
has as many lives as a cat, if not more
We have not kept count of the number Of
times they have had that very much abused
right and its twin-brother, 'Freedom OF the
Press" killed off and defunct, but it is GER
tainly more than nine times. When VAL
Iandigham's reasonable mouth was closed,
and he was estopped from going around the
country bowling treason in every school
district, where he could get a dozen hearers;
they had free speech dead and buried, SO
deep that they were sure it could never have
resurrection. When Burnside gently laid
his hand on the Chicago Times, for few
hours, Free speech, and the Freedom of the
Press, were again kilIed-dead and buried.
When the UNANIMOUSLY notorious Mahony OF
the Dubuque Herald was sienced for a
brief space, Free Speech and Free Press
were again murdered outright. And finally
whenever any copperhead, either editor or
stump speaker, has been hindered in his in
famous work of aiding or abettirg the arm
ed enemies of his country, the whole pack
of secesh hounds have set up the same howl
over the death of Free Speech-proving the
practical falsity of their assertions in their
own case at least
The last murder of Free Speech according
to the Milwaukee Meas occurred last week,
| when the New York IPorId and N. Y. Jour
nal of Commerce were shut up for few days
for publishing the bogus proclamation
This was forged proclamation of the Pres
ident palmed off upon the country as genu-
inc, signed, Abraham Lincoln and dated at
the presidential mansion, and bearing all
the impress of genuine document, and was
SO published in those two New York papers
and sent over the telegraph wires and pub
Iished in many other papers, as genuine
When the state of affairs of the country are
taken into consideration it will be seen that
no more reasonable effort to aid the rebels
has been made for long time.
The fighting in Virginia, between the two
great armies under Grant and Lee, had been
going on for eight days, with terrible
slaughter on both sides, but still with the
advantage on the side of the Union armies.
The rebel army had fallen back into their
intrenchments cowed and discouraged, and
the chief rebels in Richmond were trembling
at the prospect and casting about for place
to flee to- The loyal people of the North
knew there had been terrible fighting with
out any decisive victory to our arms, and
copperhead editors and takers had PERSISTED
in the declaration that the battles had been
far more destructive to the Union army and
far more unfortunate to the Union cause,
than reporters had been allowed to publish.
Just at that Time when the fate of the bo-
gus confedracy as it were, hung i'll the bal
ance, appeared this bogus proclamation Of
President acknowledging the most
disastrous and overwhelming disaster to the
Union armies, which had been hitherto con-
cealed for fear the people could not bear it
appointing day of national humility and
payer, for the purpose of conciIiating a
justly offended Deity and thus averting still
further and more fatal disasters 1t also
gave notice that a draft for 100000 men
would be made at given day, &c This
forged message was published and hundreds
of copies hurried off to seek by every means
possible avenues through our lines, to chez
and encourage the dispairing rebels. AnC
to them it came most opportune. A fresf
army of 100, 900 men could not have added
more strength to the rebel cause than die
: the reading of this apparent official presiden
tial acknowledgement of defeat and disaster
1t assured them that they had in reality
gained tremendous and overwhelming vic
tory where they had supposed they had suf
fered defeat. Of course they were re-ani-
mated and encouraged new life and
strength, while Union soldiers everywhere
wereiust as much discouraged and dispirited
This was of course the object and aim Of
tine gettersup and publishers Of the bogus
message. They lad accomplished their OBJ
iect. They had added at least, hundred
days to the life of the confedracy-a fair off
set they thought, to the loyalty of the West
ern Governors, in furnishing 100, 900 men
for 100 days.
Of cousre the copperhead sheets which
scattered broadcast this bogus message fol-
the express purpose of giving aid and com
fort to the enemies of the country, were fol
few days shut up while the matter could
be Investigated, and thereupon the cry is
raised over the death and destruction Of
Free speech. The milwaukee NeqgS joins in
the cry with uplifted hands of holy horror. 1t
enters into an elaborate argument to prove
that the N. Y. World by its influence ''has
given the war greater popularity, and con-
tributed more strength to the armyIthan any
Newspaper issued from the metropo litan
press" On the same ground, the News
will claim that ii has given the war greater
popularity and contributed to the army
more strength, than any paper issued from
the Wisconsin Press The popularity the
World has given to the war, and the
strength it has contributed to the army
are both comprised in the New York draft
Riots, and the labors of its fellow-laborer,
the News, for the popularity of the war and
the strength of the army, eliminated in
about the same result-the Ozaukee draft
riots. The News says, ''For the past year
the voice of no press has practically delayed
the prosecution of the war. 1--WE thank
thee, Jew, for that word 1t is true and