Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-16
MUZZLING THE PRESS.

"'' '''''' JEFFERSON DAVIS.
MUZZLING THE PRESS
We cannot 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
ostons which included il, is DOW directly and bold
" demanded. Newspapers should exist, but edi-
tors, their printers and their employees should not
he erempts, but Details "a discretion" says the
message, "should be vested in the military author
ities 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" says 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 dtfends
him or any member 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 in the animadverslon of the press
upon public men 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 teros de-
pendant for it's existence on the free will and dis
erection" of government Indeed no honest man
engaged in the publication Of a 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 minute by Davis, Seddon or Benjamin.
Declarations of these truths We know, are the
strongest possible exhortatOnS to corrupt men, that
they leave stone upturned 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 hnno do hv
regulation forbidding the further publications of
any newspaper in the Southern COnfederacy during
the war. That law will be no more unconstitution-
al than the other, and if the handful of men now
engaged in this business are needed in the army, no
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 deporable day for this country when eve
~ check on Official corruption being removed, and
every means of information being taken from the
people, press shall still live, which is not only no
check on public wrong and no light to the people,
but protested tool, paid pimp, sword in the
hands of corruption, guide and staff OF Williams
and tyrants; whose obliged duty shall be to blind
the eyes of the country, to backen virtue and to
gld knavery-Rich. Examiner.
DETAILED" EDITORS.
The proposition of President Davis, in his late
message to place editors aad printers OF newspapers
under the thumb of the Executive-so that de-
partment may have the absolute and entire con-
troll of the whole press of the country-meets with
no favor out of doors, whatever may be the dispo-
siton of Congress. It is no novelty, having been
tried once or twics before by his Excelency, and
been rejected. almost without consideration, bv the
Congress of the Confederate States. 1t is the bold
attempt to muzzle the press or 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
editor says anything which the Dictator or his
satraps consider Objectionable, he is taken, at once
into custody, his types distributed or dispersed
his presses broken handed over to some loyalist
and he himself left to mediate, IN bastle, upon
the grandeur of the great Republic, and the tender
| merces OF the best government under the sun. But
he is not insued with the reproach ofhaVing acted
against the law, and being, therefore, justly clapped
into prison in pursuance to law lie Is toiu' asd
he knows it without being told that he is there for
having taken the name of Abraham Lincoln in vain
for having criticised his measures, or rld,culed his
person; for having attempted to bring the ruling
power into contempt or having said WHIT might ex-
pose it to execrati0n He knows there is no cause
for his arrest and be is not told that there is any,
In fact his prosecutors do not hesitate to point to
their epauetes their warrant and to their swords
as 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 a
President who is remarkable for the conscientious
scruples 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 it. 1t was in contemplation at one time, we
heard, to suppress the Ecaminer newspaper and
this Journal for certain differences of opinion with
the Executive, expressed in terms not sufficiently
courty for the ear Of majesty But it moi
done; there was no lao for the deed. Lincoln
- would have acted differently. He would have clap
ped the editors in prison, and knocked the type
into pi without waiting for any law. Our more
considerate Ruler thinks it best to have q law b,
means of which he can effect the same thing. Civ,
him hook in every editors mouth, and a ring ir
his nose, and he will have occasion to send him
to jail Give him the power whenever an edito
may express views not congenial with his own o.
sentiments with regard to him personally or off
cially which do not accord With his own high 40
probation Of his merits, to break up his paper b,
trundling him and bis printers off to the trenches
. and you enable him to accomplish, under color o
law, all that Lincoln has been sble to effect by it
: most fragrant violation And such q power tn
!. President now asks Congress to bestow upon him
+ Will the Congress of the Confederate State. con
sent to prostitute the entire press of the Confeder,
= cy to the pleasure of the Executive? Will the
!. pass law limiting the exercise of the most impoi
portant function of editor, to his tools and depeu
= dents? Will they render it impossible for the nee
e ple-thelr own people-their constituents-thei
benefactors-to hear the truth if it be unpalatabl
Il to President Davis, his friends, or his tools
bis mnlonsr Shall it through their agency, be
come impossible hereafter to hear one word again.
re- omclal corruption, no matter how ggantic-agans
m PRESIDENTIAL mismanagement, however notorious
met