, 1864-06-03
THE ALLEGED LIBEL.
Alderman Roberts In Caurt- Statement Of
lhc Case---He Sues fer Lbtl-Cepper-
head Defiation Of, stLtbsrty
Of the Presxs3

In turning TO the local columns Of oue OF our
Coppeshezd exchanges yesterday morning, the
Timer. We SAW m article with flaming caption
th1t began thus, IAN important Libel suit-she
Chicago 1ri51ns eued for $4,000 damages"
Reading on re came to the following:
were instituted ye.terday ATE. noon r
Aideraa kobert. agsinst ~ Ghle.Ge TsSans ,s
e. ssaos d Hbsi tos as%eks: e r e.tsRt q
ccIntcd smorS iha euas<+ eeieSr<s Of Illinois.
We were informed further along that the suit
Msbed in ihe TRIBUNE Of the 81st nit The article
10 Hons tas one 81 t. "a VI %.d '
@ Doctor W. H.ren. Who Tefides on Larrabee stzeet
i.npsf1s to brbe hin 70 vote with the copperbcads
on several important propositions before tue
Council among others 1hat 6e should sustain Tho
1fmes md German onion As city printers against
AZ: Io,tings5 ssys ~ : red; sc sias Is r.
hauer, who overheard Ill that passed between the
parties; AID. Hotttnger bays thst he asked Van
la5en by Mhose authority sl be made the pssuaieEy
hobe1ts.". He also sAys be asked him at tic nrst
conve1tetdon Who Gent him. and received tpr an
twer the same name.
our reporter asserted nothing Of his own knowl-
ctce. He simply zslsted the stateEnents Of Ae.
Hotipger in regard to tho visit Of d.. Van Haren.
AID. Hottinger does nor state that ~: Roberts
tried to bribe hi1n-nothinR except that Van Haren
says that Roberts sent him to mike the ncgotia-
fiop. The oaenee. then, OF the TRIBUNE consists
in inserting n its loeal columns report Of the
statement OF AID. Bott1nKer.
Next day AID. Roberts sent us card denying, In
positive terms, that be had anything to do with
d I'D nai even % know y hin at6 hsd T no % personal ESQ al
knowledge OF the transaction Whatever. This
card We inserted conspicuons'y At once.
Sons e "as Is peu1sa hs emee
left Nj. Roberts In as good condition as betore
Hotit1Ret'e statement appeared. The matter
prceB te concerned, had not d veneetul clique OF
| little CopTerbeads, who hats this paper and It's
Unlon p14ncip'es, urged him on to commsncc sast
about ii a. nj an officer served the following 1lts.
d+otr On the parties nAmed therein, TO be and ap-
pear forthwith, beio,e MS Honor, c. Mcdonnell.
sr4ca q peop. Of the st.te Of
SSt sas cS1':s6ass IL With
whexess e:5pisins. under oath. has been this daJ
9s15e "a Ie f Ell 1sses e. Of u
I'D : @ @ 81 H
af Ere p Meo knat Gsos!s md Albert
es5Fsy @ fo;sS.,,a 5fs:t fhs s:a
bert H. 1odmsn bring thom before ne. (cr ny
llteLce beture eofDc Other Juetce Of tho Peace. IL
may be made concerning the o1anse uo~rsstd. and
hereof make cue service and return a. tic law d.
Given under my hand and sea, In Chicago t~-,
| this ofstds5 Of Jnne. A; ~. sell
JusIce OF shc Peace.
| We all obeyed the summons, OF course, waived
IN examination before his honor, ard gave bonds
10 appear before the Recorders Court 10 answer II
tie charges preferred.
Len to his own Judgment, We hare DO idea tha
| Mir. Roberts desires to enter upon \ contest ii
court against the TRIBUNE for libel he don't be
ment related to one Of its reporters BY AID. H 1t
finger. nor can he doubt thar Van 9aren did MAKE
tnst such Z statement a. that reported; If he hal
Any q9estien on 1hat point Ald: uo!tinger ant
It Tor granted that Mr. Roberto card states 1hi
truth, The guilty Hhcller or slan6erer Is DR.. Var
1Iazep. What motive bad he for giying a fals'
rnpt pzopoeal9 Il Il possible that he VOLUNTEERED
! on his own responsibility:
Now, We submit 10 Aid. Roberts that the prope
and manly course for him to pursue is to jerk III
pame Of bis principal, instead Of sueing our re
porters and two of the proprietors Of this paper
who are innocent Of all guilt OF malice In the pre-
mltes. Intentionally We would wrong no man q
defame his reputation, and whenever individual
have felt ag11eved BY any publication In these co!
umne, We never deny them the privilege OF a fal
explanation or explicit rcfutation. This is th'
utmost newspaper can DO. and when persons re
fnfe to accept such Satisfaction and rush int.
court with libel auits the matter degenerates Init
persecution Of the press, with which the pnbli'
has no sympathy. IT does not look well for tn
especial and noisy champions Of the freedom .
against newspapers on every dimky pretcxs. ]
shows their partisan Intolerance, and proves thA
the only freedom Of the press for which they It,
Government in time oi civi) war. advocate th
Cauee OF Its tueIlee, and to trAduce Its defenders