Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-12-01
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE
PRESS.


PRESS.
. The great eiyil war that has been for the
last four years, and still is, distracting oul
country, isas produced some strange interprc.
tations, or rather pcrversions, of the rights
and duties of citizenship and allegiance.
We were gravcly told by traitors in high
places, at the beginning of the struggle, that
no power existed in the National Government
to preserve it's own integrity, that the exercise
of any such power would be destructive OF
the rights of the States a violation of the
Constitution, and would be the cause of the
breaking pu Of the Union and numerous other
direful events The then President of the Uni
ted States even went 80 far as TO nsinuatc such
miserable, traitorous nonsense. We all well
remember that Rebel sympathizcrs in Mary
land denied the power Of the Federal autho-
rites 10 march troops across the territory of
the State to the defence of She National cap
ital against armed rebellion, and the lamcnta-
bic consequence that such counscs produced
in the streets of Baltimore cn the ever mem
orablc 10Th of April, 1904 day that must
always be remembered by every loyal Mary
lander with shame and sorrow. Treason and
rebellion dared erect the standard of revolt
in the land and then claimed as a 5ht "to
be let alone"
All such miserable apologies for treason,
never entertained by any body but traitors,
have long since been exploded amidst the
thunder and the smoke of battle and all the
horrors Of war The United States of America,
as nation of the earth, still exists, and the
people have just declared through popular
VOTE their determination to preserve it IN all
its integrity to the end.
Sut what we more Immediately desire to-
refer to at this time is the wild theories of
treason and its sympathizers in reference to
the freedom of speech and of the press. From
hearing and reading some Of their low dema-
goguc ha,angues on this subject one would
imagine that it was not allowed TO them to
speak or write. or even think anything con-
trary to what might be suggested by the au-
thoritics of the Government, except at the
risk of life and liberty. The very fact of their
being allowed to speak and write such contemp-
tiblc falschoods, and they kno'c such statements
to be So is of itself sufficient proof that all such
assertions arc without the least shadow of
foundation in fact.
Tho truth is, and these very men know it
WE'LL that the Federal authorities have been
far too lcnient in this matter. - The pen is
sometimes mighticr than the sword" and may
be used with far more effect in accomplishing
purpose. Who docs nos knew that the
allies of treason have been asing chs as
means of cfrcctng what they could never do,
or cyey attempt and live, by any open force,
namely, the establishment of the Southern
Comederacy and the overthrow of the Ma
tional Government. If any doubts this let
him read some Of tic cxpositions made in
Indiana of the Sons of Liberty some of
the editorials Of such sheets as the New York
Neps, Metropolitan Record, Philadelphia 1ye,
and the speeches of such msn as Vallandg-
ham, Voorhees,, Fernando ood. Harris of
Md, and others. These win satisfy. most
any sane man that these men are only at.
tempting in their way what jeff. Davis, II.
T.. Lee and others arc cndcavoring to do in
another, and more manly way3 They all
meet together III Dixie"
These things arc going on daily, in .hc
very presence of the au,,' ority of the govern
mcnt, almost unmolestcd, pnd II now and
then some one, grown bold at thur seeming
indifference, goes beyond that poin.. where
q forbearance ceases to he virtue" and is
arrested or his paper suppressed, " the Con-
stitution violated" is Field up to us in te'ror"m.
What miserable hypocrisy. What sublime
assurance Men known to be using every
exertion for the subversion of tic Constitution
and at the same time invoking it to protect
them from justice.
Liberty Of speech and freedom Of the press
arc among the highest pcrogatiyes Of freem>u,
and ordinarily should be zealously guarded
against any cncroachment, but when used
as q cloak for sodition and treason, in time
of civil war. may become dangerous to the
peace and safety of the nation and should be
treated accordingly.
Whilst a fair criticism Of the official acts O
those in authority is perfectly right and pro
2 pcr aMl,sllould not be interfcrcd wish in til,
least, at tie same time fastious opposition t.
measures deenaoa necessary to the perpetua
ton of the Governments, and that opposition
carried so far asto gire add comfort TO re
lclTsan, and il fact to amount to-csea TREASON,
Should not be suffered If patriotism and {
sense Of, justice will not prevent such things
If should be done by the strong arm of power
These briefly are cur views on this subject
We do not tlliak the authorities at Washing
to. have been stringent enough in matters o
.ais importance. and hope in the future to SCI
them so act a, t., crush treasonin every form
r. --..-..-- - ;.a;. bat alsc IN the North.