The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-11-26
DAVIS roLD ATTEMPT TO wUZZLE THE PRESS
HI OUTDuTS LINCOLN.


DAVIS FOLD hTTEMrT TO MUZZLE THE PEEss-
III OCTDoEs LINCOLN.
FROM tie Richmond Viii. Nuy -.
The proposition Of President Davis. in his
late message. to place editors and printers Of
newspapers under the thumb uI the Executive.
so his department may have the absolute
and entire control Of the whole pres, Of the
country-Iaects with 10 favor out Of doors.
whatever may be the disposition OF Congress.
II Is 40 novelty. haTl"- been tried once or
twice before ty his EXccllrucv. and been
rejected, almost without consideration. h.
the Congress of the Confederate States. III
the b"'desc attsmpt ~ muzzlc the press or To-
make ii speak only such lan-uarc ., tL.. 81
prcmc head NAV ike 10 hear. that has been
made on tbs continent. Ereu III the lau-
l.cc Congress no suCh thing las ever been
attempted. luth" Yankee nation. whenever
Al editor saws ANYTHING which the dictator pr
his ssrraps consider Objectionable. hc Is taken
a; once into custody. his presses broken or
handed over to some loyalist. and he himself
left to rnedit.te in a ba,tilc, upon the grand
eur Of the great Republic and the tender
mercics ot the bcS- government under the
sum Bat hc J., not iu-atcd wit. the rnpr,arl
OF having acted against law, and being there
fore. Justly c.app"i into prison il pursuance
% .aw. Iia j. told. and he knows Ii without
being told. that he il there ior having taken
the name Of Abraham Lincoln ia yaii.-f,,r
haviu- criticised his measure OF riIcuied his
person: .or having ATTEMPTED 10 br.u. the
ruling power !nto contempt. or having SAID
~aa, might expose II u crecr;.tio-. Ne
knows that there = no cause Tor III, arr.-:
and he l. n", ID" tnere Is any. IN iac'' lis
prosecutors d. not n.s!-..t. :, uy.Gt u their
r.at.-i' IL '-r!' warrant. ana - lAr'F s""rI-
a. i-eiE J.','i1;.''a. res am law. tr.!
"re gwen . "hic'a''h-, '.Te a.IAe silent Il"
Var times.
Inc .-a' Is very H'"e'eh' mere We nav"
:. f'r.i'.v"' "--' Is F'i..!'""o.' i'r ''.i con-
Sl-'HA"Is 9'f"I'1> VII" N"'-" l. tN''"-I'
t"e Nv eaI'''..'! %N.'t o'' ('''''''lT '.'I u,
b. '.iectei,, by H.. N"t Tor ;''' ,..c "'r.i "o".H
he 40 any nm 40. ",''I" ~, "'- no. l." -
SNOW. men nc Ni9-.s9 70 w a., NM - ..'.
r'1FE' ne ''i.'''.'i> = 80 - %" -o'
Il. u was 81 '''' 80 .''',t'.'D 49, ''s
he%ri' - a"lI'c' ~ ''-,,'.'''' w.,
anu tIiIs JD'.'.'' ',' am -
'P!hloH "IH me 1-Av'"''.' - ''>a9' ID.
Terms "v' Tu'''c''Il'' 'o"'''i ''' ''- ''
maJts'E. bl' Wa no. "r'' ''s,' 49,
10 ia| Ior me "eJI' Lincoln "'"'l "1'
acted d!EeF.HHE. ne "odiH nave C'afv''
the editors IN PRISON ani %HocNeH the Typ"
into 'I w.tno"t "aitinE tor any Id"' Our
more coHsIG.r@te ruler thInhs II be@t !" nave
= law by means o! winch he can c''e't Ie
same thing. Ilve Aim hJ"H III every "uI-
tor mouth. and ring N his nose aHH lie
wIil have no occasion 70 seni ann - jail
GIvc hlm the power, "he.cEef an cLi'ot may
cXpress vl-ws not c"nEenI"i "iih hI- o"n, or
sentiments with rc@ard t. hin. personally or
officially which DO not accord WITH his own
high appreciation OF his merits. to break up
his paper by trundilng h.r and ms printers
oil to the trenches, and You enable INN -
accomplish under co.Vr oi II" an li'' I'm
coin has been able to erect by hi5 most ma
grant violation. Ana such apo"er 'He res
ideut now asks Congress 10 bestow upon
HIM.
Will the Congress ot the Confederate States
consent 10 prostitute the entire press "' the
Contederacy 10 the pleasure oithe Executive:
VIII they pass = law limiting the exercise OF
the most important function o. editor, to hIs
tools and dependents? VIII hey render 1t
impossible for the peopie-thear own people
their conatiiuents-their beneiactorS-to
hear the truth II II be unpalatablc % IrcSl-
dent Davis, or his friends, or his tools, or hls
minions? Shall It, through their agency.
become Impossible hereafter to hear one
word aganst official corruption, n" mat
ter how giEantlc-agalnst presidential mis-
management, however otorlous-agaInst op-
preston. speculation, robbery and all that
class Of crimes Of which a tree press Is the
only possible corrective. because 1t IS the OH
" instrument by which they can be exposed.
II 50, then adopt the scheme OF the message
dependent for their daily bread upon PresI-
dent Davis. The object will have been com
pietely accomplished. You will have no cdl-
Tor who dare whisper complaint OF those
high in Clfice-nO printer VIII venture TO set
up Il line 0: sentence which does not cele-