The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-07-07
Free speech and Free Press.

Article lst of the amendments of the
Constitution Of the United States reads as
follows, y;z:
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, prohibiting the free
exercise thereof, abridginS the freedom Of
speech, or of the press or the right of the people
peacPbl, TO assemble and petition the government
for redress of grievances 3"
This is no "glittering generality" or
mere rhetorical flourish. 1t means that a
free press and free speech are among
t5e inestimable rights of the people, and
shall not be wrested from them by Con-
e-ess, if it means any thing al ALL And
50 long as this provision remains in the
Constitution, just SO long will the people
lave the legal right to give expression to
their opinions on all subjects of public pol
icy, whether favorable to the party in pow
er for the tine, or otherwise The fra
mers of the Constitution ever jealous of
the Entertainments Of power upon the
rights Of the people, erected this as they
truction of those rights. So far then it is
clear that Congress has 10 authority I'M
der The Constitution 10 abridge the free
Go1l Of speech. or Of the press. Is this
authority vested in any other department
octhe government? The President is in
vested with the executive power" Of the
government, and ,-Aes a solemn oath that
he viii, TO the best of his ability, preserve,
protect. and defend. the Constitution OF
tie United States" It's also made part
Of his duty to take care that the laws be
faithfully executed Clearly the ''erecu-
0e Posc-r' has no authority to abridee
The freedom Of speech, or of the press, and
no man ever yet pretenaed that the Jxdi-
ciaI department Of TIC government posses
ses any such authority. Where then may
It be formed?-ior the power mot the
authority has been found and executed
IN thousand instances during the last
three years. We answer, it has been
nsupe9, and that too, BIZ the very man
who with head bare. and hand uplfted in
the presence Of Almighty God, solemnly
swore to preserve. protect and defend the
Constitution" L has been usqrpea BY
military commanders. dressed in little
brief authority" in direct violation Of the
awful solemn;ty Of the oath, resting upon
them, to support the Constitution of the
United States" under the tyrants plea of
military necessity. And there are found
those so lost to all sense Of the value Of
liberty as - justify them for 80 doing; they
seem to forget that one of the causes of
complaint by our revolutionary fathers
against the King Of Great Britain was
that, ale has affected to render tie militia
~ independent OF, and superior to, the
civil power What King George c6cc-
ted 70 60. King AbrGham has dote; what
our fathers faard, we their sons have suf-
.fere7, and yet the party at whose hands
we suffer. boldly and uublushingly charge
us with disloyalty, because We dare COM
plain ofthe monstrous usurpations of those
in power. We have right to complain,
to demonstrate against the destructive
course pursued BIZ our would be-imperial
rulers. As citizens VIC have the right free
ly. fully and thoroughly to canvass and
discuss the public Official acts of our rulers
The following from an able contemporary
so fully expresses our views on thissubject,
that we give it place:
"Who does not know that all American
citizens start upon an equal level; and
there is Do right, legal or moral, to in
fringe upon the expression of views touch
ing politics, religion, or any other public
subject. If one citizen has right to adj
vocate war, then another has the
sane right to advocate peace IT ore
asserts that the Government should new
ar recognize the Southern Confcderacy it
,s equally pore. for another nan TO