The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-06-01
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
The Suppression of the New York
WOr1d and Journal OF
Commerce.
THE EDITOR OF THE WORLD
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
OF THE OF COMMERCE.

SlR-"That the King can do no wrong' is
the theory of a monarchy. 1t is the theory of
q constitutional republic that lis Chief Magis.
trnte may do wrong. In the former the min
istry are responsible for the Kings acts. In
the latter the President is responsible for the
acts of his ministers. Our Constitution ad-
mits that the President may err in providing
for a judgment upon his doings, by the peo-
pie, in regular elections. In providing for his
impeachment, it admits that be may be guilty
Of crimes.
In a government of laws, and not men, the
most obscure citizen may, without indecorum,
address himself to the Chief Magistrate,
when to the Constitution, whence you derive
your temporary power and he the guaranty of
his perpetual rights, he has constantly paid
his unquestioning loyalty, and when to the
laws, which your duty is to cara for a faithful
execution of, he has rendered entire .obedi-
ence.
After giving the facts in the case, the Edi-
tor of the World proceeds:
To characterize these proceedings as unpre-
ccdented, would be to forget the past history
of your administration; and to characterize
them as shocking to every mind, would be to
disregard that principle of human nature from
which it arises that men submitting once and
again to lawless eDcroachnents of power, with
every intermissiop of a vigilance which should
be continual, lose something of the old, free,
keen sense of their true nature and real dan-
ger.
Charles was doubtlezs advised to and ap-
plaUded for, the crimes by which he lost his
crown and life. Nor can you do any such
outrageous, oppressive and unjust a thing that
it will not be applauded by those whose pros
perity and power you have created and may
destroy. To characterize these proceedings as
arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional, would
seem, if such weighty words have not been
emptied of all significance, to beft better an
hour at which you have not arrived, and a
place where not public opinion but the au-
thority of law speaks, after impeachment,
trial, conviction and judgment.
But, sir, the suppression of two daily jour
nails in this metropolis-one the organ of its
great commercial public, the other a recngni-
zed exponent of the Democratic principles
which are shared by half, or nearly half, of your
fellow citizcns-did shock the public mind,
did amaze every honest and patriotic citizen,
did fill with indignation and alarm every pure
and loyal breast. There were no Indignation
meetings, there were no riots, there was no
official protest. But do not imagine, sir, that
the Governor of this State has forgotten to do
his duty: do not imagine that the people of
this city or State, or country have ceased to
love their liberties, or do not know how to pro
tect their rights. It would be fatal to a ty-
rant to commit that error here and now. A
free people can, at need, devise means to
teach their Chief Magistrate the same lesson.
To you, sir. who have by heart the Consti-
tuition which you swore to preserve, protect
and Defend" it may be an impertinence to
cits those very natural and chartered rights
therein enumerated, among which are these:
That the people shall be secure in their per-
sons, houses, papers and effects, against I'M
reasonable seizures, that no warrant ever
shall issue except upon probable cause. sup
ported by oath, and particularly describing
the place to be searched, and the persons or
things to be seiz, d; that no person shall be
deprived of life, liberty or property without
due process of law, yet these are the most
priceless possessions of %freemen, and these you
took away from me.
Even a captured and guilty criminal, who
knew that his crime would be proved, and
that the law would assuredly visit upon him
condign punishment, might with propriety
plead these rights, and demand of the Chief
Magistrate to throw over him these shields.
| Assaulted by the bayonets of a military COM
mander, he might protest and assert his in
alienable right to the ordinary processes, the
proofs, and the punishment of the law But
has the Saxon tongue any terms left for him
to use, who, being the victim of crime, has
been made also the victim of lawless power?
1t is the theory of the law that after the
commission of any crime, all proceedings ia
ken before trial shall be merely preventative;
but the proceedings taken against the World
were of the nature of a ummary execution of
judgment. Would trial by law have been
denied, would the law itself have been set
aside for the bayonet, would a process as sum-
mary as a drum-head court martial have been
resorted to by you in a peaceful city, far from
the boundaries of military occupation, had
the presses which consistently applaud your
course been, as we were, the victims OF this
forger? Had the Tribune and Times pub
-iished the forgery, (and the Tribune candidly
admits that it might have published it, and
was prevented only by mere chance,) would
you, sir, have suppressed the Tribune and
Times as you suppressed me Horld and jour
nal of Commerce.? You know you would not.
If not, why not?
Is there a different law for your opponents
and for your supporters?
Can you, whose eyes discern equality under
every complexion, be blinded by tie hue of
partizanship?
The Horld had sustained the Government
in its struggle to preserve our imperiled ra-
tionality. 1t had helped to inspire the mar
tial spirit of the people, and encourage them
to the sacrifices they have so nobly made. 1t
had advocated those measures of financial pol
icy which could best preserve the tone and
vigor of the Government in the contest. 1t
had deserved we'll of the republic, and of those
who love it.
But it also exposed and denounced the cor
%ruptions attendant upon your Administration.
It has opposed q delusive and enervating sys-
tenn of paper money. 1t had vindicated the
fame of a patriot General, whom you had re-
moved from command on the eve of victory.
It had deprecated your reelection. Did you
not find in these facts the provocations to
your wrong and your persistence in wroug?-
Ha6 n nor rooda nm unur mind onoInSf 11G
before the underling, your partizan, had con-
caetad his nlnt2 When Won ANSWER these in