The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1866-04-14
General Grant and the Press.


General Grant has acquired high
reputation and popularity as skillful
and successful military commander.
There are few men, if any, who can ex-
ercise more extended moral influence
over the sentiments Of the people, and
that influence has been enhanced by
his modesty and reserve, that, far from
counting notoriety, seems to shrink
from the public admiration that turns
to gaze upon his laurels. In his ca
pacity of soldier, without regard to the
merits of political questions, the world
accurds to General Grant the tribute
that is due to excellence. 1t would be
pity to have that reputation, won
upon the fields of war, furnished by
any inconsiderate or unpopular move
ment in the political arena, where the
issues of peace are. or should be de-
termined.
The order issued on last Saturday
by the Lieutenant General, assuming
the censorship of the public press, was
ill-adyised, and dangerous to the coun-
try and the soldierly fame of its author.
A single political error is often sufi-
cient to blot the record Of a life, and
to dim the glory of many victories. In
commencing his campaign against the
liberty of the press, General Grant
seems to be conscious of the task
His natural and accustomed frankness,
and laconic directness of expression
forsake him. He has evidently no
relish for the work. He thre atens the
suppression Of such journals las con-
tain sentiments of disloyalty and hos
tility to the Government in any of its
branches"
What, within she meaning Of the
order, is "the Government ~ Is it
the Executive! Is it the Federal Con-
gress, or those members thereof that
support the Administration, or those
that oppose it! Is it the military
power? Or is it one, or none. or all
of these? There are some journals
that are hostile to the President and
friendly to the mejorities in Congress.
There are others that are devoted to
the vindication of the Executive poll
cy, but hostile to the revolutionary
schemes of the radicals. What, then,
is the meaning of disloyalty in the
sense of the Lieutenant General =
Those that support the President must
necessarily be hostile to the dominant
faction in the National Legislature
Those that accept the Radical pro-
j gramme are in direct antagonism with
4 that of the Executive. What consti-
tutes hostility to the Government in
any of ats branches" when those
branches are in hostility against them
selves! IF General Grant will give
his definition of loyalty in the present
condition of bitter strife between the
Executive and Legislative branches OF
the Government, the journals, to whom
his menaces are addressed, will better
understand how far they can express
their sentiments freely without danger
! of suppression. Or, perhaps, it would
be simpler to prohibit all comments
upon political subjects. There would
then be no possibility Of mistake;
and no unfortunate journalist, imagin.
ing that he was doing his country SER
vice by applauding Andrew johnson,
and depreeating the incendiary action
of Sumner and Stevens, would be re-
minded of his fault by an order of sup
preston, and find his occupation gone.
fGeneral Grant will take a lesson
from the Emperor Napoleon, he will
adopt juster system Of military cen
sorship, if there could be justice in the
thing. The French despot does not
keep his victims in the dark. He gives
them to understand what is the "Gov.
ernment," and to what extent theil
criticism will be tolerated. The for.
hidden fruit is pointed out and they
touch it at their peril. Let US have
: similar facilities to exercise our voca
ton in comparative security. Let the
journals of the South know whether
they can best approve their loyalty
by abusing the Chief Magistrate Of The
Republic, as do Summer, Stevens
, Wendell Phillips. and their organs, o.
by applauding his efforts to restore tn,
T country to order and tranquility. lie
the journalists of the North know
whether it is loyal to insult and pro
woke the Southern people, or to con
a ciliate them and encourage them t
action in the work of reconstruction
But even if we have to grope our wa,
r in the dark, it is some consolation t
5 know that the power of debating t
= public journals the spirit and tenor 0
!, their articles, rests no longer wit
petty officials and subordinates, Blu
has been assumed by the Lieutenan
e General of the Armies of the Republic
0 my. News.