Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-06
The Frnud ON the Press,

Washington Correspondence Cincinnati GaHett)
In an hour after the President had ceas-
ed his performance before the delighted
mob, Washington wa in an uproar. Blu
chanan's last days in power were marked
BY similar scenes, and none have since oc-
Cured to stir up all of its bitterness and
hate. The more honorable men in the
movement "a instantly that Mr.. john
son had undone all that had been accom-
plished. The meeting during the day had
well nigh done this without the speech.
Even the mere considerable among the
CopperLeads saw it, and with one accord
the last desperate effort to ave the new
party began. These men, acting in on
cert, attempted as a last resort, to keep
the knowledge of the days disgrace from
the country that night. If through false
reports, the country could receive its first
impressions, it might be possible TO avert
the calamity that seemed about to come
upon them. The stroke was a bold One,
and few papers in the land could tell their
readers the next day of the character of
the scenes which the capital had witness
ed. Glowing ccounts of the New York
meeting went everywhere, and it was
sought to impress it upon the thought of
the country first.
That all among the Presidents friends
who we're capable of feeling the deep
sEs.Le of his acts, were very busy in their
efforts to forestall the reports of those
papers which they feared would tell the
truth, cannot be successfully denied. That
the responsibility for the virtual suppress
sion of the news rosts between the Presi-
dent and his friends, and the American
Telegraph Company, is also beyond dis
pute. The capabilities of this Company
to transmit news are too well understood
here to give any weight to this paltry ex-
cuse. The whole thing is narrowed down
to this: Either the Presidential party
was responsible for it, or the Telegraph
Company was directly involved in the
transaction. While the freedom Of the
Richmond press is deemed so important
BY the President, it is 10 be hoped that he
will not entirely forget the press which
elected him, even if traitors do promise to
support his policy, and the organs of the
party which continue to oppose it.
There are other facts connected with
this outrage upon the press which are sig
niicant. These journals which had de-
termined to support the President in his
attempts to break up the Union party,
framed all their dispatches with the pur-
pose to create the belief that the report
sent out to loyal papers the night before
were barefaced lies. Men who admitted
that the scenes of the day were utterly
disgraceful, went to their offices and wrote
dispatches coolly ~denouncing the CORES
pondents of all papers who had simply
written the truth. This was the sum of
the first days operation. The next was
devoted on the part of some to pretended
explanations of the suppression of al
dispatches.
The movers in the new party seem to
think hat they can keep from the people
all knowledge of these scenes, which will
make the nation blush at their mention
through all its future. Such men as vol
unteered to defend assassins, conspirators,
and the keepers of prison pens, acting in
friendly concert with those writers for the
press who have undertaken to cover this
thing from the eyes Of the nation, are not
the men who can stretch forth their puny
arms across the path of loyalty, and turn
aside the millions who are marching there
under the banner of God.