Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-11-08
From the Charlotte Home.
FREEDOM OF TIE PRESS.

There is nothing, which tyrants have
dreaded so much fO" the last two hundred
years, as free, OutspOken, unterrified press.
Editors and authors, who dared to cenSure
crimes against liberty, have been impris-
Oned, tortured, eXiled and put to DEATH
The party OF Progress in the New World
progresses backward to the models of des-
potism in the Old World. The monarch
lists of the United States fear bold, indepen-
dent newspapers as much as any tyrant of
history ever feared the utterance of truth.
We find accordingly that they have devised
various eXpedients 30 intimidate editors
In Arkansas, they broke up printing pres
ses, mobbed and shot publishers. In
North Carolina, the editors of the Caro-
linian were mobbed and insulted. AsSassi-
nation was attempted upon Mr.. Turner
several times. His wife was shot at. lie
himself was thrown into ftlOn's cell and
all this avaiing nothing rewards stopping
his exposure of Radical thievery, his office
was blown up at midnight. Kinks ruff
fans hOwled around the house of the wri-
ter of this until all old gobbler cried out
"Ku-klux," ku Klux," when they beat a
retreat, carrying off their whiskey stores
with them.
The latest trick to suppress free press
is TO sue for libel. The Ohio thief has in
stituted proceedings against the New York
Tribune for publishing an account of his
thieveries. The fellow, /. k. scott, is one
of Grants pets, and as his rOgueries have
made him rich he is highly esteemed 10y
the authorities at Washington. Cockade
Cantwell and Judge Russell, both Of es-
tablished loyalty, urge the Grand Jury of
New Hanover to find IL true bill against
the editors and publishers Of the Whining
ton Journal, for telling the world how
Judge Bond prosecuted the people of the
two Carolinas and dropped the character
of Judge to play the part of prosecuting
attorney.
The monarchists have 10 faith in free
institutions and they will never rest salts
fled until they have suppressed a free press.
| They hope to accomplish this object by
| mobbing, imprisOning and shooting at edi-
| tors, varying their pistol practice by an oc-
| casiOnal shot at the wives of said editors.
| Ii these pleasant little methods do not sue
coed, the Radical leaders have only to sug-
| gest to the kuffian scum the necessity of
| blowing up Conservative printing presses
at midnight with gun powder and nitro
| glycerine. As a last resort, partisan SOlic-
| !ofs and Judges can get up libel suits and
| prosecutions and bring in heavy damages
against the newspapers that expose ro-
query and rascality.
From the Charlotte ! emocrat.
We are ready to back the edi Ors of the
Journal in any way in its position towards
the unworthy men who fill Judicial Offices
in the South under Radical rule. But we
think many of them deserve punishment
rather than mention in public newsp ipers.
Although Judge Russell charged the
Grand Jury TO fad true bill against the
editors of the journal, we are pleased to
know that they refused to do it, notw:th-
standing they were olltrageously insulted
and abused. The freedom Of the press to
expose rascalty must be maintained, and
if Radical judges and corrupt office hol-
ders do not like it, let them resign.