Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-11
THE 80ND LIBEL.

y
Advanee, commenting upon the course
of the Press Of the State in regard to
the attacks Of Solicitor. Cantwell upon
the JOURNAL. 4
It may be that the effect of Mr..
Cantwell's indictment against t. E
JOURNAL is seen in the silence solle
of the Conservative papers Of the State
have maintained relative to the matter.
In one or two instances this is -proba-
bly, the case. 1t is hardly to be
expected that every Conservative editor
in the State should possess the courage
to fight radicalism as it ought to be
fought, even though it does possess
both power and patronage. We in
cline, however, very strongly to the
opinion TINT the indifference manifested
by some of the Conservative Press OF
the State, if any such feeling really
exists, arises from the very small
Importance attached to the gravest acts
Of Mr.. Solicitor Cantwell. The idea
that any man, as scatter-brained' even
as Edward Cantwell, should sericu sly
propose to prosecute person for libel
upon Judge Bond, presents SO, many
ludicrous, absurd and impossible
aspects, that it is really difficult to
bring ones self to consider it with the
gravity and solemnity the case demands.
We venture to say that nine men out
of ten look upon the whole thing as a
burlesque and farce of the broadest
character. We. freely confess that we
ourselves have never been able to
divest ourselves of this feeling,
although, at the same time, we could
not avoid seeing that if the attempt OF
Mr.. Cantwell and his hackers should
prove successful, the liberty of the
press would receive a mortal blow.
I Entertaining these views, we are dis.
posed to think that the indifference Of
our brethren of the press exists more
in appearance than in fact; in a word
| it proceeds from an inability &c
appreciate the reality of the prosecu
ton. rather than from any tameness Of
spir:t.
The mission of the press is to act as 6
sentinel upon the watch tower Of
liberty, to guide and direct the public
| opinion, ;iatr to convey instruction. Il
| is literally the bulwark of our liber
ties, and should possess the fullest
protection that can possibly be givel
to it by law. This indeed is nothing
but right. for it in turn strengthens
the arm of the law more powerfully
than any other institution possibly car
do. When therefore the very machin
cry Of the law that is so much indebted
to the press for its power and eff
cheney, is turned against its necessary
and natural ally 10 crafty personal Oh
partisan malice, it is time for rs t.
consider the subject seriously, ever
though Cockade Cantwell be the mover
in the matter.
| From the BattIeooro' Advance.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
We are nstonished at the tame spirit
exhibited by the press of North Caro-
| lima Oh subject of vital Importance
not only to themselves, but to the
whole country. We allude to the
recent attack on the Wilmington
Journal, under the garb of ''ibe
suit" by Edward Cantwell, Radical
Solicitor of the 4th Judicial District.
VIC have already, in the columns OF
| this paper, characterised the conduct
of this official and his instigators ms
We thought the outrage upon the press
and the jury required.
For simply criticising the conduct OF
an officer of the government as the
editors of the paper thought it
deserved, and in much milder terms
than his conduct had been commented
on by the press near his own home,
this solicitor has pursued those editors
with vengeance like spirit from the
grand jury room of New Hanover, to
the county of Baden, in such @ man.
ner, as to deserve the severest condem-
nation from every friend of civil liberty
III the land.
Strike down the freedom of the press
and the independence and purity of
the jury box and what IS left of the
liberties of this people will not be
worth the snap of your finger. Tyrants,
clothed in little brief authority, viii
ride rough shod over the land and
laugh at your calamities.,
The press OF the country cannot
afford to remain Indifferent spectators
of such proceedings. Ii one inroad
upon sacred rights is tamely submitted
to, others will as surely follow as night
follows day.
We notice with approval the COM
ments of the Raleigh Nc,cs and .,eaati-
net and the f06esOntdn, end trust
every paper in the State will speak out.
We Understand from good authority
that one Of the most distinguished
lawyers and statesmen of North Caro-
lina-one whose able and eloquent
voice is always on the side of humanity
and civil liberty, Edward Conigland,
Esq, has rendered his professional
services III defence of Messrs Engelhard
and Saunders in this cruel persecution.
This noble and unselfish conduct, on
the part of Mr.. Conigland, is in full
keeping with his lofty reputation, and
will add still more to "the full measure
Of his fame"
other papers.
From the Sumter e. CO. News.
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL AND JUDGE
BOND,
4 true bill has been found against
our contemporary for calling Judge
Bond a scoundrel. We cannot imagine
what else Judge Bond expected the
JOURNAL to call him, if it called him
anything. Ii it had said he was not
sconndrel that would have been a
greater libel. We suppose it might
have called him an internal mean cuss,
but that would not have mended the
matter much. Tie truth is, he is such
a low-down dog. that our neighbor
would have acted more wisely and
p<udently not to have called him any
thing at all, or acknowledged his in
famous existence by naming him.
From the Charlotte Southern Homo.
JUDGE BOND.
Cockade Cantwell has been exceed
ingly DESTROYS to get up q prosecution
against the editors of the Wilmington