Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-02
From the Pee Dee Courier
A Malignant Prosecuting Attorney.

n
One Edward Cantwell, who was ap-
pointed by Governor Caldwell Solicitor
of the Wilmington Circuit, has, as we
learn, after repeated failures, at last
induced Grand Jury to find a ''true
bill' against the Wilmington JOURNAL,
for libel on Hugh S. Bond, Judge of
the Circuit Court of the United States.
We do not know what is the particular
matter charged as ibelous, nor do we
care. We know this, however, that
the Radical party is willing, at any
time, to use the power of Courts, or
a responsibility not otherwise to be
defended And we feel sure that their
purpose in doing so is to silence all
criticism on the conduct of their
functionaries, some of whom, alas for
the country, are as base as the limit of
human depravity will allow. By this
means they hope to break down the
spirit of liberty, by making our people
afraid to express their honest opinions,
and thus fasten the yoke of despotism
upon them.
Although this malignant attempt is
in strait keeping with the history of
this base party, we have confidence,
that the Independent spirit of Ameri-
can freemen will not tamely submit to
this and kindred Outrages upon their
rightful prerogatives. There is
power behind the throne" whose
slow but sure edicts, all authority,
however high, must recognize. Even
the magnates themselves must be
taught that if they wish to secure the
respect and confidence of the people
whose servants they are, they must
act so as to deserve it. A Judge who
will prostitute his high Office to p1lr-
poses of personal and political ven
geance, and who "speaks the law"
SO as to serve party ends, and not the
ends of justice, is a knave and a tyrant
and deserves the scOrn of all honest
men. Men should fear the lar, not the
administrator of the law. When the
latter is the case, it is certain that evil
betides the land. The world has af-
forded cases of this kind, and the in
famous name of Jeffreys stands out in
English History in letters of intense
some of the creatures who wear the
ermine, to the curse OF this country,
will not go down to posterity, with
wish to avoid criticism they must act
"
efforts of Radical neophytes, who have
sold their honor for ''a mess of pot
tage" to bolster up rotten regulations
by bills of Indictment, from truculent
Grand Juries, will only add to the
load of scorn which their clients Will
have to bear.
We are not defending the JOURNAL,
but We are defending ibertyof speech
and of The Press ; and we feel an mex
pressible contempt for the sycophantic
knaves, who, to secure their bread and
WIN the smiles of the tyrants 40 are
enslaving us, are engaged in the das-
tardly and dirty work of silencing a
political enemy, by corrIpt and unu
sual means.
Unless the course of Judge Bond,
whose character CantweQ seem so So
Iciteus to defend, has been greatly
misrepresented, he has acted the part
of IA malignant tool of despotism and
meanness, and not the part of a worthy
Judge. Vengeance, not justice, has
been his ruling motive-the smiles of
tyrants, not the plaudits of suffering
mankind, have been his only and high
ly cherished reward. The truth is, the
Bench is now foully disgraced, by many
an ignorant, corrupt and drunken
scoundrel, who far better deserves the
halter, or the horse whip, than the
woolsack of justice and these infa-
nous frauds upon humanity are placed
in power only because they are the
more readyand facile tools with which
the ends of usurpers, thieves and
! tyrants, are to be accomplished.