New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-29

and Termincr; but at the time, pay
perfect respect personal liberty shall under no
circumstances. disregard the rights OF citizenship"
The hearing was then adjourned to Nov, ).
THE BROOKLYN RING AND THE PRESS
ABSURD INDICTMENTS.
From The Brootiyr Uaion. ~ ~
The indictments of Mr. Dana OF The sun,
and Mr. Reid OF THE TRIBUNE, novelty In proceed
ings for libel. The publications on which the lndct
ments are founded grew ont OF me trust company
alleged TRIBUNE libel TO the effect that Daniel Chaun-
Ssy ne continual and * Conceal In
ton with the COmpanY-technically In compromising
felony" The alleged sun libel was TO the effect that
Judge McCue and William c. Kingsley, another DIRECTOR
were concerned in Company frauds ana that they hau
fed from the city to escape justice We have already
freely expressed an opinion on inc Iecklesshess gnu m
Justice OF the OF the journals named In critcng
tbis course thew are responsible We have never hes
tated that they should be held respOnsDle-n0t IN
of professional confidence by disclosing the Of u
porter writer but In enforcing upon the owners and
managers OF The san aud TRIBUNE an adequate penalty
for any personal wrong done by their publication A
mistake is made III tho endeavor TO take from the aar
vague and impersona character. The effort TO exag-
gerate matter into attack upon the City OF Brook
iyn must fall The city not identical with, nor Is us
welfare bound up in Judge McCue or Mr. kingsley, or
any other prominent or official persons whose public or
nriyate invites criticism. Whether they bear
criticism fall beneath It Brooklyn VIII survive ana IS
any event The conception OF an TOT
libel a whole community is unique but prep9sterous
The is purely personal one and II Mr. Rld ana
Mr.. Dana are found guilty OF lbeng Judge McCue anu
nothing else. These indictments for libel suggest
Tho tnnuiry whether they will prove prac-
teal precedent. Hitherto people aggreyed by publ
cations have sued Tor damages IN civil SUITS IT the
method Of ndlcnent Is 10 De Saostl te, sra it5
proceedings for libel VIII the grievances OF common
have receivedl TINS Is question the public viii not fail
20 ask Indeed. far as public opinion Is concerned al
the indictments OF Saturday impaired Of their force
hat perhaps not OF their significance, by strong sus
plcion OF a political origin and partisan purpose.
SUMMARY AID ARBITRARY ACTION.
ON brooklyn Union, Sept Y.
New-York and Brooklyn are startled by the
summary ana arbitrary II not Illegal, attempt OF Judge
late 10 say That Judge Gilbert, whether technically
right wrong holding that Mr. Sanks IS liable 10 be
his request to by counsel before being sent 70
prison No public interest demanded such summary
citizen unfamiliar with the points O law, to be heard by
counsel whose business 1t to understand the laws and
Piled with sound discrimination TO the particular cir
eunsances OF each We know that Boss Tweed has
crs and has had days and weeks and months allowed
for the proper conduct OF HIS defense: Per
t irp3it to do what he did. but no was not
bound TO do 81 he had legal diSare non not IT,, TO
liberty OF the cz have afforded reasonable oppor
nity for Mr. shanks to be heard by counsel Justice Is
often slow enough In his court, gentle enough toward
politicians who are UNDER the ban OF puzzle OPINION ana
Notwithstanding the tag9ress Oh J,Hgo oDJlt irics
scriples against disclosing facts conmu
nicaied a sacred confidence which men OF honor
usually respect
TIE LATEST ATTEMPT TO BROw-BEAT THE PRESS.
from The 81 Pant DisDgtcq. o. %.
Several NcW-YOTk papers have of late been
cXpOsug the ihties tue Brooklyn Ring. The ras
Gals are OF course ihu Si Il. suvn "ssoe, iu i
Trying 10 get up libel suits AGAINST the newspapers
They are not going squarey TO work to yndlcate then
selves by bringing suits fOr damages but arc endeayOf
ing 10 harass the editors by criminal prosecutor me
criminal prosecution - chosen because the rascal'
knowing that the result will probably be an utter failure
OF the suit will have the pleasure Oh ewing soue p9I
sOna annoyance To the editors which cannot be accom-
pshed by Tor damages One OF the editors referred
To was called before the Grand Jury in Brooklyn, the
other day. and was asked who mad written certain dr
sharks Of 1HE TRIBUNE declined answering, saying that
Mr. Whiteaw Reid. chief editor OF THE TRIBUNE, was
responsible for what appeared IN the paper ana that
the RUE OF tie oflice never TO tell the names OF
writer's OF particular articles UPON s Juqeial US
by the name OF Gilbert committed Ar shanks to the
II Is POSSIBLE that Judge Gilbert ia not rurposely
but he IL certainly going the straight 10 that end
He IS eSo"s ~enjs q. ioF %d S Si
trbute sufficient money 70 buy for MIN gorgeous
leather medal with hole in It.
WARFARE WITH PIGNIE5.
Prom Tie NsDlrk O.. ~ hsggsr.
If there is any one thing IuE TRIBUNE has
for years past Oeen famous Tor II Is It's thorougpace9
uprghiness, honesty and earcssuess IT, the great ana
had held the rens OF National Government, made the
most Abrahallke sacrifices for purity ana principles.
Ii literally rsked its life IN casting of allegiance to me
Administration parry me reeklng rOtenhess ana cor
ruptions Of which could stand no longer Malignant
Greeley', aspirations. We have 10 doubt this was
true but not IN the sought TO be conveyed.
and exacting When he guided THE TRIBUNE against
his own party nfImeS he could not possibly have FORE
EyerythIng goes to prove TIE TRIBUNE honest in
ITS course the Washington Ring and everything
Goes To show that 10 has been lonest IN It's war on
the Brooklyn Ring. The attempt was made to Kill &c by
Tue GRANTEES. and OF course failed miseraDly. The
they now Try TO kill its freedom. The Brooklyn pgmes
nave essayed what the Washington giants Iaiied
VrfET pTl viii
snap, tnrOWs down the gauntlet To the plsnics'
USELESS.
From The Boston EGUeti,r
In attempting to punish editors for what
they assume TO he contempt Of court" judges are
doing the thing most likely 70 Drlng INTO cVheepS 1otn
Recently OF the Brooklyn Judges mas undertaken 10
having ataehe OF tnat paper WITHIN ms grasp, com,
mtted hun to jail without pail because ne re refuses 10
screws and try the power OF the crack" IL due to the
public sentiment OF the age rather than to ms own
larger undertaking before him tnan he has Anticipated
Congress has within few years been engaged ia similar
fur Their attempts make the writer's OF newspaper ar
ces reveal the sources Of heir Information No honorable
journalists will do tins when information Is gwen t1em
m good faith and legislators and courts should by this
time have come to knowledge of this fact
THE TuBUNE's POSITION CORRECT.
FrOaa ne VielsbsTg Herald.
THE NEw-YORK TRIBUNEs. position IN re-
gard the recent imprisonment OF one Oh It's editors
OF the rascahtes OF the Brooklyn ring and now nlos
himself jail THE TRIBUNE says It stands ready either
10 prove its first Or pay the damages me Gay
has passed when newspapers Tear 10 speak what ity
think It newspapers duty, as the servant OF the
people to unearth rObberies, punderngs, rascatles
and to use its mighty influence 10 stop then ana punish
inc offenders In endeavOr To mtzZle the frcss the
Rrookyn Ring will hud itself lighting the power that
alone can crush II.
AN ILLEGAL COMMITMENT
from Tie Br,0tiyh -argss.
The first commitment paper Is fatally detec-
tive That by tho course taken exchange
A FOR auo her or course so far as that commitment was
concerned, Mr.. Shanks's imprisonment was not
legal bat Illegal. lie prefers however, not