Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-28
A FREE PRESS AND FREE yC-

AACe y
done personally and pec11niariiy to the
proprietors of this paper constitutes
only a very insignificant point N the
case. The real question ct issuo Is
whether or not we shall have an
longer in North Carolina, Tree jurlc5
and free press. From its first estaD-
lishment, tho JOURNAL las sought to
uphold and defend il!c rights OF the
people. Until the days Of Radical
reconstruction and Radical tyranny. IL
IA word, until the days 81 cssrret-bag-
gerry and scal.swacgc-,.v tbs course
required no boidncss. IL these IA.ei
days however, when constitutions AMI
laws were Continually roi"a, t."np'Nd
under foot, when me life, the ilbor:,",
and the property Vi every c.t.zan AZ
at the mercy Of men like Poo, Holden,
Heater, and others Of that infamous
sort, it has required some coaraGe to
denounce crime and its perpetrators:
it did require some courage to DC
rounce Holden and Pool ana Pearson.
when Kirk vs. Ovcr-r..aui2G tie SCat;s.
setting at defiance the great wit O
Habeas Corpus, and when the riSia;
Of trial by iury vas hansiDg trenlb.i,' &
in the balance, awaiting the destrac-
ton that had already been decreed.
It is n matter OF pride to rs TO iz1loE.
that the course Of the JoCRsL during
the trying times through which "s
have passed since the surrender ia:
been such IS to make il eapeci'2 " A.tf-
full to the enemies C.: orr people sud Il
the enemies OF good government. y.
are glad to know that tEe men who
proved themselves enemies ~ the lib-
critics of our people feel thai til
JOURNAL must be siiencad before the:
can hope to accomplish Tier pulpu-
ses. We make no idle or Vain bods'
in saying this. The unprecedented Mt
tempt to indict the Editors OF this pa
per in New Hanover county, protractet.
during two weeks, the attempt III
Duplin county, the further attempt IL
New Hanover county, the attenlp5 il
Robson county, the at!emp5in Baden
county, show beyond al question, &
deliberate purpose 20 pursue Us to the
bitter END, and with d mai igui.y that has
been manifested towards no other parerI
It is idle to pretend that the stricture 8
Of the JOURNAL upon Ji.lzsA Bond com
stitute the real cause for tbs perss-
tent attempt to pervert the eng merry
of the law to oar destruction. It VoJIit.
doubtless afford the men who are q.
the bottom OF this matter, great glati-
fication to see the Editors Of this paper
compelled TO pay neavv ti:.9 and {,
lie III the common jail in the hope thu.
the Journal would no longer e.po2t
them to pablo cc0rn - enemies t
their people and to their State. l..
these men imagine that ugh Will b,
the result, they imagine. Il vain thing
The course az this ri.n D5:ti l..
fore lie went aoou tie Dancl
VS. not above auap:cio2, nor la.
he preserved the purity IL =.
judicial cTmina with such ;.n.f2:;;c;l ,s.,; :
ness as to make Us fear to go before a.
honest North Carolina ury a.,t)as3zthc.1
to decide what IS his true eli : ct-r. t
is not our pGrpo3e.0 develop, w-it-2 any
par icuiarity, or line of defence amt.
the proper time comes. Tl2i,; nrcL.
however, VIC deem Il Iuo t. ourselves
and to or readers - s:sE his morning,
Tor the reason that = formal ,l'lul5Jl2lC,.-
ment has been1nala, u3on theaut!Io-..;.r
it is said, of M Solicitor G,2asy,....:. !:,at
bills oi Indictment ha:t ben 52lL,.
against us III RoDo:on AZ: I!s-ioL.
We are nu5 aurc. how-7vc:. IL point o
fact, that the s;,.tc:nel., II - - true
So far AS the statement III regard l.
Robson County > colcerce.l, - la {
very goc,i reason IL J..i"To s-"5 !
not correct. 4 letter rom . IT,. =
worthy gentleman ia that County. -
forms us tuat il any s,;,cA hi.: i,;:.s :. (.
found il has not come to IL; : ,3,.... z. ..
oftht Cicri. OF tie Court o. -. 95....,v.
We have ta'.on steps II - r-....!,..
information from =. de. 2 II! =, :. -.
We doubt not Tat ~ e:t,v,i.:'5 Vii t.
made il Columbus County IN Y.,,'.
and in Brunswick st Is next s-:.s., :
T. word, ta:t al :-t1clDs5 VII J.,
made, ors or more times, ii &C.
county il t5i5 Judicial district. :,
make r1s feel the weight Of 4ta,i:o;s
malice and Radical hate.
We ere not advised w..o are I'll,
or who aGc tn prize
movers Ill this matter. Wc arc advised
that Mr.. Solicitor CantUel has &c
clared thai lie sas rot the originator
Of the prosecution. We o-c .3TiaeG
that he made this dec.arot.c on before
the Grand Jury Of New Hanover
county, ana accompanied i with t..t
further declaration ts4a- he id moi
object 10 the fac: being made known
to the Editors OF the JoCE..AL We aie
advised that His Honor Judge Et,sse!,
declared from the Bench at B'adcn
Court, that be had taken no i.ai.S IL :1;.-
vising or instigatius the E,atter. These
declarations being true, it becomes
q matter of serious moment 10 the
people to know who are the ;5arties
who thus attempt TO west the
OF the law to their aid III
thus striking down the liberty OF the
press. We repeat that the people have
a right to know who are the real pros
ecutors in this matter. Il viii be re-
that the successful attempt
to suppress the New Orleans Times
was Immediately followed by the
of the State Government Of
Louisiana. Whent til freedom OF Grand
Juries, and the freedom Of the press
shall have been destroyed, the liberty
Of the citizen will have ceased to
exist.