Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-08-28
THE GAG LAW ONCE MORE.

The Monitor this week attacks us Tor
what we have said Of the gag law, and lays
our illusions to that disgracefu affair to an
endcavor to get up opposition to Judge Pc.
land, The latter charge is utterly untrue.
The gag law was passed and widely con.
demned by the press of the country before it
was mentioned editorially in the FARMER,
and we RETAINED from adverse criticism Of
the law until both sides had been given a
hearing Judge Poland's letter to the Bos-
ton Advertiser was being largely copied by
Poland organs, wherein he attempted to
smooth the matter over and make the bill
appear as harmless to the people as it had
done to Congress. The import of the law
was so plain, and the intentions Of its franz
ers so apparent, that any unparalleled man
could see the evil Of the act. We called
attention to it, not because we fear for the
press-they can take care Of themselves
should be exposed wherever found. The
extract from Harper's Weekly which we
gave last week completely answers the soph.
istry whereby the judge claims to prove that
the law could not apply to libel at all.
1t is not because this law enables justice
to reach criminals, nor yet because it may
facilitate the punishment of him who SLAM
ders some one through a newspaper, as
Judge Poland and the Monitor assume, that
a cry has been raised against it, but because
it Is a manifest attempt of a ring Of Wash
ington lobbyists to obtain the power of in
timidating the press.
If a newspaper libels man it should be
made to suffer therefor the just penalty Of
the law. If our laws are not sufficient to
meet such cases, they should be amended
so they will be, but this law enables the
offended congressman, or other person stop
ping in Washington, if any copy of the jour.
nal containing the alleged damaging state
ment DO circulated in the district, to cal
the offending editor to Washington to defend
himself Even this, though manifestly un
fair in the case of paper published in Yer
mont or California, we should not object to
for it is none Of our funeral if criminal bC
made to pay little more than the lega
penalty for his crime, but how is justice tC
be obtained? A jury picked in Washington
will be very likely to be at least friendly tC
the prosecutor in such a case. Nearly tn,
entire population Of the city is in one way
or another, either directly or indirectly, de
pendent upon some government employment
or Office. His daily bread is thus in tn
control of the ring who run our nationa
affairs, and each member of that ring vii
be duly careful TO see that his vengeanc
falls heavily upon the man who, as juror o
otherwise, does anything against the inter
est Of his brother member. But the chic
force of the law in awning the press was nc
; expected to be the danger Of conviction, bu
the heavy cost to the publisher Of deiendin
a suit 80 far from home. The fear Of thi
our noble representatives hoped would kee
a good many newspapers quiet which woul
: otherwise speak out and expose their ra'
! cality. How vain was this hope the mar
ner in which almost the entire press Of tn
country has exposed the gag law is proof.
The bill was drawn by Shepard himsel
, one of the gentlemen who had been mos
dsquieted by the exposure Of his frauds an
, trickery, and Poland, as his especial frien
F. and co-worksr, was selected to work it throug
f the House. No sooner had it been passc
; than Shepard made his boasts that he woul
attend to the press now if they didn't kec
5 quiet. An action was commenced by SheI
! ard against the New York Sun, and Ii
I news flashed home to the district where PC
l. land was straining every nerve to secure
n reelection. The statement that the la
Q would not apply to such cases had alread
been circulated over the judges siguatur
t and this case would hurt him at the poll
0 and by some means the Washington Jul
I failed to indict Mr.. Dana, aud the import
the bill was left to be decided after electio
: The ring, who desire Poand's return b
cause they have need OF his further service
9 will see that no case comes to trial und
IS the law until the election is over.
. =z.s.E
- If the Polandlties show you their ciroul
i as full of lies as an egg is full of meat, "