Wilmington daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1872-1874, 1874-07-31
From Ifarper's Weekly. r
THE GAG LAW.


The nrofound ignorance in which the most
;mnotra Mt laws arepa ssedby Congress isshown
nv the circumstances OF the gag law al tne last
session. Mr.. Poland, of Vermont, Is Kepuo'
Iican and a lawyer. When, therefore ne re-
norted n bill in regard to the courts OF the
nis,rict of Columbia, the members naturally
supposed that politically and legally Twas
oti r;1ht and when he said that there was
anv Court In the District which had 1urisdic-
non of CERTAIN classes OF crimes ana misue-
meanors, and this bill was TO remove thaI
doubt. no other explanation was thought neces'
sorv and the House aSSen.ed to which,
II is now stated, was crawn by the late Tower
nor of the District, who has grudge against
the press, and by his attorney, and the eject
of which is to give local court In Washihg-
ton authority to drag accused persons before
II from any part of the country and Try them.
In The Senateno futher OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
traordinary bill was offered than the remark
of Senator Frelinghuysen that it was very
necessary the bill should pass. The presldiug
officer. Mr.. Carpenter, must have smlied
grimly as he put the question: ana nearu no
dissent upon bill which involved the very
noint against whichScnatorsWad legh, Bayrd,
and Thurman had so vigorously protested.
n ia the duty of the press of this country TO
pOrcure the repeal of this gag law; not only
because it strikes at the newspapers as sen
tinels of the public liberty, but because one ,0,
snch wrong breeds hundred. AS the District
of Columbia is uuder the sole jurisdiction OF
the United States. every otfepse committed
there is an offense against the United States.
The District law makes libel misdemeanor,
punishable as a criminal Ogense, and the Dill
gives the trial of such Offense tn the criminal
c;ourt of the District, which is given the same
mower with other courts of the United states.
IT is held that the circulation in the District
| of a newspaper containing an alleged mel is
| an offense within the meaning OF the law
| Suit may be brought in the Criminal Court
and as it is, by the theory, an offense against
| the United States, the alleged offender may
| be brought. at the expense of the uni'ed
States ito the district in which the trial Is &c
be had" And all this is done, and an edltoi
NAV be brought from San francisco TO be tiieo
| in Washington, by blind little bill OF two
| little sections the first providing that the
Criminal Court of the District shall nave lur-
| isdjction of all crimes and mlSdemeanors com
| mtted i'm said District etc. :; and the second
| that proyision thirty-thIee of section four ol
| the Judiciary act of 1889 shall apply TO tht
courts created by act of Congress III the DIS
trict of Columbia.
| Nonewspaper asks for immunity OF SANDER
If n Washington correspondent libels pubic
man. the law already furnishes ample pro-
lection, But this bill is not leyelled at tn
correspondent for punishment so much as a
the editor and proprietor for annoyance IL
object is to constrain the freedom OF criticism
and to compel the managers of paper to IN
struct their correspondents not to run I'd
least risk of bringing on sult