The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-21
The New Sedition Law.

write, print, utter, Ut pupiISu any idioc'
scandalous, and malicious writing against
either House of the Congress of the United
States, or the President, with intent to de-
fame or to bring them, or either of them,
into contempt or disrepute," they sealed
the doom of their party and made inevita-
bic the revolution which Jefferson inaugu-
rated three years later with more liberal
ideas.
The Administration of John Adams was
personally pure, and Congress was not re-
preached with corruption. Party spirit
ran high and the genuine republicans of
that day thought they saw disposition,
which they determined to resist, to en-
graft monarchical ideas and usages upon
our young institutions. They criticised
the President and Congress with freedom,
as was their right and duty, and Con
gress was rash and foolish enough to an
swer that criticism with law whichever
since its short lived existence-has been
justly regarded as a stigma on the statute
book.
Offensive as that act was in its purpose
to strike a blow at the liberty of the press,
and to put curb upon free speech, the
Federalists had at least the manliness to
take the responsibility openly and to CON
front the consequences which were thus
provoked. They did not conspire in secret
to accomplish their object indirectly, set
up false pretences in a title, or smuggle
the bill through with lie on its lips in
the closing hours OF a session, as was re-
Gently done. 1t was never suggested IN
those days that editors could be dragged
from every section of the Union to answer
before partial jury at Washington, and
packed to order by the servlle instruments
OF power That conception was reserved
for the Credit Mobilier statesmen and the
back pay erabbers Of the present Congress.
One of the most conspicuous champions
OF free speech and vigorous opponents OF
John Adams was the gallant, gifted and
fearless Mathew Lyon, an lrishman by
birth, a republican by nature, and at the
time a resident Of Vermont, where he
published a newspaper. lie was con-
victed OF an attempt to bring the President
into contempt, and sentenced to four
months Imprisonment with large fine
While he was suffering under this penalty
the Nermonters met together, made the
cause OF Lyon their own, and elected him
to Congress. That was the answer OF the
people of Vermont to an infamous law.
After Jefferson succeeded to the Presidcn-
cy, and proceedings were initiated to pros
ecute Duane for an alleged libel on the
Senate, the President did not hesitate to
order the District Attorney to dismiss the
case, and thus gave the finishing stroke to
that relic of bigoted Federalism.
The lessons of this experience seem to
have been lost on the so called Republi-
cans OF the present Congress, who, false
to the tradition of their name, have sought
to revive the condemned legislation of the
old Federal party, and to superadd to AN
intOlerant statute excessive jurisdiction at
war with every principle and precept of
the great charter upon which public and
private liberty rests. And as if to make
this outrage more marked and repugnant,
Judge Poland, member from Vermont -
the State which first of all signalized its
resentment against the Sedition law-was
the instrument chosen for this disgraceful
work by a ling Of convicted plunderers.
In seeking to muz2le the press and to
prevent other exposures, Congress has only
added fuel to- the fire and made the over
throw of the Republican party as certain
as anything human can be- The people
have seen with their own eyes, in spite of
concealment, suppression, withdrawing,
tlmd investigation, purchased silence, and
hagrant perjury, that corruption has invad-
ed the highest places in the Government,
that legislation is venal, and almost every
man IN public life has his price. Even the
fountain Of justice has been stained with
filthy water.
The independent press has stood out
against fearful odds to purify and reform
the public service. At last the country is
awakened to the reality, and there is hope
OF such change as will sweep away every
vestage of Grantism
Great progress has been made in twelve
months Credit Mobier, the District
King, Jayne jobbcry. Sanborn contracts,
salary stealing, back pay grabbing, and
the like bear witness to the power and
purity OF the press. which at no former
period ever exhibited the same degree of
strength or commanded as wide an infu-
ence for good US now.
10 suppose that any act of Congress can
stide the freedom of the press, or that the
persecution of any Individual editor will
lntlmdato the thousands who speak daily
with the strong voice of conviction and
from a man " sense Of du,y, is worse than
foolish, as the authors OF the gag law
will soon discoverer.
The new sedition law which was put
through Congress by trick and a fraud.
Is the invention of the Washington Ring
OF robbers, whom that very Congress was
forced to vote out of office for corruption
and rascality. 1t was passed by Re
publican House, and Republican Senate,
and signed By a Republican President
and it is worthy of the crew who first
plundered the people, and then hired pen
itentiary convicts TO put up burglary on
their own premises, in order to discredit
their accusers
There is a higher law in this land than
partisan legislation 1t is the supreme
law of right and reason. We live under a
written Constitution, which, though
sneered at and wounded by bigotry, intOi-
erance and usurping faction, still survives
to cheer and guide u.s. 1t has inscribed
IN letters of living light in the first amend
ment, Congress shall make no lo,c
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press
While that protection stands the Repub- |
leap party gag law has no terrors for the |
brave. 1t Elay have the rattle of the |
poisonous snake, but the faugs are extract