Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-07-15
The License of the Press.

1t is not surprising that we should heal
great deal just now about the " license
of an subscriptions press. The news
papers have made awful havoc of late
among personal regulations. They have
overthrow half score of the most prom
inent men in Congress, turned out Cab
met officer and two of his chief assistants
broken up the Sanborn Ring, the Jayne
Ring. and the District of Columbia Ring
ruined several formidable organizations
for taking money out of the public Treas
ury. forced Congress to return the Back
Paw. and spoiled a number of political com
binations which depended principally up
on plumber We cannot remember a
year in which the newspapers have ac-
complished so much. Upon the whole,
they have denounced with Judgment and
scolded with moderation. Most OF them
have made sure of the facts before open
ING their attacks, and startling as some of
their charges seemed at first, they gener-
ally turned out in the end to be true. 10
this creditable record of the press
there are of course some exceptions
Random and exaggerated accusations nave
been made, sometimes In the reckless love
of sensations, sometimes IN the hurry OF
and excitement of a hot campaign, and
we shall be glad for our part if all these
offenders are held to strict account for
whatever wrong they may have done to
the innocent. In general, however, the
press has only done its duty-done 1t with
care. with courage and with effect
The current clamor about the license OF
the press comes from those who have no
business to complain. There are the or
cans of the Washington Board of Public
e aaI bod W
and breeches, by the District Ring, or
loaded with paving contracts till they can
not stand straight; these able and high
toned journals. which distinctly threat
ened to attack the wives of certain CORES
pondents unless the papers these gentle
men represented ceased their exposures
of the District scandal, have wrought
themselves to fury over the scurrility of
telling the truth. Mr.. Shepherd is very
much excited because the newspapers
have shown his administration of the
District to be so bad that Congress abol-
ished the whole government in order to
oet rid of him. Assistant District Attorney
Harrington, who is under some embar-
rissment in consequence of the publica-
tons of the story of the Safe Burglary.
has so mean an opinion of the licentious
press that he Joined Mr.. Shepherd and
Judge Poland in putting Il bill through
Congress to muzzle it. The Credit Mobilier
statesmen are all satisfied that the greatest
danger to our free institutions comes from
the license of the press. Ex-senator Pome-
roy and Judge Barnard are ofthe same opin-
ion. What with the men who have been
found out and the men who fear to be, the
new movement at Washington to keep the
under control has plenty Of
well wishers.
1t is quite likely that in the course of /
the next few months various newspapers
which have made themselves obnoxious to 4
men in power will be subjected to great /
annoyance and recuniary expense. But
we have no idea that any independent /
journal worthy of the name will falter in
the course that is known to be right |
Neither do we imagine for m instant that I
the good sense of the American people /
will fail to perceive the purpose of these
or will tolerate any abridge-
ment of Il liberty which is one of the
strongest bulwarks of the popular rights.
.NeW York Tribune.