The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-15
Ono of Ben. Buffers Best Speeches.
HIS OPINION OF NEWSPAPERS.

In the House of Representatives, the
Frankipg Privilege being under discus
sion, the following remarks were made:
"Mr. Lawrence (rep.). of Ohio, declared
himself in favor of the third section of the
bill providing for the free transmission of
weekly newspapers, etc, and opposed to
all its other provisions. He argued that
the same principle which justified the sup
port of common schools at the public ex-
pense also justified the free circulation Of
newspapers and periodicals within appro-
pirate limits. Common schools, the press,
and the public addresses of every man were
the great moral and political instructors of
the people,"
In reply, Ben. F. Butler. of Massachn-
setts,- said some sharp things that are true,
even if it was he that said them:
"Mr. Butler went on to state that the
amount annually paid on letter postage
was $50 000, 900, and only little over
81 zoo, 900 for newspapers, and yet Con-
gress was called upon to relieve the news
papers of the burden. He contrasted the
great abuse of franking speeches and
documents on the approach of Presidential
elections with the greater abuse of loading
the mails with newspapers, a large portion
of which consisted of advertisements of no
interest outside the place where published.
He knew that the newspaper was a great
educator. No man had a better idea of how
great an educator it was and how it edu-
Gated. They heard now of murder, rob-
berry, arson, larceny and counterfeiting all
over the country, and why Because of
the newspapers They published every
detail OF how mt ;der has been and may be
committed, how counterfeting can be
practised, how banks are broken open and
how safes are robbed--the very minutiR.
man with an insane delusion about MUIR
der was taught how murder can be done
safely. The last words and dying speech
of murderer were transmitted as precious
information. IT there was case in court
where prurient details must come out for
the purpose of justice, which ought to be
heard in silence, and where in the old Eng
lish courts women and children were
dered to withdraw, they were all spread
out in the newspapers, in their most sick
ening and disgusting details; and yet these
papers were to be sent free through the
mails, to educate the people and the chill
dren in the ways of crime. If any Con-
gressional committee ever ranked any such
document as this, he would take away not
only the franking privilege from that COM
mittee, but he would take away the COM
mittee itself Yet members were to take
off their own privileges as public servants
in order that the mails might be loaded
down in that way. Think of it, said he !;
think of it, fathers, brothers, good citizens !;
Gated, but how they are educated by the
newspapers. They. say, am an enemy
of the newspapers By no means. I am
only an enemy of their abuses. 1 desire
that the children of this country shall not
be taught where bad books can be bought.
1 propose that the burglar shall not know
the experience of every other burglar. l
do not desire that the man who has got an
insane mind ready to commit murder shall
be taught exactly how it can be done and
done with safety. 1 do not desire that the
speech of the man on the gallows, wherein
he claims that he is going from the gallows
straight to heaven, shall be reported so as
to induce every other murderer to propose
to go to heaven by the same route. 1 should
a little rather not do that OF the expense of
the Government, if you please"