St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-11-27
That Gag Law.
A CORRESPONDENT OF THE NEW YORK
Sun THE FIRST TO USE 1T.


The newspaper and political dema-
gogues who shouted themselves hoarse
over the ..intilmy" of the So called gag
law" have suddenly found themselves
in an uncomfortable pickle. When we
took the trouble to show that the law
in question had no particular bearing
upon the oifenses of newspapers against
truth and decency, we were denounced
for it. Now ii so happens that the very
first application of the statute has been
made in IL case of conspiracy, and the
party conspired against is one Columbus
Alexander, il citizen of the District of
Columbia. and the '.contidentiar' cor
respondent of the New York Sun, One
-il-'rt CUM. ii citizen of New York was
indicted i'll the district courts along with
Whitley. Harrington. ct al, for conspir
ing to- injrIrc the character of this man
Alexander. 10y helping To put up Il job"
on him in the bogus safe robbery.
CunZ'S Ot1cnSe. whatever it WAS, was
committed III the state of New York.
and his counsel. \. Oakley Hall. held
that his otfcnSe was not coyniIable 10y Il
United States statute. he could not he
remamded to the district for trial. But
Judge Blalchtord. with the plain pro-
visions of the statute bcfur, him. very
briefly. but very significantly renders
his decision in these words: Il think
HiS l. Il proper case t"r Il warrant of
removal" Now Nh. CUM. the arrested
man, l. not an editor; he l. only an
obscure citizen: he has not been en-
gagged i'll the business of hbcling public
men. lie l. only 50 unfortunate ;IS to
br Il pdrticcpS crjmiHiS i'll very foolish
piece of business, in which. a> the cNi-
dcnce already shows. one party was
willing to buy " hat the other party WAS
willing to sell to wit. bogus testimony
Here is the "gaglaw in full operation.
but where l. the Indignation of the ont
ragged press Positively. We don't hcaI
4 single shrek. Tribune. sun. and the
whole tribe. meek a> lambs. CUM may
90 to Washington and l." prison. but
there Will he no cry OF ''oItragcd jus
ticr over his case. Justice. possibly
can't Ice outraged in his person col
umhuS Alexander. the sun correspond
ent i'll Washington. and the editor "i
the sun. himself. lIn have together
committed more cnm>pilacic> to imjulc
character than ANY other three men in
the country. find it very convenient tn
use the law they have 81 bitterly dccricd
Ton their own purposes. even though in
- doing they give the lie To all that
thrN and the small try At their heels
have uttered "r printed thus ftr on the
subject. BHt. if the law is good enough
Ia remand poor CUM. an unknown eli
zen. would ii not he good enough Ia
remand Il notorious editor for like
crime " "uld Justice bc "outlawrd
III the one ease more than the other
Let Judge Blatchturd answer. if hc even
shall have uCCaSIou Mud Let Tia. '.,..'
h.~ruiiy understood. evolved from Tia,
very first application OF the statute i'll
question. made under the inspiration OF
it, ASSISTANTS. that the question whether
a man can hc tried in the district ot
Columbia ion libel printed clS..w her,
depends not At all upon the >"-ralled
'gIg law. hut upon whether the courts
will hold tina, - libel Is comDiHcd where
ever the paper containing il circulatc>
Il question with which the >u-call,d
gag Law has no more I" It" than il
has with the weather. And if the courts
should - hold. we see no reason that Il
law that will do for IN obscure citizen
should not also ct" for an editor Tr0t
Times.