Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-05-09
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.


San Francisco among its many and va
ried attractions. boasts of Federal Off
cial known as the Superintendent of the
Mint. This important position is at
present occupied by n doughty warrior
who reioiees in the somewhat bueolic
patrionymic of General La Grange,
though we are not aware that be, as yet
wears hay seed. The other day there
was an election held in Oakland for city
officers. That pleasant burgh it appears
contains for the present, the household
gods of the valiant General, as also of
many of the subordinate officers of the
Mint whom, when the heroic General
says come, they appear quickly, and
when be majestically commands them to
go, they ineontinently vanish. Besides
enjoying the blessings of being the
dwelling place of this warlike son of
Mars and his otedient satellites, Oakland
boasts of a paper called the Oakland
News, which, as is not uncommon in
California, is Republican in politics, but
independent in tone. This journal it ap-
pears. was bold enough to make some
remarks upon the municipal election and
the course OF the Marslike General in
respect to it. This reused the ire OF this
modern Achilles, and he goes to the
news-man and speaks piece, as follows:
They called upon us Monday evening.
when things looked differently. General
La Grange said he wanted no mean allu-
slons to him or the institution under his
charge, in connection with political
affairs. If anything more were said, he
would see that he got his man."
Would he, indeed. What in the world
would his man be doing while the belli-
cose General was getting Understanding
still, we suppose? So matters have come
to very pretty pass. A journalist can
not make legitimate comments upon the
conduct of q public officer, but
he is forthwith to be " got. "
Here is a jack in Office, vested with q
little brief authority, a servant of the
people, who supply him with and pay
for every morsel of bread he eats, and
yet none of them must criticise his con-
duct, censure his actions, or admonish
him to behave decently, under penalty
Of being got" 1t is time this kind of
thing should be stopped. We are no id
vocates or defenders of licantious or
libellous press; on the contrary, we think
that where journalists step beyond that
well defined line lying between public
aud private affairs, and invade the sane
tity of private life, there is no punish
ment too severe for so gross violation
of their we'll understood duty. No gem
tleman, no respectable journal, will COM
init 80 great breach of good faith. On
the other hand, it is equally the journal
lists true province to examine closely
the actions of all officials who are simply
the paid employees of the people, and
when those servants are found wanting,
w Day ~, 'cuiico1is anu WluOul regard
to whether the person who is in fault
likes it or not. This is the duty of a
public journal, and yet, according to
this mighty hero of the San Francisco
Mint, if they performed it, they are to
be got" Well, before the General
gets through getting all the journalits on
the Pacific coast who may choose to
crticise and condemn his official acts. he
may wish he had not undertaken the
task. 1t may be well to give our readers
the benefit of the paragraph which so
e1corlated the feelings Of the pugnacious
disciple of Mars, that he threatened to
get the Oakland News man:
We have nothing to say against men
because they are Office holders, nor does
the holding of an Office impair the right
OF any person to take part in politics.
But 1t Is entirely odious to the general
public for otfce-holders to unite as n
single man in political movements. 1t
shows that their actions are controlled
by some influence far in the background
The men who are Just now SO wonder
fully devoted to the interests of the party
are General LAGRANGE and Mr.. Pinney.
1t looks too much like bondage to follow
their nod and draw party lines here,
though the Republicans are not doing so
in other cities.
Now in conclusion we desire to remark
that if Federal or any other officials
think they are going to muzzle or intim-
idate the public press of the United
States. while those journals are combining
themselves strictly to their legitimate
province: that of scrutinizing public
men and measures, advocating in those
respects what they think is right, and
condemning that which they believe to
be wrong; il, we say, the public SER
wants, National or otherwise, think this,
they will Fave undertaken task. COM
pared to which the tabled labors of Her
cules were but child's play.