New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-11
TILE LICENSE OF TIE PRESS.

IL is not surprising that we should hear
great deal lust now about the license of an
" INSCRIPTIONS press" The newspapers have
made awful havoc of late among personal
regulations. They have overthrow half
score of the most prominent men In Congress,
turned out n Cabinet 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 Treasury,
forced Congress to return the Back Pay, and
spoiled a number of political combinations
which depended principally upon plumber.
We cannot remember year in which the
newspapers have accomplished so much.
Upon the whole, they have denounced
with judgment and scolded with moder-
alton. Most of them have made
sure of the facts before opening their attacks,
and startling as some of their charges seemed
at nrst, they generally turned out in the enn"9'
to be true TO this creditable record OF the
press there are Of course some exceptions.
Random and exaggerated accusations have
been made, sometimes in the reckless love of
sensation sometimes in the hurry and excite
ment of hot campaign, and we shall be glad
for our part If all these offenders are held to
a strict account for whatever wrong they may
have done to the innocent. In general how
ever the press has only done its duty-done it
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 organs of the
Washington Board of Public Works for in
stance owned, uody, boots, and breeches, by
the District Ring, or loaded with paving con-
tracts till they cannot stand straight; these
able and heightened journals, which distinctly
threatened to attack the wives of certain cor
respondents unless the papers those gentlemen
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
to get rid Of him. Assistant District
Attorney Harrington, who is under some en-
barrassment in consequence of the publication
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 bill through Congress to muzzle it.
The Credit Mobilier statesmen are all satisfied
that the greatest danger to our free institu-
tons comes from the license of the press.
Ex-senator PomerOy and Judge Barnard are
of the same opinion. What with the men who
have been found out and the men who fear to
be, the new movement at Washington to keep
the newspapers 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 men in
power will be subjected to great annoyance
and pecunary 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 an
instant that the good sense of the American
people will fail to perceive the purpose of
these proceedings, or will tolerate any abridge-
ment of liberty which is one of the strong
est bulwarks of the popular rights.