The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-06-26
!SHGcE!j5lg the Press.

The Senate has passed n bill which is
intended to intimidate the press of the
country The language of the bill is not
calculated to arrest the attention of the
casual reader. much less to excite his fears.
= 1t simply provides that when comuanv
or individual, doing business in one State
of the Union has an agent iri any other
portion of the Union, service of a writ
rpon such agent shall be considered service
upon such company or individual.
This bill grew out of tle hostility of
members of Congress TO the NEWSPAPERS
1t was by means of the fearless press of
the country that the monStrous iniquities
perpetratcd by Congress have been ex-
posed. But fol the publication of the
Facts relating to the Credit Mobilier stock
jobOers, the SanbOrn contracts, the Wash
Ington Ring and the salary -gra bberS, the
people might have remained in ignorance
of how they were being robbed. The
opportunities and facilities for plundering
the people were diminished by reason of
the exposure of these great fraudulent
/ transactions and members of Congress be-
came corrcspOndmgly incensed. If they
brought libel suits against the editors at
the places where the journals were publish
ed, they knew that they were likely to lose
them because the iuries would be composed
of honest men selected from the bodies of
the respective counties and the Judges
would be men of learning and probity.
But not 50 if they could try these suits at
Washington. There, judges and iures
are moulded according to the notions of
the Administration! They feel that they
are dependent upon the men who hold the
reins of government and those who make
the laws, for the bread they eat, the clothes
they wear, the improvement which have
cnchanced the value of their property, the
trade which lines their pockets with green
backs, and the privileges and diStintiOn
which they have gained in the social circle
Hence, the author of words written, re-
tiCctng upon the character of Washing
ton officials, would of necessity, have to be
punished, and that too, severely. The
New \ Gork journalist who dared, therefore,
70 publish an article in his journal, mar
rating in plain words the facts about some
stupendous and corrupt Jobs would be
summoned, through his Washington agent,
to appear in Washington court and an
swer to the angry Official in damages for
such a publication. He might be cOntinu-
ally haraSsed with suits until he would
naturally come to the conclusion that,
rather than lose all the property he owned,
he must suppress the truth and allow
crime to flourish in secret, the criminals
to grow rich upon their plumber and pass
in society rs Christian statesmen.
Such was the reasoning of the corrupt
gang which rules the now decayihg Repub-
lican organization. If the bill became n
law editors must take a tremendous respon-
Sibility upon their shoulders in exposing
crime, or deprive the people of the facts
which point the way to the condemnation
of unworthy public servants.
1t was by a free press that Tvecdisn,
received its dea-h-blow in New York City. (
1t was by a free press that the San Dumin- /
go Job was branded with the infalny that
caused a halt in the project of anncxation 4
1t was by free press that the Christian
statesmen whose hands were srnirched .
with Credit Mobilier stock were singled out
for popular reprobatiOa. 1t was bv Il free
press that the SanbOrn-Jayne->aw
Richardson exposures were made which
drove an incompetent Secretary from his
post and repealed the infamous moiety bill
1t was by a free press that Shepherd and
his lPprOus crew were held up to the pub
lie gaze as plunderers to the extent of
twenty million dollars an0 the form of .
government in the District of Columbia.
devise d for this purpose, was abolished
Can the people afford to allow the press
to be shackled? \ hOrrid gangrene is eat
~ away the flesh from the body polite.
Shall it 90 on unchecked and no alarm of
danger be sounded ? Corruption is here.
there, every where throughout the nation.
And 1t now seeks to shelter itself. so that
II may pursue its work unmolested, behind
such arbitrary enactments rs that uDon
which we are now commenting If the
people wish to know the truth, so that they
may act upon it as seems to them the best
Tor their own interests, let them keep the
public journals Independent. Whilst they
yuara the citizens against the licentious-
ness of the press, let them see to it that it's
liberty is preserved. Chaaa6ers5ur1 EaIley
Spirit.