Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-09
LIBEL SUITS AGAINST NEWS
DARERE


PAPERS.
Pew York Herald.
We have had recently, in different
courts and In different countries, an
unusually large number of actions
against the press for libel. In London
the proprietOrs of the AthenHum, a
most respectable periodical, were sued
for libel by a map publisher and COM
PEELED to pay damages to an extent, we
think, Of many thousand dollars. 1t
seems that the Antheneum threw
doubts upon the authenticity of GER
tain maps in one of It's book reviews.
For this a jury imposed upon it an ex-
~traOrdinary fine. In Chicago the edi-
tor Of the Times has been cast In a YER
dict Of twenty-five thousand dollars
for publishing as a matter of news a
false report in reference to the charac-
ter Of a young lady. In Charleston
Mr., Bowen, formerly Congressman, is
suing the newspapers for defamation of
his character. Mr.. Bowles, of Spring
field, In a suit brought by a powerful
politician, has been fined a hundred
dollars. When we are through with
the Beecher trial we are promised a
half dozen libel suits between Mr.. Til
ten and some of q contemporaries.
So that the saying, at never rains but
1t pours," would seem to be verified in
our own profession.
1t Is impossible to discover In the re-
suits attending these actions that any
definite principle regarding the free
dom Of the press has been evolved.
In the cas- of the AtheH9UBI nothing,
VT think, could he more unjust than
the verdict against its proprietors.
There was no libel intended, no malice
proved, nor, on its face, could there
have been malice. 1t is rather alarming
to know that any jury could be in.
duced to impose so heavy a fine upon
a newspaper for the statements in a
book review. In the case ofthe Chicago
Times it is also a hardship to see an
editor fined twenty-five thousand dol
lars because he was imposed upon by
some. wretch In a country village who,
to wreak his revenge upon a young
lady, wrote him a story affecting her
character. No one supposes for a
moment that the editor Of the Journal
invented the statement for which he
has been condemned. 1t is adj
mltted that he made every effort to re-
tract, and that he published a retrac-
ton. If journalism can be at the
mercy Of any one Of a hundred
correspondents or subOrdinatss, who
are thoughtless and, IN some cases,
irresponsible people who may in
way or another find access to
its columns, then it is about as haz-
ardOus a business as making powder or
mining with nitro-glycerine. There
may be an explosive shot in what ap-
pears to be the most innocent line on
the page, and if every person whose
name is mentioned In a newspaper col
umn except In terms Of commentator
can be allowed access to a Jury, with a
certainty of obtaining a verdict of
damages, then there is not only no free
dom of the press, but no opportunity
of doing anything in journalism but
printing market reports and marriages
and deaths.
Atthe same time we are IN favor Of
a rigid1aw of libel. Only let libel be
clearly defined. We do not ask any
special liberty for the press. On that
subject there has been a wonderful
amount Of cant and nonsense. This
country has suferedten thousand times
more from the license of the press than
it ever possibly can suffer from its fet-
tering. Editors should not be allowed
to plead business or ignorance or haste
or carelessness as anexcuse for the pub
LEGATION In their columns Of statements
damaging to private character. q well
organized paper can prevent the publ
cation Of these statements as efficiently
as a well organized bank can prevent
the passing into its Golfers Of forged
checks or counterfeit bank notes.
This viii come by system, by
employing gentlemen as Journal
lists, by holding correspondents and re-
pOrteTs and writers to the severe st aC-
cOuntability, and by taking pains to
know the truth before an article is
printed. If a journal is too poor or too
lazy or too Indifferent to take this
trouble then its editors should 90 into
another profession. Of course this VIII
take time and money, and viii be an
annoyance, but journalists have been
given great power In this country.
Their power has grown to an enormous
responsibility, and they have no right
to shirk it. If the result Of these va
rious libel suits against newspapers
viii be to establish a general system,
clearly defining what is libel and show
ing editors how far they may 60 in
dealing with the law, it will be an ad-
vantage not only to the press but to
the public. What the true journalist
wants is to know what is right and to
Do Il