The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-04-24
A War Upon a Free Press.

h'aS III ever occurred TO Inc feaQcr
to5ask himself why it is that corrupt
men OF all grades and all politics, are
always and everywhere found cher
ishing such special, cort;:;sll, vinaict-
i've hatred for the psess?j Why it is
that the first impulse Of an endan-
gercd "ring" or q frightened "boss"
is to turn upon The newspaper; to
call it hard names; to threaten to
crush it; sometimes tc assssai1ipt tc
carry the threat into execution?
Why it is that every unfaithful pub
lie servant; every tainted Congress
man or legislator every bSibe-taking
Judge, every dishonest ofiieial, high
or low, is loud-mouthed apaeloquent
on the unbridlcd license of8he press,
its propensity for blackel,ing good
mems characters, and the need OF
more effective checks upon this pro-
pensity?
The why is very simple. Public
robbers and public corrnpters hate
the newspaper, because they instinct
lively recognize in it their deadliest
enemy. The newspaper means pub
licity, detection, punishment. Like
all of their trade, they have a great
aversion to the light. They shun OBJ
servation. All they want is TO be
let alone. Now the newspaper re-
fuses TO let them alone. Ittis forever
prowling around, turning on the
lantern at inopportune moments,
catching them in the act, raising the
hue and cry at their heels, bringing
them generally to grief. lfthey feel
hardly toward it, it must be admit
ted that they have very substantial
grounds. Their hatred is compound
ed in equal parts Of dread and pre-
monition.
4 That the corruptionists and their
next friends should be found railing
with foul-mouthed volubility at the
newspaper, is not, under the circum-
} stances, very surprising or unnatu-
raj phenomenon. eff yon have no
case, abuse the plaintiffs attorney
!, These gentlemen have no case, and
The nerspdper is not only ne peoples
attorney, but often its de'cctiue and
baIiT into the bargain. The queer
thing is, that honest and reputable
citizens, Of fair intellgence and
blameless private morals should he
y found joing in this 3abtse. They
are opposed Oil sei ST rfISl ciplas te
tIiieving. They HAYES 40 natural
affinity with tho IthieyesS Forced
Y into corner, tliey viii a5snIit tbat il
is desirable crime of this sprt should
l be exposed and the criminals brought
to justice. The great minority 81
them will be forced to Itbhit, if they
4, are candid and truthful, that they
themselves lave done little or roth.
ing, and arc doing little or nothing,
in any practical way, to arrest the
spread OF this dry-rot Of official i'm
morality which has already made
such fearlul Roadway.
1t is not simply desirable, it is su.
prcmeiy necessary, that the country
be got out of this way as soon as
I possible. But it never can be col
out Of it unless the people are thor.
oughly awakened to the fact and
danger. That is what 9ll American
newspapers worthy tho name, oil
whatever politics, have been trying
; to do. They have used the proper
and only means to that end The
deplorable thing is, not that they
should talk so much about corrup
ton, but that there should be so mucl
corruption for them to talk about
TO quarrel with them for their fidelity
in the discharge Of q most unpleas
: ant but most urgently necessary pub
!, lie duty is rs sensible as it would bs
7 for the patient aud friends to holt
the physician responsible for the dis
, ease.
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