The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-30
Libel SUITS hnd the New York Times
The Freedom ofthe Press Threatened.

Libel SUITS and the New York Times
The Freedom ofthe Press Threatened.
The outspoken threat of Mr.. john
KELLY to prosecute the NciC York Times
for libel. after the election, IL a political
act of no little significance. IL gives us a
clear view of the standard of principles by
which Tammany Hall is to be gagged IN
the event OF its coming into full power as
the result of this election. Mr.. KELLY ex-
poets to have tho courts and the District
Attorneys Office under his thumb.
We have no attack TO make upon Mr..
KELLY, except so far rs he exhibits him
self by his public acts and in the present
campaign. Recorder HAcKErr was thrown
over by Tammany on the ground that, in
certain criminal cases, he made judicial
decisions I'm favor of a certain individual,
obnoxious TO Tammany Hall as now or
ganiZed. though formerly it's leader
What is the plain and irresistible logical
Inference from thisi Is It not the clearcst
and most emphatic notice to all the Judges
on the bench that II they wish 10 have the
support OF Tammany Hall, and IL they
wish TO retain their Offices they must de-
eide all questions even of personal rights
and criminal law, as Tammany Hall wishes
aud dictatesl Aud was ever before such
dangerous, such an atrocous doctrine
propounded in this free country?
If Mr. KELLY succeeds in fully establish
ting his power by the election OF next
Tuesday. il Is assuming u good deal to
conclude that the freedom of the press
will be maintained here by any easy or or
binary struggle. II is not impossible for
Grand Jurics and Petit Juries to be so
manipulated by District Attorneys rs to
direct indie ments ana verdicis in certain
channels. We should look TO see civil suits
for libel supplemented by criminal prose-
BUTTONS, and with q Judge on the bench
ewift TO do the bidding of Tammany Hall,
IL would be thing not vt all surprising to
us to see the guardians of the public rights
consigned TO the jail and the penitentlary.
Tho most faithful friends of liberty have
met such fates before, and why may they
not be subjected TO them again.
There can be no possible occasion for n
libel suit or prosecu ion against the NciC
York Times. II in the most heated politi-
cal discussion that journal says anything
Of any man untrue aud unjust, he has only
10 lay clear evidence OF tins before the
Iroprietors TO have IL retractei and the
matter set right We assume to say this
because we know the proriietors of that
paper to be gentlemen. aud we know that
the high character OF that Journal could
not be maintained by any other luc and
practice. We say, therefore, that SO far as
the NcW York Times is concerned, no az
Ireved individual ever has any real occa-
SION to resort to the law of libel. He can
get redre 5, If lie Is entitled TO It, easier
mud quicker.
We were not surprised yesterday morn
Ing TO learn that practical effect had been
gwen to Mr.. kELLY's intentions to silence
the press by an attempt to get the editors
Oi the Times arrested on the complaint of
one KING-appropriate name for the first
effort to assert despotic power
Mr.. EcCLEsISE appears in this proceed
ing ms attorney. 1t may be our duty to
our neighbors OF the Times to inform them
tlat Mr.. EccLEsINE is by no means with.
ont experience IN the same line. He once
brought suit against The SCN for the
publication of an Infamous letter of WILL
LIAM III. kEMBLE, which Mr.. kEMBLE
sWore he never wrote; but unfortunately
NJ. kEMBLr had sworn on a previous oc-
olsion that lac did write the same letter
There was little disparity between his
tHO Oaths which lie could not explain.
Mr.. EccLEsINE on that occasion had ar
hanged 10 20 to a dinner parry in the
evening, where he was ~ rec i've the con-
rratuations of his friends ON his victory;
ilt the honest jury refu-ed To give him A
verdict even for -iX-and-a-quartc ccuts,
til he concluded TO stay away fron that
Gamer.
We apprehcnd that Nr EcCI rsISE's pro-
coeiings before the magistrate In his new
clse will hardly bear close criticism. We
doubt whether there is any lc al evidence
and no other is admissible IN such pro-
Ceeding-that NJ essis. JESNGSGs and JoNEs
are the publishers of the Times. Mr. Ec-
CLEsINE, we think, has been little too
fast; but we only refer 10 this point us
showing the recklessncss OF the attorney.
Then, again, il seems that Mr.. EccLE-
SINE openly proclaimed that he had po-
itical partisan object to accomplish in
mstitutng this prosecution. j. such the
business Of a reputable lawyer? Is not this
perverting the law to base uses to which
1t should never be broughtl
The attack on the Times is an assault on
the freedom of the press. In that fight,
from Alpha to Omega, we are with the
Times out and out, and against JONI
KELLY, and all the other enemies of lib
elty, nom the beginning to the end.
what Cuba Costs Us.