, 1875-04-03

li}>erately read It ns applicable to shs tin'es
ignoring the fact TINT t;lo world taa in the
meantime adopted new cotte of liberty. .
The Rar. M 4 profession, IS tho most in
tolernnt nnd relentless enemy OF tho Press.
II ia the natural friend Of prorogative. It Ia
arrogant, sclfisl,, nntl outside the protection
Of tho Court, not very t'rave. Being cdncat-
eli and intellectual, It feels moro kecny TINT,
ns a controller ap1 director, II not lender,
Of public opinion, it Inns been largely super
/ setlcI by the Press. Tho dny Of supprcHsing
! discussion by writs Of arrest md imprison-
mcnt las gono by ~ eifectunlty as the day of
s,,prrcssing Independent religious opinions
by the faggot and tho fire. Tho peorls l,ave
new tribnnc, and tho bench anil lilo Dar
aro reu,ansled to perfunctory dnties.
When lawyers speak Of tho nawspapersr r11s1l-
Ing to defend nny ono Of their number ac-
cl1scl Of violating law Or decency, and of
combining 10 rescue him guilty ar not guilty,
they assume what Is not true III fact, ami
what is impossible. Newspapers nre busi-
hess establishments. Each Ia more or lcss
necessarily tho rival OF the others. Each is
dependent upon tho good will aud support Of
tho public for MI existence. All it snys is in
public and not in secret II lives mud per-
forms all ita functions IN glass Aot,sc, risi.
bio 10 everybody. 1t cannot defend a wrong
without MI injury to itse]f. It caEnot hire
itself ont, as tho lawyers do. to defend tic
guilty or prosecute tho innocent. Such q
paper wonld ba blasted by tho very net upon
which lawyers attain their eminence aud
their wealth. The moment it dcsceuds to
tho level Of n pnid attorney, 1t PASSES into
public contempt md derision and ceases to
exist. Ths rress cannot, therefore, combine
To defend tic wrong, but with instructive
judgment It unitedly demands that no rrcrs
shall DO punished at The discretion of its enc-
mics save for such crime as It act,1nlly coin.
mits.
Tie suggestion TINT tie Press will event
ually destroy tho Courts, il not warranted.
Has it destroyed tho Church by being free
Of its control? Tins it destroyed civil gov.
ern1uent by being no longer subject to tyrnn-
nical interference? Such suggestion IL mt
urnl to profession which, Of NIL Others, is
icnloua of the influence Of TIM Press. There
il mt n village In the Land whera there in not
soma legal light who will discourse nil day on
the " licentiousncss Of the Press" The legal
profession furnishes the larger part Of the
aspirnnta for political honors. The time Aaa
been when such men were able to procure IN
"organ" to do their bloyiating and to mako
them famous. But, in the great emancipation
Of the Press, this personal organship has
been in great degree abandoned, mud now
all men seeking newspaper celebrity are re.
| dueeI 10 the sa.ne level
| The Inst clain BY which tho members Of
the legal profession held tho Press iii bondage
| is broken; the Press is free intellectually,
politically, and legally. 1t is strong in tho
| affections, respect, and confidence at tho
masses. It's conductors staud in no moro
awe or fear Of Courts, I'ar, or juries than any
other people exercising their 1ibertioa within
tho limits Of honesty, dccency, and law.
Against the vongofnl jealousy Of Courts mud
1aar it enjoys the protection Of public
opinion. II dc1cs now, as it did n
century nso, all arbitrary means, legal
or otherwise, to unlawfnlly control it.
It is tho tribune before whom the
great public bring their causes for trial.
The Courts are chosen by the citizens to nd.
minister justice md to intcrpret law, butt not
to make It. And while in the performance OF
their high and sacred duty. the Press will de.
fend them before the people. The Press
! wishca to cooperate with the Bar in the OK.
posture Of wrong and resistance to tyranny,
hut It mus. be us equals and not ns servitors.
The American Press is tlono playing second.
Ff11Ia tn nnv nrnfessinn