Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-14
The Poland Act-And the Poland
Doctrine,

|
Mr.. Williams successor at the depart
ment of ustice Is a reputable gentleman, has
the name of being good lawyer, and is be-
lieved to have sense of public opinion. OF
course, he will advise the administration
that the attempt to extend the jurisdiction OF
the Washington courts over the entire news
paper press of the country is neither hope.
full nor polite attempt, and had best be aban-
doned.
II is possible that this advice may be heed
ed. But the administrations next friends,
notably Mr.. Alexander Il. Shepherd, will
not allow the attempt TO be given up, yet
awhile, if they can help it. They had been
maligned, dreadlully, by II licentious press.
They painted to "gct even" They procured
the passage of law expressly to facilitate
that process. In Mr.. Williams, they knew
they had sympathizing and helpful friend,
who could be depended on to do anything
for them. They already tasted in imagina-
ton the sweets of revenge. To be now told
that their gag. law isn't gag-law at all, is
too much, They can't bring themselves to
admit the possibility Of such self-deception.
they know what it meansP
What they meant il to mean, undoubtedly
But II seems TO be the almost universal opin-
ion among good lawyers who have looked
into the subject, that the Poland act," so
called, does not effect the purposes which its
authors had In view; in fact, is utterly
worthless for those purposes. 1t will DO re-
me- tv,b not thn
measure insisted strenuously at the time that
the description Of it rs gag-law was incor-
rect He was not believed. Press and pub
lie, amply justified in that incredulity by the
suspicious look Of the thing and tho unmis-
taxable odor of "ring" trickery in the air,
were confirmed in II by the refusal of the re-
publican senators to accept Mr.. Bayard's
amendment. Had that amendment (exclud-
ing in terms actions for libel from the oper-
alton OF the act) been accepted, popular sus
picion would have been instantly allayed,
and there would have been no more trouble
As it was, the party had the namo without
the game. Judge Poland, as the nominal
author and actual sponsor of the bill, came
in for the brunt OF the storm, and it swept
him Off his feet. He has only himself to
blame. lie had no business to be caught in
such bad company, or in such false posi-
ton.
But It now seems clear that he was right
In his construction of the law. Whether he
innocently consented to father what he re-
garded as IN innocent bill whether, know
ing what its trainers expected to accomplish
by it, he did not see fit TO undeceive them /;
whether this was policy or waggery on his
part, may never be certainly known. The
one thing certain is, that Judge Poland did
not intend to restrict the freedom of tho
press, and that he is not at all that sort of n
man. Witness this extract from report
written by him in the summer of 1870:
/ A free press is tho life of free govern,
ment. The representatives of the people are
but their servants and agents, and it is of the
highest Importance that they have means OF
information as to the conduct of their repl O.
sentatives upon all measures of public con.
Germ. The public press furnishes the ONLY
means of making such Information generally
known TO the people. II should therefore be
allowed tho most unlimited freedom consist
ent with individual rights and individual
| reputation. All conduct of public
men, upon public matters, is fair subject o
discussion and comment in the public press
subject only to the conditions that they are
made honestly and upon reasonable ground.
of belief in their truth.
That last sentence is n good one to reaC
twice and make note Of. We take it to be
sound law; Judge Poland is generally Re
gArded ms standing pretty we'll up in his pro-
lession. At any rate, it is sound Yankee
sense. epu6ltodH.