, 1876-06-24

IdE La" UE Ll0E4A.
Mr.. DAVID DuDLEr FIELD, counsel for
Boss TWEED, JrM FISK, and jar Gourp, hns
relieved himself by mn article in tho Intrrna-
tto1ai llcrietn, entitled "The Newspaper
prcss and tho Law Of Libel" TO mako
pertinent commont upon II, 1t is first neccs-
Bary to reproduce the spirit OF tho article.
Mr.. Field thinks TINT The newspaper press
Of tho United statos In "putrosconco putri-
0ed," whatever that may be; that newspa.
rors aro tho personal organs Of their etlitors,
tho instruments Of their likes md diAlikes,
their sclf-tove md their spite, their friend
BhipB and their hates y; TINT tho press IL 30
conducted as ''to mako towards of nino-
tonths Of our public men y; thai reporters
aro corlnorants -; that editors are "tran-
siont and irresponsible advcnturers y; and tint
tho hest wny to meet tho charges OF nawspa-
pers is to treat them with silence. In this
| instance, however, tho doctor does not tako
his own medicine, as is shown by his unnau-
ally long md vonomous reply to tho newspa-
pors which havo attacked him, instond of
the silence and indifference which ho 30 os-
tontations1y recommends. Az remedy for
tho "baloful influence" Of tho press, Mr
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD recommends moro
| stringent law Of libel. Ito thinks tlAk in d
civil action for lihol two-thirtls Of tho jury
should bo competent to return verdict :;
that notions for libel should havo preference
on tho court calondars; that, il orlor to rcm-
ctly tho possibility Of m award OF nominal
damages, tho Inv should fir q sum to be giyon
iu MI uses Of asccrsained libel, unless tho
jury should agroo upon larger sum tEAt
tic defendant should not bo allowed 10 pro-
! duco evidence a. 10 tho character Of tho
plaintiff, except in strict Justification of the
libel md that tho law provide "thnt re-
sronsiblo individual pnblishor Of overy nows-
pnpcr should 10 registered, Rnd TINT tho
nnmo Of the writer should be published at tile
foot OF every nrticlo rotlccting upon
character"
III 1870 thero woro +0.73G lawyera in tho
United States. Thoro arc probably many
moro now, for the schools, ncada,nies aud
colleges have ground them out very rapidly
Of Into ycaru. Out of those forty thousand
or moro lawyers thcro is but ono who In 8
been constantly, pcrsistently, mud consistently
attacked by tho wilolo newspaper press Of tho
country, regardless Of politics, md who bids
f"lr to bo it's target for so1no time to como,
unless &lo amend his wayn and thero is but
ona who ia sensitive in the mattor of tic law
Of libel. And who is this ono execution?
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD has hcon tho attorney
OF Ji1 F1sK, OF JAY dou1p, Of Boss TWEED,
and other prominent representatives Of public
and private immortality, stock-johbcry,
and general corruption and Hcoundrelisnl.
11e Inns boon tho npologist for
public misconduct and official trencf,-
cry. Flo has boon tho champion OF
tho rings and tho bully Of tho forum. IIo
has been the inventor Of now methods Of
thwarting Justice, browboating courte, and
bnmboozling jurieH. 1sy hia cunning tlovicos
JIM F1sK waa cnablcd to corrupt courts and
| pursue careor Of unplushing immortality,
which was only atopped by murderer'a
bullet ; md noas TWEED to plnnaor tho City
OF New York of millions, defy Its peoplo to
punish him, and pyCAra with his Dlun1er