The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-21
HAVE WE A sEDITION LAW.

The telegraph informs us that Grant and
some of ms advisors were in consultation
yesterday over an article that recently APP
peared in the Washington Capital upon the
political situation. We are informed that
''the statutes were closely examined and
notes made of the law which it was consid-
erred attaches criminal intent to such arti-
'cles-" Having succeeded in defrauding the
people out of their choice for the presiden-
cy, the conspirators now propose to silence
the press and prevent it from commenting
upon the swindle. Could the matter be de-
termined by a returning board, there would
be no difficulty in the premises, for Wells
and his ooadjutors would dispose OF it as
easily as they did of the democratic MAORI
ty in Vernon parish. But unfortunately
for the conspirators, as yet returning boards
haze not taken cognizance of the liberty of
the press, their time having been taken up
in counting in Hayes. Having disposed of
this to the satisfaction of the thieves in
office as we'll as those who expect
to get office, they can turn their
attention to silencing the press,
with a certainty that their acts will be sus-
tanned and approved by Bradley and Miller
and Strong, should they ever be reviewed by
this trio of judicial frauds
In 1899, during the administration of the
elder Adams, congress passed law known
as the sedition law. It's object was to pre-
vent criticism upon the acts of those then in
power, and were it now in force Grant end
Taft and Wells and the rest of the radical
gang who are now so incensed at Don Piatt
for publishing what he believes to be true
would soon have the Don In prison and his
paper suppressed. But, thanks to Thomas
Jefferson and the democracy of his day, the
infamous sedition law was repealed and its
supporters driven from power. Not
until the American people are ready
to become slaves will they permit a
similar law to be enacted, for the
liberty of the press and the liberty of speech
are the dearest boons of free people.
When they consent to be deprived of these
put on the oppresscr's yoke and bow sub
missively to his will.
The fact that the president OF the United
States and some of his constitutional adj
visers conferred together for the purpose of
devising means TO prevent adverse COM
ments upon the action of the joint commits
sion. is very significant They know that a
foul wrong has been committed, one which
cries to heaven for vengeance, and they also
know that If the people have the right to
denounce this wrong and the press the right
TO hold up its authors to the execration of
mankind, the men who committed the
crime, and the man who will profit
| by it, will stink in the nostrils
Of freemen worse than did the
dung in the Augean stables Hence the eff
fort of the conspirators to scare somebody
and their desire to silence the press. But
their efforts will be in vain. Freemen all
over the land will denounce both the Lou
isiana returning board and the Washington
returning board; will rank Wells and An
derson and their negro partners in crime
with Brady and Strong and Miller and their
radical pals in theft, and consign the whole
batch to that infamy which Is the certain
doom of all men who prove traitors to cen
stitutional liberty. sit.