Daily Republican., 1880-05-26
The Libel Cases.

/
The verdict of the jury yesterday in
the libel suit Of W. T. Croasdale against
William Bright, was not unexpected
since it was found that Mr. Bright had
not himself either in person or by
deputy, signed his name to the docu-
ment charge as constituting the libel.
The verdict in favor Of Mr.. Bright need
surprise rohody. Editors Of newspa-
pers are the last persons in the world
who should resort to the law to seek
redress of either real or fancied inju-
ries. They have a weapon of defence
in their own papers which an an
tagonist cannot have and generally
they are not slow to use that weapon.
In these days of an almost unrestricted
free press nothing can be said or done
to injure either an editor or his paper.
People expect sharp things to be said
on both sides and if an editor cannot
successfully defend himself through
the medium Of his own paper, he but
poorly appreciates and makes use Of
the advantages which he has at his
command. When the law is to be re-
sorted to, it is generally expected to be
by those who feel themselves aggrieved
by something said in a newspaper, but
the sight Of editors fleeing to the law
tor redress of grievances is very rare
indeed. To those who have watched
closely the struggle going on for the
last two or three years between Mr..
Croasdale and his paper, and the officers
Of the Delaware Fire Marine and Insur-
ance Co., there can only be surprise
at the action Of Mr.. Croasdale. The
Company may possibly when it first
started out to do business not have been
Ill that could have been desired, but it
cannot be denied that it was always t
ready to pay its obligations promptly Ii
md since it has been carried on in this !
,ity especially the business seems to f
lave been transacted in a legal and !
honest manner. The fierce attacks of :
he "Every Evening"" of which Mr.. C
;roasdale is the paid editor on its man e.
cement, was calculated to ipjure to h
n untold extent, and il was under q
hese circumstances that DR.. Tantum, 81
entleman Of the finest and keenest VI VI
conscientious, upright "
nan undertook to defend himself and q
is associate officers Of the company ~
n the article which is laid for the OF
asis Of these libel suits. This article Ire
seems nobody really signed but DR.. dc
sntum, though there may have been pl
n agreement in sympathy with its con-
nts. Of course the suit Of Mr.. Croas-
lie against D. T. Hawkins, the secre- -
ry of the company, is decided by the L
'rdict in Mr.. Bright's case, as Mr..
Awkins did rot personally sign the
lblished article. It's claimed that as S
r. Tartum signed the article and 4f
yned the names Of all the ether cfii- cal
rs to the document, he is the really We wa
lilty man, and as the others are vir- 1ei mei
Ially cleared by the verdict in favor an
Mr.. Bright, he will have to bear the ne me-
sponsibility. We would not PREJUDICE an
3 case, nor would We say aught which 9th
ould initiate against q fair and i'm '@i I
rtial trial Int avan in thet oosa bid
40 'n@' 0"so VIC 52l
agine that it will be very hard to Lie
owe that Mr.. Croasdale is entitled to
her actual or vihdiotlve damages. AS y,
have already intimsted, a news L
per can scarcely be injured by SLAM
r. The more it is prosecuted, the =,
re It seems to thrive and flourish and in t
en the attack upon the "Every Eve and int
lg" by the officers Of what it called pit
fraudulent concern" should have sior
enlightened it II it had been pursuing vii, Vr
proper course. If the REPUBL1cAB was can
tina
rush into a libel suit every time A
melody publishes or says something Ere far
ainst it, it might forever be in hot son Sy.
ter; it might be even engaged in the
el suits against the "Every Eve +
lg" itself, but all such accusations aoy
ompted mostly by Jealousy are allow 0!:.
to pass by with no other notice than ''-'
effective reply from our own col
ms, to anything worthy Of an alp
sr. p,
4 we would not be accused of being hsa, 11aL
intermeddler we would advise the II
very Evening" to settle its cases Es Eet
icably and honorably without farther wa va
uble. Law suits are expensive luz a. N
es and there is rarely any certainty ri
he place where the Lightning may any
Ike. -