The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-05-20
TIE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS:
IErom the Shreveport Times.]

| lEASAAA eAc SE'OAS AiLASS.l
The freedom of the press has been
considered by the friends of liberty one
of the great safeguards OF Republican
Institutions. Arbitrary power and tyr
amy alone have placed their restric-
tions upon it. 1t is only in Russia to-
day, where an autocrat rules, that the
chief of police, backed by truculent
court, more military than civil in its
character, attempts, and does dictate
what shall and what shall not be spread
before the people by the newspapers.
With the downfall of Napoleon III, /,
the supervision of the newspaper by
the minions of the police disappeared.
With the growth of Republican prin-
ciples in England, the licenser who
controlled the press in that country
became relic of arbitrary power.
Wherever the press has been free it
has circulated knowledge, educated
and refined the people, nourished an
independent, masculine, and healthful
spirit. Before free press have disap-
peared ignorance, superstition, and ar
bitrary power, as the SHOWS upon the
mountains before the summers sun.
1t should be held sacred and guarded
with jealous care by every well-wisher
of liberty. Recently Judge Monroe
sentenced the editors of the Mascot, a
paper published in New Orleans, to
ten days imprisonment in the parish
Jail for publishing an article, supposed
to be libelous, against Mr.. Van Ben
thuysen, who, by the way, has pur-
chased notoriety by no means desir-
able by this persecution.
We see by the proceedings in court
that Ex-Governor Nichols, counsel for
the publishers, entered his manly and
protest against this exercise of
arbitrary power.
The position taken by Judge Mon
roe that it makes no difference whether
an injunction is improvidently issued
and that he will not inquire-into the
merits of that order when furnishing Il
violation thereof, seems to us clearly
and against common
sense. For instance an injunction is
sued by a crank upon the bench against
a mans eating, could not be inquired
into when the victim of an unreason-
able injunction was brought before Il
court for violation ofthat injunction,
the man is in contempt, would be the
of Judge Monroe, and he
must be punished although he has
merely followed the instinct of nature
against ridiculous decree served upon
him under the seal and sign manual of
an arbitrary judge. -
Judges are human and liable to err
and the press has the rightto criticise
their acts, as we'll as that of any other
servant of the people, from the Prcsi-
dent down to constable. 1t is true that
officials frequently imagine that an
election to Office is an elevation to rule
as masters. The press can at all times
be made responsible for its utterances,
and are any aggrieved by a publication,
or is man injured in his reputation
and his good name tarnished by lib
elous publication, the courts are open
for reparation in damages. There is no
wrong that the newspaper can commit
that is without its remedy. There is
no necessity in America for resort to
the methods ola Gar or royal pre-
feet.
"From every mountain side let freedom
ring
Daniel Webster we'll said in connection
with the right to discuss men and
measures, slt is undoubtcd as the
right of breathing the air or
walking the earth-aiming at all
times to be courteous in its use, ex-
cept when the right itself shall be
questioned, shall then carry it to its
extent. shall place myself on the
extreme boundary of my right, and
bid defiance to any arm that would
move me from my ground. Living,
shall assert it, and should leave no
other inheritance to my children, by
the blessing OF God, I will leave them
the Inheritance of free principles and
the example of a manly, independent
and constitutional defense of them.'