New-York tribune., 1883-06-20
THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.
MIR pEpEw BEFORE NEWSPAPER EDITORS.

ToN-A POEM AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS.
The New-York Press Association, which is COM
posed principally of editors from the interior oil tho
State held its twenty-seventh annual meeting yes
terday In this city. The business meeting opoK
place in the New-York Hotel in the morning.
]. G.. p. Holden, of The Yonkrs Gazette.
president of the association in the chair, ana
the secretary. A. o. Bunnel. of The Dapsrille AdcT-
tse. called the roll About 100 members were
present among them B. Gage Berry, of The Norr'cN
Tsleqraph William I. Tinslev. of The Lyons Hfpao-
ieon James II. MasteD, Of The Cohoes he%S II. o.
Hull. Of The BAH Courier !; N. G. Foshay' OF Ihe
PeeksEiU Democrat; Henry Livingston, OF 1Hs
Babylon Signal; @. b. Thompson, OF I"e LeoE
Gazette S. s. Pomeroy, of The Suspension D''ag0
Joupa! A. C.. Kessinger, OF 1he nome ceHuhe' W.
H. Clark of The Courtland Standard; A. >. Dear, Oh
The Fairport journal; c.. G. Fairman, OF hiIhIa
II Todd. of The BatQriq Times w. G. Store OF me
Camden Adrance w. j. Allen, of The adams journal
Charles NJ. Stone of The Deposit Courier William
Smyth, of The O,cego Times 4; j. w. Spaight. OF Inc
FisLkiU Standard Henry Stowell OF me seneca
Falls RereHe F. B. Brown, of The Corning Demo-
crat i; f. 7. Hail. of The jamestown journal James
Malette, of The Genera Gazette ii. j. Miller, OF
The BoonriHe Herald; T. u. Smith. of The RasMora
Spectator and w. A. wilkins, OF 1he HM'e@a"
Times. Many of the editors were accompanied Dy
their wivef and other members of their families
welcome after which letters of regret from Presi-
dent Arthur, Governor Cleveland and General
Grant were read. After the transaction OF some
routine business and the appointment OF lew
committees the association adjourned until Z:3o
n. m. when It reassembled in the Madison Square
Theatre, the use of which was rendered by tne
proprietor. NJ II. Mallory. The Rev. Dr. 5. d.
Burchard, president of Rutgers Female College,
opened the afternoon proceedings with prayer.
ADDRESS BY CHAUNCEY N. DEPEw.
Chauncey NJ Depew was then introduced by
President Holden and was received with great ap-
plauso. he delivered an eloquent address on " Inc
Liberty of the Press" which was received Win
marked attention and enthusiasm by tho three or
four hundred ladies and gentlemen present III
substance Mr.. Depew spoke as follows:
Itis difficult for one ordinarily engroseed
in bnkiness cares TO time to fairly treat sub
- Ss lea With the literature Of cv and religious
liberty record OF this essential element IN te
trial and maintenance of either 10 comparatvey meaS,e
In tue mighty movements OF the present snd pIeeeg
century the hss broken the ground ana preparsa
the way the soldier and the statesman 10 prove %
Say find abundant sss Ssr'tSps SS;, Ia IA nqS tho
dark the Terrorist furtively hurls big dynamite
Siberia Under Bourbons and Sapoleon and the stuAs
the Georges, the press has UPe"y ieo inc nS"' i'
The one whom The press IS more indebted man m
all others Is that marvellous genius who, wltD Iaesb l-
difference TO personal fame buried his personaly l
devotion to his principles and wrote uTc'r = sne nam and
servility Parliament In politics ana tse press "e
it took little more than the wni oI ns,,er nSi
suddenly appeared as an inspired eVabgei Vi
and sPsFasS asroash which he spoke rs@ne
because King and peer and commoner knew snat NJ ma
sSed upon the measures and motives Of Pnb
tic men led 70 the publication OF tae prSesedihS'
OF Parllament-sn important safeguard oi hpefiI
THE LAW OF LIBEL
But the press still bad impending over IT menace
which impaired its Independence aud partially parayae
it's usefulness, ard that the law OF libel Ond the
construction that the greater the truth the greater he
libel early newspapers OF Massachusetts were sup
pressed and their editors punished II was reserved
however FOR New-York to the press from this
peril aud secure for i its ereatesi privilege; when
Governor Cosby orierrd the Mayor aad Council to at
rnan they refused TO go, srd wheD afIef nbe nons
imprisonment, Zenger was brought 70 tI1al Ne|f erA
iury direction or the judge acquitted MIN
Limited IN number ana circulation, yea tho
colonial press accomplished more man ~ i
dence After the Revolution It's freedom was Incoro
sfed in the ConsUtution statutes Of state fhe
newspapers wers then made personal orgsns
The rigid enforcement Of the dOctIine 20 the yciotS
Observation-Disclosures OF the newspaper or the individual
little than quarter oi century ago BEGAN the
oGton which AL ehors toward freedom it
mas reached present position OF absolute irespons
bity any power buf se 1t exercises ana IN sense
fins tbe functions OF preacher aud teacher OF censor ana
u
NEWSPAPER LIMITATIONS
With the incaeulaDiy grea5er influence OF the news
oaner of to-day what .hc limitations ~ Ouglt 10 ret
to It's liberties Party duties aud responsibilities exer
else healthfu restraint iiko party paper. imreg
nably fixed IN ITS principles and wnich fights vigorously
and hits hard BUTT should have that OF liberty
which Will make conventions OF its party fear 70
It's criticisms worthy n0mnai0ns, and the Legislatures
OF itspary afraid 10 promote bad measures ~ seldom
haupens that the situation ~ embarrassing rs Que
where Horace Greeley once soid 70 me III regard 20
t av ~, agsinst him man VINO "a as big a rascal and Il
ID fool to beet. prefer the ono quality, pure aud
unadulierated and shall support tne regular ticket
The press s the mirror OF the daily fe OF the world.
bnt il performs the very highest duty IL selecting what
II shall reflect. IL is often said tiai there Is e80r-
NOUS profit miristering tothe depraved aud deDSsei
clements human nature, ana that the papers which
refrain throw away FORTUNES 90 n9 believe H. n tae
and all their brood are noorlonsy sHoftll{el ahu ',
matter what its head may be- he does not nlrOduce or
tolerate that circle any element which he believes wiz
Str"ved Tie privacy Of domice and OF thought Fifty
years ago this exercise OF the liberty OF the press WoId
| community OF to-day appiauds and calls for more.
OF security In aboolnie pnbhey Is an underlying
force in all free governments, and there IL great
good refinement Of the principle wbloh coinpes
men whose posluoh 10 olo.at VI " M - 80
least admits a dou5t whether 1t should be carried 30
lar as TO the place oi the gossip or the detective
PUBLIC OPINION THE MASTER
The error into whca this feeling Of irresponsblity
fore can defy the public But public opinion is always
the master The newspaper is strongest which best re-
fleets it, The whole press of the North could not have
subdued the indignant outburst at the firing on SUMTER
or checked tho grief death OF Garfield The Press
nterprets and enforces doctrines and fas Dut t CON-
nonted by thousand forces II 1t attempts their over
throw The traveller IN the Western Rezerve OF ONO
asked farmer abOnt the tines /" Bad enough, said e
my Democratic neighbor got his newspaper yesterday
ana ioorcd NC completely is morning, but when THE
WEEKLY TRIBUNE comes Saturday, and have read old
Greeley. will wipe han ont"
It has become common to claim that the press has SUI
perseded pulpit aDnkilaed the orator, reegated TO
the realm OF tradition the picture OF the listening Sen
ate which fired 10 nigh ambition the youth OF pre-
eeding generations, and so elevated and educated the
masses thar great and great leaders the Wcb5ters,
CaYs CalhOuns o the past Will never more appear