The bee., 1883-02-10
MAD ABOUT 1T YET.

We might write nice little story if
we had time entitled "Stung by the
BEE or the Old Mans Revenge" but
life is too short and our readers
must excuse us. However, to make a
long story short we will say that dur
ing the last campaign Hon. Robert
Purvis and his son, DIR. G. b. Purvis,
went over to the Independents-yes
went back on the Republican party by
which they were set free and comforta-
bly, fed and slowed away into fat
offices. They not only did that but
they sat and heard the sacred name of
Abraham Lincoln abused and hurrahed
at its denunciation, and by speech and
action sanctioned the vile aspersions
against the immortal Lincoln and the
Republican party. When we heard of
this together with their efforts TO de-
feat the reelection of the Hon. George
M. Robson to Congress, we said just
what we thought and think now that
they are ungrateful to the Republican
party and enemies to the negro race,
and should not he allowed to hold office
under Republicans or words to that
effect For saying those things we
have been arrested for libel, on a war
rant sworn out by Hon. Robert Purvis.
and our case sent to the Grand jury
Now, then should the Grand Jury find
a truelbill there will be fun, for the de-
velOpments at the trial will be better
than circus. We are worse than
runaway horse when we get started
and we propose TO show Brother
Puryis that he has woke up the wrong
passenger, and that this is not the way
to get even with the Hon Frederick
Douglass, who is the real object of his
malice, that he ecan't strike Mr. Douglass
by hitting over our shoulders. Why
mot shoot at the game he desires to
bring down and carry into the Inde-
pendent camp. If Mr.. Douglass darts
at the Independents have struck him
why don't he come out in bold and open
warfare? Why not
Beard the Lion in his den
The Douglas in his bole."
But if on the other hand he is wild
and excited, and has allowed little
thing like that to get around his heart,
if he is truly mad with the Republican
press and with us as part of that
press for what we have said about him
and desires to Stifle us, we say unto
him-yea, verify we say unto him to go
ahead and do his worst. But before
he gets through we well venture to say
he viii find out he is barking up the
wrong tree. for when the poor mans
mouth is closed.
What then remains? The liberty
of the press only that sacred
palladium, which no influence, no
no power, no minister, no government,
which nothing but the depravity or
folly or corruption of a jury can ever
destroy. And what calamities are the
people saved from by having this
public communication left open TO
them? / will tell you, gentlemen, what
they arc saved from, and what the
government is saved from, 1 will tell
you also TO what both are exposed by
shutting up that communication. In
one case seditiOn speaks aloud, and
walks abroad; the demdgogue goes forth
the public eye is upon bim-he frets
his busy hour upon the stage, but soon
either WEAKNESS, or bribe, or punish
ment, or disappointment bears him
down, or drives him of, and he appears
no more. Iconjure you
TO guard the liberty of the press, that
great sentinel of the State, that grand
detector of public imposture."
We are aware of the ambiguous con-
struction of the law. and know that it
has occasionally been widely stretched
by some small courts, hut we will dare
to trust ourselves before them. for we
get our ideas of American liberty from
that purest fountain of freedom, the
constitution of the United State of
America, and by it we shall ever live
as freeman, the courts to the contrary
notwithstanding.