The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-07-15
A HiinEer From Brooke.

Hdiseurg Herald tRxp) -
The conclusion ives announced On Mon.
day after somewhat elaborate statement
BY the defense, though from iutimations
IN the statement or whatever it NAV ho
technically called, Of the Court, The indu.
ment bad been made up aone time h.afora
aud the laboss si the deiendant's gttornevs
were purely OF superoga,ory character,
As matter Of fact, the effort at explana.
tion, defense or whatever it was. VIA
2rayely considered by the CouYt "a an an
aggravation Of the offence and the de.
tendan!r are notified to- be thankful that
jail was not additional to their Gnea and
lhe attorneys came near duplicating them.
selves az parties to the contempt and parti.
cipants with the clients in their punish.
ment. .lga aNI- I~A''I
The impression derived from q pesupoI
OF the twelve columns Of printed record, is,
that the court was simply and solemnly
anRry.and that their proceedings were vim.
dictive-not- judicial. Personal pious ia
apparent throughout, .-.t =
They Of course, and wa do not Question
their sincerity, allege that their motive
was to vindicate the reputation Of the Conrt
and maintain its dignity es an impereonal
creation q the law; but it is q mattor ri
doubt whether in this Gaze thew did not
make mistake. We incline with GOOD
many others, to that belief. At anv rate
public opinion, as expressed by newHns,
pe1s outeide Of the State, which nav ha
preaumed to bs fairly impartial. al least ar an
lar % local considerations are concerned.
doea not sustain the, Court. Outside pub.
lie opinion in the matter is, in fact, rather
oontemptuops Of the Court and Of some.
what Tree expression.
We would be the very last to defend
deliberate and malicious libel, no mater
how it comes up and most certainly wonld
not paliate a wiliul elander OF a court in
any imaginable event, but we cannot eee
that the Offensive statements OF the news.
paper man in this caso contained the o..
sentisls Of willul malice. They may have
been incorrect, they may have been i'm.
prudent, they may have been Injurious.
but the question is, ia the object to he
gained Of sufficient Importance 10 iuatifv
bringing the repressive authority Of ths
Judiciary, thus, in collision with The free.
dom Of the press. l...,,-.t ~
b. - ,- . . = y
Tia newspaper is to be tied down to the
lines OF precia;on, Il 1t is ITO be restricted
by threat Of court displeaaure and punish-
ment 10 mathematical accuracy in its sta,e.
mentB touching either court or the indi.
viduala composing the same, privately con.
sidered, We may as well coy at once that
our courts are beyond comment and our
magistrates beyond Gin. 1t the rule Of
precision in this respect il to prevail, we
may as well accept in this country tke old
maxim Of king craft-"King can do no
wrong-and submit with upuues,ioping
awe to whatever whim the tyrsnt with the
crown on his head Of the black robe on his
back may decree, for very certainly, It Is
not within the power OF the press always
to be precisely right either, in its state.
ments or it's Judgments about courts. II
malice or bat intent is shown lot the
newspaper suffer to the full extent Of the
law either ol contempt or libel, but until
this Is shown let It have the largest liberty
and let the people resent as an invasion OF
their own rights any invasion or attempt
at impairment by, Court or Legislature, OF
tho Freedom Of the Press, The Pfees Ia as
much creature and part OF the Constitu.
ton oithe United Ssates, as is the iudlci.
ary or any department OF the Government
and must be so recognised. sfG5 .l1I5.ai
&4} Politics hnh es the Difference.
Htaon Rpubfean tRtp.) ;rl2 sss.i''s
It Is not necessary for US to say so, as
every body knows that Brother Baker, of
the Wheeling Register, is q very consistent
man: He compl!mented Judge Henry
Brannon for his decision when rule yss
asked Tor against the Register. Now he
approves the conduct Of the Supreme Court
for. an adverse docision. The only differ.