National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-20
A Plea for Unlicensed Printing.

This was the title to John Mltou's i'm
mortal address TO the lords and commons
Of England when II was proposed, more
than ECO years ago, TO establish censor
ship of the press-a common licenser-who
should determine without appeal what
should be published, and what In modern
parlance should be sent to the waste
basket.
John Milton, with one glance OF genius,
saw that no one man ought TO determine
what should be published to the reading
world, and what ought to be suppressed.
He saw that not all things are given to one
single man to know. We are led to these
reflections by reading bill now pending
in the lower house Of Congress which is
intended to exclude from the United States
mails certain newspapers, magazines and
other publications.
The real purpose Of the bill seems to be
aimed at the advertisement OF lotteries, and
the swindle of the people who choose to
purchase lottery tickets. That lotteries are
an evil, that the whole system is wrong,
that 1t is gambling, no more and no less,
is at once admitted. Further, that 1t is the
its mails all II after Of vile and demoraliz.
ing character, so far as it can, goes without
saying. But frduS ldetdt in gcnerdlibus.
| A loosely drawn law may effect hundred
times as much harm as 1t cures. The bill
| in question proposes to give to the Post
master General the power to determine the
character OF advertisements which in his
| opinion are lottery Advertisements, or the
| advertisement Of any other scheme or de.
vice for obtaining through the mails money
by means Of false pretenses, or without
returning just equivalent therefor. And
1t authorizes him to give notice to the pub
Usher to exclude such advertisement under
the penalty Of having his publication ex.
cluded from the United States mails.
Gentlemen lawmakers OF America, II Is
always wise in new and untrled matters to
/ go slow. This power delegated to one man
is a most dangerous power. Daniel Web
ster said: "This country will not tolerate
the beginning, even, Of a censorship of the
press"
Now, crude legislation is worse than no
legislation. You cannot make men wise
and good by an act of Congress. If that
could be done 1t were wise to pass gem
eral act and bring in the millennium at once.
But 1t has for long years been held that un-
reasonable searches aud seizures are utterly
inlmical to the spirit Of liberty. And so an
unreasonable espionage over the newspaper
press Of this country-and the papers pub
lished are numbered by about score Of
thousands-will not and cannot be toler-
ated. How many savings banks, how many
life insurance companies, how many
patent medicines which have been
advertised are false and fraudulent the
good Lord only knows. But savings
banks and life insurance companies
and medicines advertised have been
good things. And they may be in the fu'
ture. Now, consider that the Postmaster
Generals duties are manifold. lie must
and he does rely on his clerical force. His
acts and decisions, like the writings Of
Junius, "Stdnt aon,iniS unbrd." Some mere
clerk will and must exercise, In fact, the
duty which this bill throws on the Post
master General. 1t is a most dangerous
Let this bill 60 safely to sleep and thu
country will get along until a safer anC
wiser bill shall be framed. To rusl
the present crude bill through the TIVE
houses in the last hours Of long session i
neither just nor wise, nor generous. 1t 4
unwisdom. 1t surely cannot as 1t ough
not to be done.