The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-01
An Outrageous Proposition.

An awful blunder OF legislation has BEEN
perpetrated at Washington during the
time Of excitement about Chill.
bill Ito define and punish blackmail-
ing was introduced in the House Of Rep
resentatives on Jan. 8 by Gen. OATES Of
Alabama and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary. Gen. OATES is a member OF
that committee. Associated with him are
BKRsoN of Texas and Mr.. BYNUM Of Indiana.
The Hon. ALFRED c. CHAPLIN Of New York.
new member Of Congress, but lawyer Of
acute perception and cool judgment. is also
on the committee.
Fourteen days later. on Jan. 10. Gen. OATES
reported from the Committee on the Judici-
ary his bill to define and punish blaokmail-
ing, and asked for its Immediate considera-
ton. The bill was read to the House. Mr..
HOLMAN remarked that part Of the bill had
not been heard distinctly. and therefore it
was read by the clerk second time. Gen.
OATES informed Mr.. HOLMAN and the
House that the measure had been "care-
fully considered by the Committee on the
Judiciary. and that In the opinion Of the
committee it ought to pass. The bill is
reported from the committee" added its
author. without dissent"
On the strength OF this assurance the So
called Blackmail bill was ordered to be en-
crossed. was read q third time. and passed
the House without objection: and the House
clinched the bill by tabling q motion to re-
consider.
Here is the full text Of the bill which the
Judiciary Committee had carefully consid-
cred and reported without dissent. and
which the House Of Representatives ac-
copied and passed In about sixty seconds
on the strength Of Gen. OArEs's assurance
thatit was wise and necessary measure:
"That any person who. within tho District of Column.
biA or other place which the United States have
exclusive Jurisdiction. shall levy or sttemp: to levy
bsckinaii any other person by making. threatening
or attempting to make any disclosure. oral written
or by publication within outside of such District
place. injurious to the character OF my person. the
purpose Of obtaining money other benefit for The
14rposs Of sidinas rerenss shall be guilty of mis-.
demeanor and. upon conviction thereof before any
court having Jurisdiction for the trial OF
nsdemeanors within the place or territory in which
such offence 10 committed shall DO punished by me
mot exceeding 81 600. and shall be imprisoned
fined at hard labor for not exceeding At the
discretion OF the court trying the CASE"
s Not only the newspapers OF the District
OF Columbia. but the press OF the whole
country Is interested In making plain the
scope OF this outrageous proposition. In
advertently or Intentionally. its authors
have 30 framed tho measure that it defines
and Furnishes as Matchmaking. ono OF the
vilcst OF crimes. any publication or disclos-
ure concerning any Congressman or public
officer Mt Washington. providing the latter
can convince District court that the pur-
pose OF the publication was to make fun OF
him. or to got even with him.
10 understand what mn engine such a
law could be made for the suppression Of
legitimate criticism and healthy satire. and
for the oppression Of individual journalists
fearlcssly performing their duties to tho
public. 1t Is only necessary to imagine how
the law would have been worked when Gen.
GRANT WINS in the White House and Boss
SHEPHERD In control OF the District OF
Columbia. Fancy. too. how eagerly GROVER
: CLEVELAND would have welcomed such q
shield against tho ghouiish glee OF the
American press.
There may be statesmen In Washington
and elsewhere who would like to protect
themselves against ridicule and criticism
by enacting that ridlcule and hostile criti-
clsm are blackmail but we do not believe
that fools Of that sort are in majority
either In tho Senate or In tile House Of Rep
rcscntatives Of the Fifty-second Congress.
The bill us it passed tho House is simply the
extraordinary result OF incomprehensible
hcedlessness.
Congress shnll make no law" says the
first amendment Of the Constitution of the
United States. abridging tho freedom Of
speech. or OF the press"