The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-10

Mr. Edward Atkinson has addressed a
letter 20 the Attorney-General OF the
United states. in which he says he has
sent no pamphlets. letters or other docu-
ments nor any telcgraphic or verbal
communication OF any kind to any private
soldier or regimental officer of the United
states In the Philippine Islands. or TO
any Filipino in tho Philippine Islands. or
elsewhere directly or indirectly. by mail
or otherwise"
lie adds that what ne did, and all that
he did, was to put into the United States
mail eight copies Of two pamphlets,
four Of each. addressed TO Admiral Dewey
Professor Schurman; Professor Wor-
cester. OF the Philippine Commission:
General II. c. Otis, General Lawton, Cen
eral Miller ana l. F. Bass. correspondent
Of Harpcrs Weekly. The pamphlets
themselves had been written by him, pre-
scented in the United States Senate by
senators as documents worthy OF place
I'm the public archives Of this country. and
ordered by the Senate 10 be printed and
published In the record Of its proceedings.
on this state Of facts. Mr. McItinleys ad.
ministration has declared Itself entitled
20 break open the United States mail. alb
stract from II the documents that Mr..
Atkinson had sent TO his correspondents,
and deny 10 those correspondents the
mail that they were lawfully entitled TO
receive. We say that Charles ]. never
dared 20 beyond this step in his unlawful
Interference with the rights Of English
men: that Louis XIV did exercise Just
such tyranny. and thereby fastened the
advent Of the French revolution. and
that Napoleon Bonaparte. in the most
despotic period OF his rule of France,
considered it necessary TO veil and con-
ceal any such trespass by him upon the
rights OF Frenchmen. Yet. IN this free
land. al the end Of the nineteenth cen
tury Of our Christian civilization. the
administration of our republic stands
up before the American people and does
proclaim that II will invade the public
mails at its pleasure and take from them
whatever It thinks is derogatory 10 IT,
whether the citizen who sends the con
demned package is exercising rights con-
ferred upon him by the laws, or whether
It is not
As we have already said. we do not
believe Mr. Mckinley was ever consult
ed about this act. or that he ever gave
his authority for it. Some corporation at
torney in his Cabinet. who has been &C
customed TO tyrannizing over the en-
ployes of the corporation, according TO
the custom of many of them, has grown
up to the belief that all the citizens OF
this great republic stand in the same
terror of the general government that his
starved employees stand OF him. and he has
supposed, as a matter OF course, that he
could treat our free citizens as he treats
his starvelings This is the order Of man
who has perpetrated this outrage We
believe that Mr.. Mckinley has too much
sense and discretion to have ever given it
his sanction But from whatever source
it came. il is the duty OF every American
citizen to rise up and declare that he Will
not tolerate any such lawless invasion Of
his rights. The Cabinet may think that
the advent Of William Mckinley the
First is at hand. but the common people
have no idea Of such a thing. But the
loss of freedom comes from just such com.
mencements as these. 1t is the duty of
the people to rebuke this lawless act, and
we hope to hear other protests from all
parts of the country.