The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-22
FsEE:sPEEcH IdpERIsHABLE.

There is a steady reaction as to the
necessity as well as the blessings of
free speech in a free country. Histori-
cal students know through what centu-
ries ofAsffering and oppression and blood
the great boon of free speech was OBJ
tanned. 1t will not do to lose this fun
damental right under any personal ca
lamity or national ~upheaval. Immedi-
ately following the hellish assassination
of the amiabIe President Mckinley
there was such a shock and shiver
throughout the lar that it seemed as if
eve. -.c- speech would have to be sur
rendered to rid this country of the
damning curse of anarchy. a great
many people lost their heads" so to
speak, and under the angry or alarmed
impulse began to clamor for q suspen-
bridled speech. This was natural. The
devil was turned loose and hell had
emptied itself it seemed Of some of his
faithful adherents. The Virginia DEM
ocratic convention appears to have been
so much moved Upon that it refused to
insert in the Virginia Bill of Rights an
article guaranteeing free and unfetter-
ed speech. Mr.. Bryan was one OF the
cool-headed statesmen who stood for
free speech under the highest excite
ment that ragged around him. He was
OF course cursed by some political ene-
mics for having so much GOODNESS and
candor at such an exciting time. But
Senate Dolliver, an extreme republi-
can partisan, in a Mckinley memorial
address at Chicago declared that the
bill of rights stands for too many CEN
turies of sacrifice, too many battlefields
sanctifed by blood. too many hopes of
mankind reaching toward the ages to
came to be multiplied in the least in
order to meet the case of q handful of
n.--creants whose names nobody can
p~rJnounce."
Ihe Messenger holds that there is a
positive need for some restraint for
puCLc enemies and d~estroyers. 1t is
surrey in order nat the advocates of as
sassination should have their radical
ism checked in some way. But it will
not 90 to surrender the noblest and
greatest of inherited privileges and
rigE ts-that of free speech, free thought
anG iree printing. There must be some
wi, safe method devised for meeting
an tchy but without depriving the peo-
pie at large of the great boon of free
discussion. There must be no surrend-
er mere.
Ion. David B. Hill, of New York, is
q democrat, and like Mr.. Bryan he is
opposed to gags upon the peoples
mouths. He IS reported as saying
lately:
The recent assassination of the pres
ident having now produced a demand
amounting almost to a clamOr for some
sweeping and powerful statute for the
prevention of anarchistic beliefs and
practices, the danger lies in the hasty
enactment of crude imperfect and ar
bitrary legislation of doubtful constitu-
tionality, invading the personal liberty
of the citizen and infringing upon the
freedom of speech and the liberty of the
press. 1t is pre-eminently a time for
wise counsels n cool heads
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, has
also spoken but we are not of those who
admire him or attribute great import
AAANO ~ La u(ISI uAIISS. i Has DoAeu
h compass of free speech in too many
ways to command Endorsement. But
as he has for two or three years ceased
to revile the south and appears to have
changed views in regard to it, We copy
a compliment to the true men of the
south in a recent republican speech:
w can undoubtedly provide some
additional legal safeguards against the
recurrence of this terrible crime, but
we cannot give up free speech or on
stitutional liberty because of the LANCER
of recurrence Of such crimes.
"I believe if every man of the north
were to die the new and chastened
south, with the virtues it has cherish
ed from the beginning. of love of home
and love of state, and love of freedom,
with its courage and it's constancy,
would take the country and bear it on
to the achievements of it's lofty des-
tiny.
THE anarchists must slay $4,000, 900
Americans before he can STAY the re-
public