The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-01
THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS Ii
INVOLVED.
In Custody
of

u. S. Marshal.
To The People of North Carolina:
There are no words with which I
can express my deep gratitude for the
many manifestations of approval and
support during the past forty-eight
hours. For nearly twenty-five years l
have been an editor in North Caro-
lima and have during these years had
opportunity to learn the worth and
the courage and the patriotism of the
people of this good State. From them
/ have received such evidences OF
friendship and esteem as to make me
both humble and grateful. They
have forgiven my mistakes and
strengthened my hands in every con-
fiict for justice, for good government,
for the rights of the State and the
freedom of the press.
/ have never had but one ambition
in life-to be an editor. AS a school
boy in Wilson, as a volunteer CORE
spondent of Hale and Saunders OBJ
server, 1 was made happy by word
noble editors, and from that day until
/ became editor of The News and OBJ
server my sole ambition was to edit
daily paper at the capital of my native
State No offer or opportunity to do
anything else ever tempted me a mo-
ment to turn aside from my boyhood
ambition But it was no ambition
POL OF OI1
a conviction deep and abiding or
call to the work to which my life has
been devoted. The News and Observer
in it's policy, in it's principles, IN It's
spirit is the realization of all that my
ambition had led me to wish it to be.
To improve it, to make 1T more Ell
fective agency for the preaching OF
pure politics, to increase its influence
for moral reform, to make 1T a mighty
engine for whatever will do most Tor
liberty and equality-these are the
aims to which 1 have consecrated my
life. Aware of mistakes and errors, L
have the consciousness of never nav
ing written line in malice or TO IN
lure any individual. Men count for lit
tie except as they advance or retaro
great principles. The News ana CD
server has criticized many public men
it it's day, but has never criticized any
man to do him personal injury, but
because he stood across the path
leading to right, to justice, to equality,
to the doctrine of equal rights to all
and special privilege to nome
No man is above criticism. Les
majesty has no place among Tree
people. There is no "divine right In
any man born of woman, whether ne
wears the judicial ermine or the sena-
torial toga. In every decade of the
worlds history there has been conflict
between the few demanding special
privilege, honors, perquisites, obeis-
ance, and the many demanding
equality and fair chance. That con-
fict has always been the same. though
the forms have varied. In London 1t
waged for a free press when Wilkes
was imprisoned for crit1clzlng meh-
bers of Parliament. In the reign OF
John Adams Che was SO much OF
Federalist that he believed in monar-
chical custom) the attempt to throttle
the press eliminated in the passage
of the Alien and Sedition Law, which
imposed penalty of $1,000 ana I'M
prisonment for criticism of any high
official Under the operations or that
law. editors were freely imprisoned.
Matthew Lyon-soldier, patriot and
printer-was put in Jail in Connecti-
cut because he accused Mr.. Adams OF
avarice. vanity and childish love of
comp. The people replied by electlng
Mr.. Lyon to Congress while he lay IN
TAIL. The people of North Carolina
have given me today what l prize
higher than any office-for l have no
desire for office and even the highest
political honors would be an hundred
fold less grateful to me than the con-
fidence and esteem of the people or
North Carolina, which has cheered my
heart today. I have always believed
in and trusted the wisdom, the pa
triotism and virtue of North CAROLYN
ians and the hundreds of evidences
today of their devotion to the freedom
of the press and their determination
to stand by an editor, who suffers for
the right of free speech, is such as
to make me thank God that my life
has fallen among the liberty-loving
people of North Carolina. Some people
in this commercial age are prone to