The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-04-26

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for freedom. Milton wrote a famous
free press. 1t seemed 70 fall on scared
ears. Everyone was afraid, but Mil
toms treatise did its work, and after
the Puritan era, when the second
Stuart tyranny began, the gag laws
were allowed to die out. The freedom
of the press was CALLING to tyranny.
The crown chafed exceedingly. The
king violated the law, but the people
pressed forward with decision. They
were not to be hushed. The right Of
free speech and Of free press they
demanded in no uncertain tones. 1t
was their only security against tyr
amy.
GRENvILLE's GAG LAW.
In 1868 there was another quarrel
between tyranny and the press. This
time Lord Granville struck q savage
blow at the power of the newspaper,
Parliament was forum Of free speech,
but tyranny had gagged parliament SO
that the representatives there dared
not speak their minds for fear Of ar
rest. The feelings of the people not
finding vent through the represents
tives in parliament, sought another.
1t was the newspaper, Every paper
became an organ OF the people. The
voice Of clamor arose from the masses
Of men and Numbered through the
streets Of London until 1t reached Lord
Grenville's doors. The roar was deaf
national spirit, and that it was neither
blind nor dumb. II had q voice, That
voice was the newspaper. It became a
court of last resort for the people
against tyranny.
ARREST OF PRINTER WILKES.
John Wilkes was a printer at that
time. His paper was called the North
BritOn. He struck sledge-hammer
blows in his paper against tyranny. He
scored the king; he scored the kings
cabinet; he scored the policies Of the
kings ministers. He scored Lord Gren-
Vile. The result was they arrested
him. This was proof positive that the
darts Of Wilkes had gone home. He
became q sort Of martyr for the press.
The printers saw he was fighting their
battle. He voiced the general discon-
tent. The mutterings and rumbhngs
of popular wrath scared Lord Butte out
of office. Wilkes became so oold that
he wrote a scathing criticism of the
kings speech 70 parliament. He was
arrested and q large number of other
persons were taken into custody at the
same time. Wilkes was driven from
England, but the cause he represented
was victorious. The gag law failed
The printers would not be silenced.
Every paper was the voice Of the peo-
pie They were not to be silenced or
or gagged.
THE GAG LAW OF iii.
Again in 177l the lower house tried
to gag the press, This time, however,
it was a prohibition against printing
the debates. Six printers who defied it
were arrested One refused TO go.
The London authorities sided with this
printer. There was a clash between
the general and the local authorities.
The people took side with the printers
against tyranny Public opinion has
always been on the side of the press.
The newspaper is the peoples friend.
They have no better. BY this time
more newspapers had been added 10
the list. Their combined force was
overwhelming From III on journal
ism, as distinct power, has mad part
in the work Of civilization. Nearly all
the great English newspapers point
back with pride to the day of their de-
| liveTance.
THE PESNYrACKER GAG LAW.
Gov Pennypacker, of Pennsylvania,
tried the gag law on the state press OF
Pennsylvania. Immediately a fierce,
wild clamor arose. He was attacked
by the newspapers on every hand.
Those that upheld him in everything
else opposed him H. this. He was a
worthy man, but very stubborn. He
set his jaw against the people and
against the papers. He declared that
they must be gagged. The people must
shut up and the papers must shut up.
He claimed that they were printing
lies They claimed that he was telling
lies. While he was denying their right
10 Judge for themselves what the truth
might be, they replied that he was as
Stunning that he alone knew what the
truth was. He pushed his gag law
through. The machine hammered the
legislature into silence. A heavy pen
atty was attached: the gag was com
plete Every newspaper IN the state
was 10 be silenced, but the gag did not
work. In spite of the penalty, the
newspapers defed the law, defied the
governor, and said they were willing 10
take the consequences. They said they
would be glad 70 suffer the penalty of
fighting an iniquity like that The gag
law was against the constitution OF the
United States. II was also against the
state constitution. IL was against good