Year: 1863

uuu tlat, lHcIclOEo, blSSuorioH ShVulN
be free-a principle recognized in the
constitution, and the right resulting from
it, therefore, guaranteed to the people
! by one Of its most important and most
highly valued provisions. A recogni


ton of this right and its practical ex.
erciso in all parts of the country, and
we should never witnessed the war
which is now wasting the South, and
over the distresses of which and the
calalnities which it has brought upon
tho country; humanity mourns.


Shall we in any emergency follow
their example ? Shall we so soon be-
gin to distrust the capacity of The peo-
pe to Judge for themselves ? Shall we
here sit and establish the precedent
which in tho end may lead to untold and
as yet unforeseen mischiefs ? Shall We
practically mako an exhibition of our
disbelief of the cardinal maXims upon
which popular government rests, VIZ
that the people are fully capable OF dis
tinguishing truth from error when both
arc presented to their minds, and are
competent for selfgovernment? ? Shall
we so soon ourselves begin to establish
precedcnts which will be sure one day
to DO used to stife truth-blind the
public mind-lead the people into error,
and deliver them over a willing victim
to ambitious men, who may avail them
selves OF tho examples set by patriotic
men, as the ready means of destroying
public liberty Shall we? Shall the
courts appointed to administer tho laws,
to uphold all the rights secured 10y the
constitution, see them, one 10y one,
struck down by military orders, while
tho courts are yet open, and your hon
ors are yet sitting upon your benches,
in peaceful and quiet community? |
cannot for one moment believe It,


Although this principle of the liber-
ties of the press is incorporated in every
State constitution, yet think the rea.
son is more clearly stated in that of
Massachusetts, than any other. There
il reads thus: "The liberty of the press
is essential to the security of freedom in
q State and ought not, therefore, to be
restrained in this commonwealth" The
United States constitution simply incor.
porates the principle without giving the
the reason which lies at the foundation
of the principle wherever found 1t is
because it has been found in tho his
tory of tho world and universal expert.
ence that although there may be evils
oonnocted with if,-ana theae orc many I,
for there is no unmxed good in this
world There is no blessing which may
not be missuscd and become curse
no great instrument of which may be
welded for good which may not also be
used for evil. All theso things arc in.
cident to the condition of humanity
The real question is upon which side
the balance is Does the freedom { the
press bring with it inca!culably greater
good on the whole than it does evil !?
Abused as it may bc--mischovous as
it is undoubtedly in some hands,--is
there any security that any people can
remain free where it docs not exist :?
Our fathers said it was essential to the
security of freedom in State; and
they chose, by establishing a perpetual
guarantee for it, to have it with all its
inconvenicnces for the sake of the al.
vantages, and on the whole they came
to the conclusion as England long since
did, that it WAS absolutely essential in
free State, in order to maintain it in
its free condition; and that the meas
ures of the government its affairs
their acts, and every other act of public
interest should be forever open TO the
utmost discussion in all forms, both of
speech and the press. The public
safety lies in the greatest liberty in this
respect Individual minds may be mis-.
led and drawn astray in morals, relg.
ion or politics. That is inevitable; it is
as | have said, the condition of human.
ity. But while one man may dclude
and lead nstray his followers, other men
will countcract him. The freedom of
the press in other forms and in other
mems hands will be used to counteract
the mlschevious consequences of his
conduct. In ten thousand ways mis-
chief may aud will be done and yet hu.
manity will bc great gamer, and the
whole people will eventually como to
a sound and just verdict, and, on the
whole, out of the conflicting sentiments
and arguments Of individuals, public
sentiment will be involved, which, il un.
disturbed by acts of violence like this;
will sweep the country onward in the
right course with irresistible force. |
hold that Vallandigbam has been the
cause of a thousand times more mis-
chiefthan ho otherwise could have been,
simply because the goyernrnent CON.
mitted tho erro, of sanctioning his ar.
rest and trial by a military court. He
weuld have had but little influence if
lot alone, with multitudcs who will now
follow him His sentiments would have
been condemned--werec condemned by
tho great mass of people of both parties.
Why is it that we now see public meet.
ings like those held in Albany, Detroit,
indianapolis, and other places to ex.
press sympathy with him and condem-
nation of the government and almost
lauding him, and these meetings held
under the auspices of respectable men,
and addressed by able and influential
men9 Why is he adopted as a candi.
date for Governor in his own State by