Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1869 — Rights of the Newspaper Press. [ARTICLE]

Rights of the Newspaper Press.

Judge Dobbin, of the Superior Court of Baltimore, Md., in _ his charge to the jury in a recent libel suit against the proprietors of. the of that city, gives a imoreliberal construction to the rights of the newspaper, press than has usually emanated from the courts. The law of libel in this country is to a large extent traditional, resting mainly upon English statutes,and the hardship it works to the ptiblip Is the presumption of malice against publishers, whenever the conduct of individuals is commented upon unfavorably. Libel suits are in the nature of criminal prpsepntious, and yet the ordinary rule that evely man is to be supposed innocent until the contrary .is established is reversed in these cases, and the burden., of proof thrown upon the defendant. Judge Dobbid, actuated by a more enlightened spirit, and by a higher estimate of the responsibilities of journalism, declares that it is the duty of the press to be vigilant in regard to the correetion of public wrongs, and that it is even better for the innocent to suffer in some cases than that the right to freely comment upon acts prejudicial to the interests of the community should be hamgored and newspapers deprived of an influence so essential to the welfare of mankind. In several of the States the libel laws have of late years been greatly amended in this direction, and a better protection gi ven to the independent and respectable press. Of course it is not desirable that all restraints should be abol-ished,-and the" opportunity given for wilful deknuatjop ; but the laws should not make It ' a dangerous or costly thing for a journalist to speak plainly of . wrongs against society. -r- Missouri Republican..