Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1875 — Why not bring a Libel Suit? [ARTICLE]

Why not bring a Libel Suit?

Mr. William 8. King was Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives. It is not an office that requires .over sixty-three ounces of brains; and yet it is much sought after. Mr. King is well known as an extensive breeder of fine stock. He has a beautiful large farm in Minnesota. He stood so well among lii9 neighbors at home that at the last election he was chosen Representative from the district where he lives to the Congress of the United States. Mr. Iviog has been greatly injured and damaged lately by publications made in all the principle newspapers of the country. He was suspected of complicity in the bribery by which the Pacific Mail subsidy was passed. He was summoned before the Congressional committee of investigation, and swore that he never received a dollar or knew ot money being paid to any one else. But since then evidence has been given belore ‘the committee that slr. King received one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. The newspapers have published these facts. They have not merely proved harmful to Mr. King's good name, but they have put him to personal inconvenience. They have caused him to leave his home and betake himself to the cold and cheerless region of Canada in the dead of winter, where he is subject to get the ends of his fingers and nose and toes and both his eiirs frozen, or frosted, as the term is. This is a bad mattei for Mr. King. What can he do to rectify it? Why should he not bring a libel suit against every paper that has printed these statements? Malice will be presumed. That is the law. And probably half the mein who voted for him will testily to his good character to-day. They think all the more highly of him if he has made a hundred and twentyfive thousand dollars to be spent in their own county. No doubt he is what is known as a good fellow. Most men who spend other people's money lavishly are known as such. To I e sure King, while instituting his various suits in different States, would have to, hop round pretty lively to keep out of the way of officers who wojild be after hirh with a requisition on a charge of perjury. «• Still there‘is nothing like a libel suit!—JVete York Sun.