Semi Weekly Standard

A Free Press:

A republic is a representative government, under the control of the people, for whom its delegated powers are exercised, and to whom it is responsible. It is an organization based upon the principle that the people are capable of discriminating between truth and error, wisdom and folly, and right and wrong; and that they are competent to carry out, in the conduct of their representative government—both by men and measures—the discriminations they make. To be in a condition to exercise judgment, and by that means to shape the course of their government, facts and opinions must be elicited and put before the people for canvass. These are indispensable to the exercise of an intelligent judgment. Ignorance is as fatal as corruption. Public opinion must be both enlightened and honest. To keep the people in the dark, defeats the prospect of wisdom in affairs; no less than popular corruption. The blunder of ignorance on the part of the people will not give them a wise direction of their affairs. That they mean well and do the best they know how for their country, with the lights before them, does not mend matters. It is necessary that they should have lights. There is no means for informing the people, and for evoking their proper judgment, so efficient as the press. To muzzle the press, is to suppress facts and opinions which may be necessary to the correct judgment of the people. War against the freedom of the press is an attack upon the people's means of obtaining information for the control of their government—strikes at the root of republican freedom itself. Its practical effect is to put the people, their government and their measures in the hands of those who, having gained their confidence, would direct affairs without responsibility. The press does not undertake to do more than to furnish facts and ideas for the exercise of the good judgment of readers. It has no power or pretension to dictate or control. The adoption or rejection of views expressed is entirely optional with readers; and the reading of any particular newspaper is certainly voluntary. The press has no authority other than that freely accorded to it by the public, upon a judgment of character and intelligence, or upon the inherent force of the views thrown out. In these lie all its might and all its authority. A free press is absolutely necessary for the preservation of liberty in any country. It may become, and to a certain extent always is, licentious. What power is free from abuse; and where can perfection be found in the world? Is perfection expected from all who speak words or perform actions? Do abuses of these privileges and powers prove that speaking and acting should be stopped? There is responsibility for words and for actions. Also for writing and publishing in newspapers—moral, legal and personal. Abuses are liable to remedies, or at least—as much as speaking and acting—to preventions in the future. As to infallibility and perfection, the idea is nonsensical. The evil must be taken with the good—in newspapers as in men themselves; and in all things human, from governments down. But even a licentious press is far less evil than a press that is enslaved, because both sides may be heard in the former case, but not in the latter. A licentious press may be an evil; but fair play is allowed to truth—and falsehood, wisdom and folly, right and wrong. In such a struggle, republicans believe the former will prevail. The evil is open to remedy. An enslaved press must be an evil; for an enslaved press suppresses truth, and may cause error to be more current than truth, folly than wisdom, and wrong more powerful than right, without the benefit of correction. It is then a one-sided business of interested men. The people may be stuffed to suit the interests of those placed in power. False statements, foolish counsels and unjust actions are given currency and applause by an enslaved press without comment or contradiction. A licentious press cannot effect these things; for, if it gives poison, it gives also the antidote, which an enslaved press withholds. An enslaved press is doubly fatal. It not only takes away the true light—for in that case we might stand still—but it sets up a factitious one, that may drag us to our destruction. The press must be taken for what it is worth, as giving speech and utterance to the various and conflicting statements and opinions in the community, elicit the mature and untrammeled thought of the people. Public discussion alone can accomplish this result—Charleston Mercury.

Census Statistics.

The subjoined tables, prepared from the returns of the eighth census, (1860,) will possess interest for all our readers at the present time:

White males between the ages of 18 and 45, inclusive, census of 1860, in round numbers.

Fugitive Slaves as returned by the Seventh Census (1850,) and the Eighth Census, (1860,) respectively.

Census of 1860,

13,200,861 1011 8,105 13,919,557 1803 1 4,918

Surgeon General's Office, Ral-

eigh, October 14th, 1863.—Medical Examining Board

No. 3, composed of the following named Medical Officers:

Surgeon M. F. ARENDELL.

Surgeon W. W. FOOTE,

Will meet at the town of Salisbury, in Rowan county,

on Friday and Saturday, 23d and 24th October.

At Statesville, in Iredell county, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 27th and 28th.

At Lincolnton, Lincoln county, on Monday and Tuesday,

the 2d and 3d November.

At Charlotte, Mecklenburg county, on Friday and Saturday, the 6th and 7th November.

At Concord, Cabarrus county, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 10th and 11th November.

For the purpose of examining all persons who claim exemption from "Home Guard" duty on account of physical

disability, according to the provisions of General Order

No. 3, issued from the Adjutant General's Office.

EDWARD WARREN

Surgeon General North Carolina.

Oct 19, 1863.

84tf.

WANTED IMMEDIATELY, 25,000 LBS.

OF WAX, TALLOW AND LARD. Cotton Yarns

will be exchanged for Wax, Tallow and Lard in any quantities and on fair terms, or the highest cash prices will be

paid for the same at the Durham Candle Factory.

Address

KLAPP & BERRY

Graham, N. C.

October 12, 1863.

8w&swtf.

T. Hughes, Attorney at Law

Claim Agent and Notary Public, Richmond, Va

Claims of every description against the Confederate States

Government settled with accuracy and dispatch

Attends all the Courts held in the City of Richmond.

Address Box 110, Richmond, Va

Jan. 30, 1863.

7tf.

A. BADHAM, ATTORNEY AT LAW.

Court House.

October 14, 1862.

88—tf

Railroad Depot,

THOS. D HOGE,

Major and Ordnance Officer.

Oct 28, 1863.

86tf.

STATES.	Ohio,	468,000
Alabama,	Oregon,	10,000
Arkansas,	Pennsylvania,	581,000
California,	Rhode Island,	35,000
Connecticut,	South Carolina,	60,000
Delaware,	Tennessee,	167,000
Florida,	Texas,	84,000
Georgia,	Vermont,	63,000
Illinois,	Virginia,	221,000
Indiana,	Wisconsin,	155,000
Iowa,	135,000
Kansas,	21,000	5,433,000
Kentucky,	185,000	TERRITORIES.
Louisiana,	Colorado,	6,000
Maine,	Dakotah,	1,000
Maryland,	Nebraska,	6,000
Massachusetts,	Nevada,	1,000
Michigan,	New Mexico,	13,000
Minnesota,	Utah,	8,000
Mississippi,	Washington,	2,000
Missouri,	Dist. of Columbia	14,000
New Hampshire,	65,000
New Jersey,	181,000	51,000
New York,	775,000
North-Carolina,	Aggregate,	5,434,000

STATES.

Slaves.

Fugitives.

One in

Slaves.

Fugitives.

One in

Alabama,	312,844	29	11,812	433,182	36	12,087
Arkansas,	47,100	2	2,924	111,104	28	3,063
Delaware,	2,290	26	8	1,790	12	150
Florida,	39,310	15	2,184	61,758	11	5,614
Georgia,	351,632	89	4,288	463,230	28	20,096
Kentucky,	206,031	96	2,198	225,400	119	1,895
Louisiana,	244,805	90	2,720	382,52	48	7,228
Maryland,	97,388	279	344	87,138	115	758
Mississippi,	309,878	41	8,558	436,696	68	6,422
Missouri,	87,422	60	1,477	114,965	99	1,161
North-Carolina,	288,543	64	4,508	831,105	61	5,263
South-Carolina	384,984	16	24,061	452,540	28	17,501
Texas,	939,459	20	2,432	925,784	19	9,509
Virginia,	472,528	88	5,690	490,887	117	4,195