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COMPLAINTS ABOUT NEWSPAPERS. 665
looked to their newspaper for information about public affairs, were compelled
to sit in the silence and mystery which settle down over men who are in the
grasp of arbitrary, irresponsible power. As illustrative of the character of
the government under which we lived, and also of the annoyances and
outrages to which the editors and proprietors of the various newspapers in
Baltimore were subjected at this time, we give a few selections from the
written official notices that were continually sent to the newspapers in Baltimore ; verbal orders were issued almost daily.
It will be seen from the following letter, which was forwarded to the
editor of the News Sheet by the Hon. Henry May, then a representative of
Baltimore in Congress, accompanied by an "extract from a letter received at
the post-office department from a prominent gentleman in Western Virginia,"
that one of the chief departments of the government, at this eventful period,
was busied in making inquiries and collecting complaints about newspapers:
" Postoffice Department, Appointment Office, )
" February 24th, 1862. \
" Sir :—The enclosed extracts are from a letter received from a prominent gentleman
of Western Virginia, in reply to an enquiry ofthe department in relation to the character
of the Maryland News Sheet.
"They are commended to the consideration of yourself and the editor of that paper.
" I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
" Your obedient servant,
" JOHN A. KASSON, First Assistant P. M. General.
"Hon. Henry May, House Representatives."
On the 20th of June, 1863, a memorandum was delivered to the editors
and proprietors of the newspapers of Baltimore, with a message from
Colonel Fish, (at that time provost-marshal, and afterwards an inmate
of the penitentiary at Albany,) commanding them not to publish any extracts
from the World and Express of New York, the Enquirer of Cincinnati, the
Chicago Times, and the Caucasian.
On the 23d of September, 1863, the reporters brought to the various
newspaper offices a report of an affray, which nearly ended in a fight, between
Colonel Fish and a general then on duty in Baltimore. Of course the United
States Government was not interested in suppressing an account of a quarrel
between two of its officers, but Colonel Fish was, and in the evening he issued
this order:
" Office Provost Marshal, Eighth Army Corps, \
" Baltimore, September 23d, 1863. S
"Messrs. Editors:—You will not mention in your edition of to-morrow, or hereafter, any account ofthe misunderstanding which occurred at this office to-day.
" Very respectfully yours,
" W. T. FISH, Colonel and Assistant Provost Marshal General"
We have shown that in November, 1863, General Schenck undertook, as
usual, to regulate the election then held, and issued an order concerning it.
Governor Bradford issued a proclamation to the people of the State, whereupon the subjoined military order was left at the various newspaper offices:
| Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000700 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | COMPLAINTS ABOUT NEWSPAPERS. 665 looked to their newspaper for information about public affairs, were compelled to sit in the silence and mystery which settle down over men who are in the grasp of arbitrary, irresponsible power. As illustrative of the character of the government under which we lived, and also of the annoyances and outrages to which the editors and proprietors of the various newspapers in Baltimore were subjected at this time, we give a few selections from the written official notices that were continually sent to the newspapers in Baltimore ; verbal orders were issued almost daily. It will be seen from the following letter, which was forwarded to the editor of the News Sheet by the Hon. Henry May, then a representative of Baltimore in Congress, accompanied by an "extract from a letter received at the post-office department from a prominent gentleman in Western Virginia," that one of the chief departments of the government, at this eventful period, was busied in making inquiries and collecting complaints about newspapers: " Postoffice Department, Appointment Office, ) " February 24th, 1862. \ " Sir :—The enclosed extracts are from a letter received from a prominent gentleman of Western Virginia, in reply to an enquiry ofthe department in relation to the character of the Maryland News Sheet. "They are commended to the consideration of yourself and the editor of that paper. " I have the honor to be, very respectfully, " Your obedient servant, " JOHN A. KASSON, First Assistant P. M. General. "Hon. Henry May, House Representatives." On the 20th of June, 1863, a memorandum was delivered to the editors and proprietors of the newspapers of Baltimore, with a message from Colonel Fish, (at that time provost-marshal, and afterwards an inmate of the penitentiary at Albany,) commanding them not to publish any extracts from the World and Express of New York, the Enquirer of Cincinnati, the Chicago Times, and the Caucasian. On the 23d of September, 1863, the reporters brought to the various newspaper offices a report of an affray, which nearly ended in a fight, between Colonel Fish and a general then on duty in Baltimore. Of course the United States Government was not interested in suppressing an account of a quarrel between two of its officers, but Colonel Fish was, and in the evening he issued this order: " Office Provost Marshal, Eighth Army Corps, \ " Baltimore, September 23d, 1863. S "Messrs. Editors:—You will not mention in your edition of to-morrow, or hereafter, any account ofthe misunderstanding which occurred at this office to-day. " Very respectfully yours, " W. T. FISH, Colonel and Assistant Provost Marshal General" We have shown that in November, 1863, General Schenck undertook, as usual, to regulate the election then held, and issued an order concerning it. Governor Bradford issued a proclamation to the people of the State, whereupon the subjoined military order was left at the various newspaper offices: |
