April 2, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
The military authorities about Charleston harbor have persistently refused facilities to the press of the city, always urging the importance of silence in reference to the state of the military preparations and defences. Although these are matters of great desire to our readers, and completely within our reach, yet we have readily acquiesced in the policy, sacrificing interest from a regard to the public weal. But we had a right to expect, and did expect, that care would be taken to exclude the reporters of other papers, and particularly of Northern papers. The Floating Battery was a great secret, and yet its accurate description was heralded all over the country by a hundred different correspondents.
We had occasion to notice, a short time ago, the excellent engravings of sundry Morris Island batteries, taken by their artist, and forwarded with descriptions to Frank Leslie Paper, in which they appeared. Today we publish a full description of all the various batteries, with names, numbers of guns, &c., &c., written, as we understand, by Dr. SALTER, the self proclaimed correspondent of that virulent Abolition sheet, the New York Times. Another description of the same is published in the New York Herald. So that our people apparently have to go to New York papers to learn facts about our own affairs. Is this just; is it right? Have not the press of Charleston good reason to complain? We know our readers will think, as we do, it is a crying shame and injustice. If this be the result of our compliance, we make an end on it for the future.