Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-03

tie freedom of the American press
- draw forth an expression of federal
.,;meut upon this subject. In the year 1896
r,ench minister very solemnly required
. he executive ofthe United States to sup
H. certain Almanacs, in which the editors
: oiyinp list of the foreign diplomatic corps
lad named The English minister before the
;nister of France. To this Mr.. Pickering
.,,so secretary Of state replies" This IS i'm
possible. These works are, as ] have before
Observed, the property ofpriyate citizens, who
.,ving offended against no hw, can be SUBJ
;oeted 10 no penalty or loss. The press IN
lie unised States you must have observed,
sir, is perfectly free"
The political party which now rules the des-
.n;ss of our country under the name ofrepub'
,cans. have been not less strenuous hitherto
! their declarations Of attachment to this
nrncjple. Their leading men who were in
he opposition during the administrations of
washington and Adams, protested great a
hrm at the passage of what was called the
seaition law, and which they contended yio-
lated the freedom of the press although under
it no man could be punished unless convicted
bya Jury of publishing false, scandalous
and malicious libel" The occasion was
deemed SO important as to produce the
massage of a number OF resolutions by the
general assembly Of Virginia against the
constitatonality OF the alien and sedition
laws and an address from them to the peo-
pie Of Virginia, understood to be the pro,
duction of Mr.. Madison, now President of the
I. U. States -" SO insatiate (says this address,
is the love of power, that it has resorted to a
distinction between the freedom and the hcen
tisusness Of the press, for the purpose of con-
yertng The third amendment of the constitu-
ton, wbich was directed by the most lively
anxiety to preserve that freedom, into all IN
arumcnt for abridging it'-' Remembers also,
that ii is to the press mankind are indebted
for having dispelled the clouds which long ell
compassed religion, for disclosing her genu-
Inc iastre, and disseminating her salutary doc
tines" sc. Hence il appears that In our coun-
try all parties have hitherto agreed that the IL
berry of the press was the great security "a
gainst tyranny and political delusion and essen
tally necessary to the existence OF Republican
Government. How comes it then let me ask
that the party arrogatpg to itself, Exclusively
the appellation of Republicans, have been the
FIRST to suppress this right. the first to disco
yer the means of putting down an obnoxious
press? They have demonstrated that there is
away without altering the laws or the consti-
tuition by which this palladium of liberty
may be destroyed, namely by the instrumental
liy OF mob. Blind deluded man, thus have
you ever been made to forge shackles for your
self!
Let itnot be said that the riots of Baltimore
nave been but the temporary ebullitions Of
Popular resentment. Be it remembered, that
'se opposition to the publication of the Fede ,
sal Republican commenced several weeks a
So and has been perseveriDgly and trun-
phantly continued to the demolition Of the
mousse in which it was printed, to the Danish
ment Of its editors and to the savage massacre
0i some Of their respectable friends, even Of
veteran heroesof sberevolution now proneupc-
Cd 'ones by the ncw-imported patriots of
Baltimore. And all this without the frowns'
and It may be said without the interference of
'0e civil authority; for although small nun
0er o. militia was at ore time called out, their
protection was worse than mockery, and
"A.