Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-08

ciples, his notions OF party discipline, ana '"e
manner in which he has brought them to bear
upon the present state of public affairs, thar
we mean to speak.
On the occasion to which we have aireahy re-
ferred, Mr.. VAN buren, made the following re-
marks, which were carefully noted down oy
our Reporter, & will not be denied or retraeted.
Gle had long been Of opinion (he said) that
the public interest might be promoted, the con-
difion of the Press, as ,oeH here as throughout the
country, improued, and respect for the Senate,
and accuracy in the publication OF the Proceed
ings OF the Senate, better secured, by Judi
cious revision of the laws relative to the public
printing at large" "At more convenient
season, he hoped the subject would be revised,
and he promised himself the best results from
such provision as the nature Of The subject was
susceptible Of" 81.
Now, to "the revision Of the laws" sc. we
have not the slightest possible objection; nor do
we care how the Senate shall think proper to
have its printing done for the future, so it be de-
Gently done. 1t is to the avo,oed object OF this
proposed revision, tina, we take exception. we
throw out Of view the ACCURACY in the publica-
ton Of the Proceedings" as motive tor the
proposed revision, because every one, whs
knows any thing about it, knows that this sue-
gestion Is thrown in to make up light weight:
we pass by also the "respect for the Senate, in
which every man OF sense knows, and every
man Of candor will acknowledge, we have never
been in any manner deficient: and, leaving such
arguments to those who can swallow them, we
enter our protest against the doctrine embraced
in the other par, Of his remarks, that the con-
dillon of the Press is to be regulated, not only
here, but throughout the United States" by
any vote Of the Senate, or by any legislation OF
both Houses of Congress combined. We pro-
test against this revival of the odious principle
OF the old Sedition Law, viz: the right OF par
ty to protect itself by or from the Press through
the agency Of legislation by Congress.
II was, indeed, somewhat an extraordinary
coincidence, that, whilst, in the other House,
the conduct Of the Secretary Of State vas ar
raigned for changing some Of the Publishers OF
the Laws, as though he had committed an OF
fence meriting impeachment, 1t should be
gravely proposed, as desideratum, in the Senate,
that the Press, not only here, but throughout
the country, should be regulated by the distrl-
button Of the Public Printing, with view to
improving the condition of the Press" What
has been deemed objectionable in a Secretary
Of State, seems TO have been thought by the ho-
norable Senator to be perfectly fair in party
in one branch Of the Legislature, upon whose
predominance in both branches of the next Con-
eress the most confident calculations are made
with what accuracy time will shew.
The honorable Senator ought to be well a
ware Of the utter futility of all attempts to or
ganize the public press Its conductors are
made of sterner stuff than to be brought down
upon their knees with one accord, to worship
any idol Of party which he may choose 10 SET
up. There are a thousand of these iEdiy iduals,
many Of whom would not only part with the
paltry profit flowing from party patronage, but
even with liberty, or life itself, sooner than with
the right Of private Judgment, of which his
notion Of party discipline requires the absolute
surrender. Nor can the press be chastised, any
more than it can be bought or sold. The idea
Of thus operating upon the press cannot live in
The pure atmosphere Of public opinion, howe
yer it may he cherished by passion or preju-
dice Much may be effected, we know, in re-
gard to the press, by party organization within
the limits Of single State: we have seen ex-
amples of that, as we have recently Of the ef-
feet Of similar organization in the particular
department Of the Government to which the
honorable Senator belongs. But, in the nation,
such OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of sentiment and Ian
guage can have no duration, either among the
conductors Of the press, or the body OF the
People, dependently Of reason and conviction.
Public opinion turns upon and res,sts every at
tempt to dragon it. 1t resenfs every attempt
by an organized party, to bend the press by
bribery to Its selfish purposes. Of the first of
these operations, we have seen an example in
the case of the old sedition law: Of the other,
we shall see it again whenever MIR. VAN buren,
succeeds in his notable project OF Importing the
condition Of the press throughout the coun.
try" by means Of the Public Printing, whether
it be bestowed as boon for obsequiousness. or
taken away as punishment 70. independence
and integrity of conduct
The observations Of Mr.. VAN buren, would
not have been considered entitled to the conse-
quence we have given to them, in these few re-
marks, but for the vote by which they were fol-
lowed up and sustained, which exhibited an Of
sanized strength oftwo and twenty vot es in ia
vor Of measure, which we say without reserve
or hesitation, we do not believe the reason ola
single individual Of the whole number APPROX
ell Not desiring 10 be thought to speak dis
respectfully Of any Of these gentlemen, we must
explain that we con6ne our application OF the
word "reason" to the merits Of the thing ac,u-