Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-03-12
ALEXANDRIA.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH =
THE PRESS AND THE LAWYERS

made at recent meeting of those citizens &c
that borough who are in favor of the course 90
the Administration in relation to the Removal 90
the Deposites, commenced his address bv CO..
ing
We live at period which may well fest o,,.
devotion to our country. We cannot close o,
eyes to the evils that are menacng Us IT,
Press, in all its pride and power, is apainst -,
The Bar, the once strong hold of freedom !,
against us. Other associations have unexnGc.
edly and unwisely leagued against US Tbns
are the minor monopolles Of society focLtnS
around the standard of the great controIES
power of them all, even as hen gathereb ba;
chickens.'"
We take occasion, now, to comment unor,
suggestion which is so utterly unfounded, III,
not the first time in the history of the Dresser,
Administration that the Lawyers" as BODY
have been denounced; and we all know tho,
only portion of the press receives the smiles n
power-that part which dares to be indoro,
dent being under the ban of the en,niyo /.
That Mr.. Grigsby should come forward then
with denunciation of these prescribed classe,
Lawyers and Edtors-only shows that he s
"laboring in his vocation"
But let not Mr.. c. misunderstood US Tho
simple statement Of his proposition ougbttobave
alarmed him into silence:-of that we do NJ,
complain. The fact that the Lawyers as b.
dy, and a majority Of the presses ofthe courtrr
are opposed to the Administration, is certsinIr
matter of Importance There must be stronq
and powerful reasons which could produce sucI
state ofthings. Ii is itself an argument agains.
the Administration, and may well lead others,o
consider if there are not grounds for this posi
ton.
Who are the Lawyers? Mr. c. himself tells
us that the Bar was once the strong hold Of
freedom" Once! yes now, too, and always
Whose names shine SO brightly on the pages Of
English Constitutional History as the LQuggrsg
Who have done SO much for the Freedom ofthe
State and the Liberty ofthe Citizen? Whohave
battled half so manfully in every contest of L.
berty against Power, waged in the British EN-
pre? Yes! The Bar has been, indeed, the
strong hold offreedom. Without it, there would
have been no stay against the encroachments
ofPower. The People have cause TO regard it
with affection; for its energies have always been
eXerted in their behalf, and for their rights.
Nor has the American Bar degenerated in this
respect, or failed to follow the glorious example
left by the sages and patriots of England. Here,
too, the Bar has been the strong hold OF free.
DOM" Ofall the votares of Liberty, none have
been more sincere than the American Lawyers
From the settlement Of the Colonies down to the
present day, they have stood in the front ranks
of those contending for Republican principles
The very nature of their pursuits, the course Of
their studies, their intimate connection with and
dependence upon the people, all contribute 70
make them-not, to be sure, their sycophans
fawners and flatterers, but the true friends oftle
People-alive to their interests, and Jealous O.
their privileges.
And the Press, too! That, in its pride and
power, is arrayed against u.s." says Mr. Grgsby
What an evidence of the force of truth does this
single factpresent Thanks to the genius ofou
institutions, the majority of the presses OF this
country are intelligent organs of public feeling,
and honest vehicles of public information Is
any wonder, then, that the Press should be ar
rayed against the present course Of thngs-tHe
PRESS that moves only for the PeopIe-be
Press, the vindcator of the People, the aSSef'e'
of the rights of the People-the Pass, the " ~
RANTS foe, the Peoples friend"
Not complaining, then, of the simple assefIo"
made, as to the position Of the Lawyers ana Ut
Press in relation to the Administration, What|
object to is the inference that Mr.. G. would seeA
to make others draw from it. The inslnuau0"
is, that the Lawyers and the Press are HOW
leagued with certain monOpolieS, ana az
against the PEOPLE: and the object soughI oI =
consequently to set the people against the H''
yers and the Press. This is part and pafce "
that miserable system which has been ST. ."
work by designing men, and which arrays 20.
class of society against another, in ordeI "1,
demagogues may float into power and place "
the waves of public feeling. This is 6raaS"O
that same sort of argument used to sustain Wv
er in its assaults upon freedom-the natural 10
tired of the poor to the rich-an argument VIM
distinguished Senator, in his place. pioP,I.
designated as an abominable fraud upou
community. AS was done in that case )"
we now warn the people against such uei"'' ~,