Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-01-16

L. L
Senate TO get me the SeditIon law. II
not very certain how soon we may be cal
led 10 act upon il.
Now, sir. said MFR T.. let Us trace some
Of the other sources Of the exercise OF
this power, or motives Tor Ut, or ny VIVA,
ever other name they are 10 he called
lie SAYS to MIR Duane. "the Presiden'
repeats that he hegs the Cabinet TO cons'
der the proposed measure az his own, IN
the support OF which he shall require Il"
one Of them 10 make sacrifice Of op'n |
ion or principle. Its responsibility has
been assumed. after the most mature de |
liberation and reflection. as necessary 10
preserve the morals Of the people. the
freedom Of the press, and the purity oil
the elective franchise" The morals OF
the peoplel What part OF the Constitn.
ZION has given the President any power
over "ihe morals OF the peopleP' None
II does not give such power even over re
ligion,, the presiding and genial Influence
over every true system OF morals. No.
sir, il gives him no such power
And what is the next step 10 day ne
| claims power as necessary TO the morals
Of the people; TO morrow he will claim
another, as still more Indispensable TO our
religion. And the President might 10 tins
case as well have said that he went into
the office Of the Secretary OF the Treasn
ry, and controlled his free exercise Of his
authority as Secretary, because II was ne
cessary TO preserve 1.-THE religion OF the
Peoplep ask for the authoriiy.-W
any one Of those gentlemen here who con
s'der themselves as the indicators oil the
Executive, point ne 10 any clause Of the
Constitution which gives to the present
Pre- .ident Of the United States any power
TO preserve "ihe morals OF the People?
Blu: rhe freedom of the Press it seems,
was another motive. SIR, | am not sur
prised that the present Secretary OF the
Treasury should feel desire to revive
this power over the press. He. think
was a member Of that party which passed
the Sell ol Law, uid r p 'iseiy the
same p'o'~x'. ! recoiIeci IL was said. that
this Bank. this monster OF tyranny. wa,
taking into its pay countless number OF
papers, and by this mean. was destroying
the fair fame of the Pre,i lent and his Se-
or tary. and all that sort Of thing. Sir. IL
is sometimes useful TO refer back TO these
old things-to the notions and the motives
which induced men in former times To do
certain acts which may not be altogether
| unlike some others in our own time
The famous Sedition Act was passed
sir. in 1898; and il contained. among 9th
ers, the following provisions:
Sec. , That If any person shall
write, sprint. utter, or publish; or shall
cause or procure to he written, printed
uttered or published, or shall. knowingly
and willingly. assist or aid in writing
printing. utter,ng. or publishing. any false
sc,ndalous. and malicious. writing or
writings, against the Government OF the
United States or either House OF the Con
gress OF the United States. or the Prcsi
dent Of the United States, with intent ia
defame the said Government, or either
House of the said Congress, or the said
President, or 10 hing them. or either o.
them, into contempt or iisreput-; or Ia
excite against them, or either or any oil
them. the hatred Of the good people oi
the United States. or TO stir up seditiop
within the United States; or to excite any
unla~ iul com ninations therein. for oppo>
ing or resisting any law of the United
States, or any act of the President Of the
United States. done in pursuance Of any
such law, or Of The powers IN hun vested
i'y the Constitution Of the United States;
CT to resist. oppose, or defeat, any sucn
law or act; or to aid. encourage or abet
any hostile designs Of any foreign nation
against the Urited States. their peopl.
or government, then such person. brln.
thereof convicted before any court OF thu
United States having jurisdiction thereof
} shall We punished by line not exeeedin :.
two thousand dollars. and by imprison
ment not exceeding two years"
We have now. SIR. IN the reasons foi
removal OF the Government deposiies, tn
same motives avowed and acted upon -
The abuse OF the Government, bringing
it into disrepu,e. using coniemptnons Ian
guage to persons high in authority, Con
stituted the motives for passing the Sedi
lion Law: and what have we now but a
repetition OF the same complaints of a
buse, disrespect, Sc. AS it is now,
was ii then; for says the next section o
the same Sedit'on Act. That il any per
son shall he prosecuted under this act for
the writing or publishing any libel afore
said, il shall he lawful for the defendant
upon the trial of the Cause. TO give in evi
dence in his defence. the truth OF the mat
ter contained in the publication charged
as libel. And the jury who shall Try
the cause. shall have "a right 10 determine
the law and the fact, under the direction
Of the court. as in other cases"
1t is only for the sake OF The truth. said
they who favored the passage OF that law
for the sake Of justice; as It is now said
that II was necessary TO remove the de
posites in order TO preserve the purity OF
the press. That's all, Sir. there is one
part of this assumption Of power by the
President muchgnore tyrannical than that
act Under that law, the offending party
was TO have trail by jury; the benefit OF
witnesses and of counsel; and the right
TO have the truth OF his libels examined.
But what is the case now under consider
alton? Why, Sir. the President takes