Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1840-03-07

Communication of n. NJ Williamson.
% Madison County
To the House Of Represea,afirss of fse
State of Mississippi
The Press Is AT all times an agent Of
immense. Overw helming power. sn ulrlch
so that a member Of the British PaFlia-
ment once said. shat he would defv
corrupt government. with a corrups Mia
istry, and a veual House Of Coum0n~~
if he had the control of free Press -
Properly regulated. Il Is the friend Of
liberty and the rights Of man In weak
or corrupt hands. IL Is an engine Of evil
and NAV be perverted 10 the worst of
purposes. in the worst Of causes- T.
seems that new era has ARISEN en- the
history of the press. Instead Of tread
ing the Iofty pathway Of rs career. dis
cussing great fundamental principles.
and being a beacou-'ight for the friends
of freedom, 1t has descended 20 the dirty
work OF assailiRg private character
and is the chosen vehicle Of personal
malignity and unscrupulous SANDER. an
in its groveling and disgraceful search.
pursues It's object by the most Contempt
BILE and unhalIOwed means. Like the
shamble fly, it first seeks 20 make n pa
trid carcas Of human reputation. and
then batten on It-gorging its coarse asi
vulgar appetite upon the food itself has
created.
These general remarks are made On
facts which come within the scope or the
obse rvation Of every one The history
of the times justifies and susfains then
However depIorable and degrading
this sketch may seem. II Is true of the
press generally, with some few honnra-
bic exceptions; but | know Of no CIR
receive for it. but an enlightened and re-
forming public opinion. The Proprle-
tors. sustained by their own means ans
by lndividu n patronage. hazard noshine
but their own character and means. anf
strange To say. these seem rather To be-
enhanced and augmented BY their pros
titutions. But there Is one exception =,
this. | mean the Public Printer. who y
paid out OF the common fund Of the peo-
pie of the State, and who trucking. par-
tial and dishonorable in his course. per-
Ills the dignity Of the House. and the ma
lorlty of the public Upon him. then.
as the paid organ Of the public. the obi
CATION of imPartialIty and fair-sleaIna
rests with commanding and peculiar
force, and have to charge against hina.
an abuse of this confidence, and 4 base
and lying violation OF his duty
On last Saturday, a report was made.
in the other wing OF the Capitol, on
subject of great public interest. which
was ordered TO be printed for the use Of
this House. Il was confided 70 him far
this object, and for no other. and whilst
we have been looking for il with anxiety.
table Is extracted from IL. published
and circulated throughout the city. and
lest this might be too sweeping and inils-
crimlnate in its destruction. an S-fr1r
newspaper IS published enforcing lis con-
illusions as TO some. and excoIpa.ing and
lauding others. Had the Public Printer
been simply what a public printer ought /
10 ue, dong lie work Of this House. with
out any connection with a partizan press
would this House have toleFatet him =. /.
handing over It's public documents con
hded to ham for the purpose OF printing /
only, TO the conductor of partizan press
TO be used by him, garbled and distorted /
IN every member. for the purpose of suS-
tanning an attack against private citi- 4
zensf l cannot think the House would Il
be SO lost TO a sense OF its own dignity /
as TO permit il. j In what respect does
the conduct Of the Public Printer dsffer
IN this matter, from the conduct TO v hieh I
have referred. In culpabiIity and m
harness, not in the slightest degree
whatever The documents sent TO him /
tor publication were confided to him for I
sPecilc purposes, TO wit: to be printed
and returned TO the body by which the
work had been ordered, instead OF which.
IN anticipation of that publication. IA
ole OF the report Is published in an ex-
ira paper, founded upon facts contained
IN the rePort' This charge 70 Be con