Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-07-31
Tbis. gentlemen, seems to me to saror

,rou ,rhatercr. This, gentlemen, seems 70 NV : S"0oI
strongly of something akin to the gag. Are you, IN
=: -" . :; oI,,eued ARE of free, unlimited discussion, to
~. mon Yourselves the task OF muzZ'ing me Demo
cratic press of Virginia: Is the press 10 De s'lehceai "
rs,r of offending sears polite DO you expect TO
a.a,,u The voice of frccmcn indignant at The enorini-
u ensar ,nur partv. What would the principle of your
r.solution, If adopted, lead TO? Te a censorship OF lhe
ross which all history and experience has shown 10 Oe
# war with enlightened reason or true liberty uran.
This principle, and the articles prepared 0 u -
,,o,Id have TO be submitted 10 the "Tippecanoe Ciuo OF
richmond, for its ratification, before they couid DC Sent
10 the press. What is this, but a revival Of 'he ancient
sedition law, under which }. /. Calender was arrested
and the greatest outrages were inflicted, not ohiy on cut
tors Of ne w%spapers, but prlvate, uhohtnu'"s W, :. LIZ
-, N. hired troops of the Elder Adams:-Wha Is tins,
~, , revival of the spirit OF the modern rag Dill, your
marty have been laborIng, for the last tw" years, L pass
;n,o'a law, TO shut the mouths OF free born Americans:
Bu,. gentlemen, the right you attack IS "colst''htionat
md .nualienable." Its "inherent IN every man Inc
blessed charter ofour liberties has said, that "the freedom
Of speech and of the press shall not be abridged. no"
then can you, gentlemen, protesting as you w = oP-
nose the Administration because 1t IS tyrannicdf, ana ex-
crcisinp all your powers of abuse to pnH Il do'cn, invade
This sacred right: How can you, who nave ouiit a
.lop cabin to testify your devotion to the sacred rights
Of mman-to manifest the comprehensive character OF
your philanthropy and Liberalism, consp're 10 destroy
a constitutional privilege, and without when lie itself
were not worth having: But, gentlemen, ! 0 NOT pro.
nose to discuss the ~propriety OF your course. You are
freemen as well as ], and can do as to you may seem
meet and proper. | believe with Mr.. Jefferson, tnat
aerror ceases to be dangerous when reason IS lett iree
TO combat it," This principle you can adopt or not, as
you choose. If you should be Of opinion that terror
would be less dangerous than treason and toleratinn,
why. take the course suggested by your resolution, and
make the "freedom of the Press %qnadrate by any stand
ard YOU may set up. This will be true liberty-the II
berty of ancient Sedition Laws and modern gnSS-a H.
berty which a party in this country would chccrtuily
and willingly confer on The people, If the power OF do
ing so should ever be placed in their hands. Against
this sort of liberty | most solemnly protest. Against IT
invoke the solemn protest of every friend to his coun-
try. DENY your right to make the call indicated IN
your resolution. charge that it would be al. INVASION
of the freedom Of the Press u mute, IN which no Tree
man should acquiesce. ] say It IN no spirit OF menace
or bravado, or with any view TO torestall your taxing
action on the resolution which now lies upon your table,
and which | suppose this publication will have the e!-
feet of saving YOU the trouble of ever again calling up.
In The nature Of things, no responsibility can subslst
between an Editor and an organised mass 81 tRdt-
riduais, and this consideration, of itself, would restrain
me, If not others, from using any language or adoPtln5
any course Inconsistent with this responsibility. | only
claim 'ro know my rights, and dare maintain them.
As an editor, | shall, AT all times, criticize, freely ana
fully, public men. public measures, and the acts Of pc:
litical parties, without any fear OF accountability. J
shall not, knowingly and wantonly, assaIl the pirate
character of any man, in no relation to public Office,
without a full measure of responsibility; and hereby
wish it understood, for him who may choose to make
what / say and publish, polHicaty, the ground OF
priratc grief, that his right TO do 50, y a gentleman,
will not be denied. But # ii shall be your pleasure To
Commence the revolution mar, which Mr.. Preston So
lemnly invoked last Thursday, in the event Of Mr. Van
Buren, reelection, perhaps the press would first be
most deserving of your attention. Come veal orcome
woe, its freedom shall not be impaired IN my hands.
LAY on, NclIufr, and Id be he
Who first cries hold! cnouel."-
So much, gentlemen, in behalf of the "freedom OF
The press | no~ refer you to the subJoIned article
for proof of the profanity Of your party in other States.
| disnvow altogether having implicated the citizens OF
Richmond in such dIsrcputable and shocking ccremo-
MES. ! could not have been capable of such an act
for, | well knew, that no such scenes had been enacted
herc. only made the statement in The Enquirer, which
has so much and so unjustly aroused your scnsib'iit'cs
against an Editor, to show the dangerous and disnrgan-
lzing extremes to which your party was pressing the
''log cabin enthusiasm dsc'1hcrc, that you might be
induced to pause, calmly survey the surrounding conn-
try, and not rush h~eadlong down into Il vortex Of revo-
luton, anarchy and sacrnegc.
Your Obedlcnt servant,