The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-01-08

subject of the press, and the occasional punishmci
oi those, who use il with freedom offensive 10 III
Governments; I is well known, that with respc,
to the responsible members Of the Government
where the reasons operating here, become applica
bic there the freedom exercised by the press, an
protected by the public opinion. far exceeds III
limits prescribed by the ordinary rules of law.--
Inc ministry, who are responsible to impeachment
are ut all times, aninndNcr,cd on, by the press
with peculiar freedom; and during the election
Tor the House Of Commons, the other responsible
part OF the Government, the press is employed will
as little reserve towards the candidates.
! The Practice in America must be entitled 10 mucl
/ ~ re respect. In evcay State, probably in tn
mon, the press has eXcrlcd freedom in canvass
~" the merits and measures of public men, of ever,
description, which has not been confined to th'
strict limits Of the common law. On this footing
the freedom Of the press has stood; ON this iootn
it yet stands, And it will not be II breach, cirhc
of truth or of Candor, TO say, that no persons o
presses are in The habit of more unresIralncd ami
nadv'rsOns on the proceedings and lnciionaric
of the State Governments than the persons ant
presses most Jealous in indicating the act of Con-
grcss for Furnishing similar animadyersions on til,
Government Of the United States.
The last remark nil not be understood as claim,
ing for the State Governments, an immunity grca-
ter than they have heretofore enjoyed. Some de.
gree Of abuse is inScparHhle from the proper use Of
every thing; and in no instance is This more true
than in that Of the press. II has accordingly beer
decided by the practice Of the States that is better
10 leave few of lis hOAiOUs branches, 10 their luN
Uriant growth, than be pruning them away, 10 i'll
lurr the Nisor Of those Welding the proper fruits
Aud can the wisdom Of this policy be doubted hy
any who reflect, than to the press alone, ChoQurCd
a' II " WIN apn',S' ''' Nor'd Is "o'o'Cd Tor al
,he 'rlohplS winch nave "ren gained by rrrSon and
humanity, over error ana oPpr'55on' Who reflect
'ha' !" lhc same hrhrhrr"' source IN, T. = owe
much Ut lhc lights when conducted Them TO lhc
RANK OF IL lrec ana independent h''Ioh; ana Nhlcil
nave improved 'htIr po,I'tal system, nv" shape
50 suspicious TO 'h'' '"iP'nc,S' liao Nec'.'Hh
i,tn '"'"T"s ',r,i P;"'" ~" '."' n',E''
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cra;Io o,or ,h', nrcss iIrJ ~ -5, w
M, ohridgc ,yo. npon, ms uosiliyc denial IN Com
grc>s, of any power whatever ON the subject,
TO demonstrate that this was the true subject of
the article, il will be sufficient To recall the circunl-
stances which led to it, and 10 refer TO the cApana-
ton ACCOMMODATING the article
,yL,r ,ho r,,;,,,;,, ,,,s ,lo, tho 1;sorss;ors
,,l;i, l;.,r,,;t,,,;'n IL ;s,'oIIIn, ,I,
,.,, Observation-Disclosures ,rc o,.,'ro,so I, ,,,,, los,
la onIIio, n ,ou,o ro,;.i,n o,oon,In cro,, ,hr
o,y.rs dclo,,,cI or cnr,oin r;,L,s and of ,Lc rc,.
Ian, or ,Ia nr,,s n,r,ic,,ln,I, ni,ht oxnosn ,hnm
m ,I, L,,,,,, ;',, Jr,,, n',,,s,r,r,ior ,,;,l,.
~ ,n,,n ,,,o nn,T, ,n.,oL /, Observation-Disclosures c,-
nn,;,, ,r,ho no,,o, =, ,,nL nj noco..r,, and
g.. o.rr, Inv, ,ho;r or o,,'or" ;n,n
;o -, a. n,,;na,,r i, ,,',, ;',,.,.;,,J,
orrcd ia no r,nI"mon,I anJ "horoc,cr;.'c mri"ri.
pie Of the Constitution tina, all powers not given by
i we've reserved tlmt no powers were aiycn beyond
hose enumerated in the Constitution. and such rs
were fairly incident in them; that the power over
The rights in question. ard particularly over The
press, was neither among the cnunaicd powers.
nor incident tonny of lhcm and consequently that
IN exercise of an, such power woud be Il mani
lest usurpaliun 1t i, paiu'uI,o remark, how much
he arguments now employed in behalf of the Sc
liton Act are at ynrianrc with the reasoning which
hen Justified the Constitution, and invited It's rat
licalion
- 49,, Ill. ,r ,I,o.,,,,;,o, ro,,,,.oJ ,,o :,
or,stinr nnc.,on in so many of the Conventions.
whether the doubls and dangers ascribcd TO the
.'onsli,u,;nn. should he removed by any ancud-
pcu,s prryious IN the raticp,ion. or be postponcd
II confidence that ~ far =. they nirhi be proper.
he, would be introduced in the form provided by
tc Cnn.,i,uiion. The latter course was odcp,ei:
md IN m"., Of ,hc y,ulcs fine ratification. were fol-
owcJ ne prcnosIions and instructions for rcudcr-
ma fine Constitution more c,p'irit. and more sal;, to
he ri,hts not mt ia b, drlrratcd by il. kmnpg
hose rights. the freedom Of the press. in most III
tances, i, particularly and cuphaiicalll mentioned.
Ihc firm and very pointed manner, III which II j,
>srrlrd in the proceedings Of the Convention Of
his state, will BE- hereafter seen.
In pursuance Of the wishes thus expressed. the