Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-04-04


a, length been compelled from sense Of self res
pect, to expe the editor Of the Wisconsin Enquirer
from the privilege of seat within the bar of the
House. The Enquirer, which is the organ of Do
tyism, it seems has become odous and detested by
men of all parties. When an attempt was made to
debar the conductor of that print from seat with
in the bar of either branch Of the Legislature, afew
days after the commencement of the present session
the cry of persecution raised, and the Legisla-
ture were accused ofatempting to muzzle the press
Although it was notorious that the Enquirer had in
repeated instances misrepresented the members,
and heaped much low epthet and abuse upon them,
still many of the members INDUCED the hope that
the editor of that paper would desst in his reckless
career, land therefore were disposed to be lenent.-
The admonitions and rebukes however, which the
Enquirer received, seemed to have salutary ef-
fect;its columns still continued to TEEN with msrep-
reservations, and the only alternative left the Leg
islature was to forbid the slanderer seat within
the bar of the House.
We go for the largest liberty of the press; and
shall never consent to any abridgment of its rights.
But the question is whether Legislative body is
bound to admit to privileged seat, reporter of
its proceedings. who makes it his business to mis-
represent and give false statements The people Of
the doings Of the mcmberol What would you say Of
the man, who should daily claim a seat with your
family around the domestic firesde, merely for the
purpose Of traducng the members of your family
before the public? 1t is not true that prohibiting
editor of political paper seat within the bar
excludes him from reporting the proceedings. Eve
ry state legislature has limit the number of re.
porters admitted to seats within the bar but these
limitations are by no means to be construed TO an
attempt to muzzle the press. Facilities always exist
tor reporting the proceedings without the bar, and
hence the Enquirer is not declared the privilege of
giving the doings of the legislature to the public
correctly or incorrectly, just the editor chooses.
The exclusion of the editor of the Enquirer from
within the bar ofthe House, cannot be ascribed to
party feeling-both political parties in the Legisla-
ture were united in one common act to remove a
nuisance. The following are the proceedings had
in this matter in the House,
Mr.. Darling, by leave, offered the fol.
lowing preamble and resolution, to wit;
Whereas, the reporter Of the Wisconsin
Enquirer is guilty Of falsely reporting in
SAID paper OF the Odd inst. the report Of
the joint committee on enrolments, in re-
ation TO the presentation Of bill to the
Governor, entitled "An act to annex GER
tain fractions or lots Of land to the town
of Rock" made on the 18th inst, and
Whereas, in the same paper; a certain
preamble and resolutions of the Legislative
Assembly, in relation to the present ses-
sion, are published with an important omis.
sion, which materially changes the sense
and meaning Of the preamble prefixed to
said resolutione, and
Whereas the report Of the proceedings
of this House, in the same paper, is made
in manner calculated and apparently IN
tended, to place certain member Of this
house in ridiculous attitude before the
community. in sianderous and libslous
manner, therefore