Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-05-15
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
A Government Paper!
THURSDAY MORNING. NAY rs. is.s.

u
The declaration made by Mr.. Blair, on his re
tirement from the Globe, that that paper had ii
being in the ,cin Of Gen. Jackson, was the frs
public confession Of the existence Of paper entire
Fly dependent on the Executive. and absolutely de
voted to the Executive. In the same death-bet
confession, we were given to understand that the
Globe ceased to exist, and the " Union" sprung
into being, because Mr.. Polk tciiied il.
These are facts OF high public importance, anc
throw much lgh, upon the character Of the Off
cial Journal. The Editor Of paper thus situa
tcd-dependant upon the riH of the President
for existence, and in consideration of subscribing
Executive ends, drawing an annual stipend from
the Treasury Of $50 or s70,OO0-may boast that
he is freeman but it is mere boast. He is u
Gagged bird at best! He can only hop from round
to round in his cage, or from twig to twg within
the range of the contracted tether which tram.
mels his liberty. He may, within those limits,
twitter of freedom, of the frankness and bold.
ness Of freeman; but he cannot, if he would,
and he dare not, if he could, soar abroad with the
wild license of the unamed wing. He cannot ad-
venture forth into the bright sunshine oftuth, and
look with the fearless and unwinking gaze of the
eagle into the very palace of the sun. He must
content himself with the monotonous note OF adu-
lntion and the piteous wall of forick's Startling,
III can't get our" tells but too truly the melancholy
tale of his enslaved condition.
This state Of serritude results inevitably and
necessarily from the very position of an EIecu-
tive editor He receives his daily bread from the
Executive, and that too upon the thoroughly I'M
derstood condition. that he is To praise the hand
4 A. 4 4.
rested as to set no value OH the SIO,OOO, which
is the annual pay of Executive editor, could he
still, rs u man Of honOr violate the condition on
which he holds his post, and utter truth unpala-
table to the power that created and sustains himl
There is no escape from this conclusion. We
care not who the Executive editor may be, he is,
by the very law of his position, STARE Of the
Executiye-bound Eoi more by interest than hon
or TO obey the wishes of his employer. This,
however, is a matter personal TO the editor him.
self u he reconcile it To his conscience TO his
Of Prospect aud Of duty TO country 10 act
this ignoble part-weIi and good. The point of
interest to the public is to know that the press is
thus enslaved and subSrned, in order that il may
be Upon its guard. Representations ofEKecutive
conduct from q source SO interested, not 10 say
polluted, will and ought to be received with many
grains OF aliowance.
On this subject, we subjoin the comments Of the
Lynchburg Virginian
"n order that readers may form faint coneep
lion OF the direct pccunay Influence brought TO bear up
Editor who, Of his position the Organ OF
the Executive becomes the recipient OF party patronage
present thsm in condensed for statement OF the
OF printing for the REscqye aud Legislative departments
- =
elusive, with the estimated prof, ,hereupon. aeeorjng
Report Of committee Of the Senate that made
| 10 ,I.et body an tho l7th u lime. isi9:l
| From 1884 TO 1910, inclusive, the printing
| Of the Senate amounted 10 S372. 49,
| That Of the House Vi Representatives to SS3,s97
And that Of the several Executive Depart
Laens, lat the Of goyernmeniD TO 81 96s
| Amounting together TO Sl,l6s Geo
"Making an average Of Sl6G 95l per annupI Tor the
printing Of the government large portion OF which, lsay
the Sensss committed perhaps to the amount of 40 pei
has beer gained by the printers clear profit the
work. Assuming this az moderate estimate Of the profits
the gaia for the whole lime would be Si744Gi, and the
average gain by them each year would be S667s0"-
The committee that he actual profit will be found
ON particular estimate, be greater" even, thar
above slated. Indeed, "in the examination Of witnesses
by the committee Of the House Of Representatives il
1899 40, appeared that the profit this public printing
was estimated much above the rate hore stated"s
Now ask. how is it possible that Editor, iniuenc
by the desire Of obtaining, the Of losug such
annual subsidy, be expected dissent from
the Executive tho head be always will be Of the
dant party and by his position and immc patron
enabled almost uniformly to control tho dessCn OF Con-
gress majority Of whom, without the eIeriion o.
the Presidents personal and official influence would
rally indeed give the preference to his Organl Can he
the conduct Of the Executive and condemn. with
freedom Whatsoever HE judgment disapprovesl There
may be-we believe there ars--mGn in the world, who
would, such sacrifice. discharge thOir duty fear
essy. But such men rarely be found, and
iainly likely TO be called to such position Lk,
advocates the bar. the Oici Editor rcqursd-i i
the very u his cfEieco defend, to e1amine
to shout hosannas the President, scrutinze ehe
his acts or his motives. Let him dare do eherel hin
pronounce favorite Executive measure unwise or III,
which prompted impure, and its chords
breath official music The Organ is hushod forever
Such press may for augh know be invaluable TO the
Executive. Indeed, Mr. Van Buren, in hzsts letter to
Of the editors Of the defunc Globe declares that
But in precise proportion thatt valuable echo
fender and euogst Of the Executive, docs be
worth anything 10 the people, sentinel upon the watch
tower prepared detect and " detect expose and
condemn the misconduct OF that Of their
who more tan all others combined. has it in his power
inci eparabe mischief upon he country and easily
destroy free institutions. 20 use the strong but
just language Of the sonbs committee the subject Of
the Public Printing the second session Of the 9th Con-
ges 1.-THE power acquired by such press from the money
of tina government, would bogei spirit hostile To
ts legitimate purpose, which supposed be that Of
thankfully rejecting public opinion, or the sentiments Of
"he people, aud their varied Interests. bot which, IN some
"signal Instance, have been dsegsrdJ aud instead q
being the mirror VI public opinion, is ers have been
directed uufeseived dieaton 10 tho people, psos
"erbing such have the Independence express free
opnons and using powerful influence 10 preclude free
"and independent ciuzens from any Cfeo Of profit OF
"ityst under the government, whose authority welded
by the domnsn party Of which such p.os would seem "a
be Of ~ sendmsns lbc organ, snd iO the support add
"conunusooo Of is power he eiieJsl arj bsuoD."
"The legitimate support Of the newspaper pfess CON
nues the sonsies ReporO would TO be the prysis
subsepton Of the people, tbat best cscusted 10 s.-
"sblsh nbtursl connection between Them, based upon
"the perfect freedom aod independence Of both Any 9TH
princiue Woud present the foyytna sepctace al ca,