The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-10
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY NIGHT, DEC. 10, Is4o.


single point in the Presidents Message, as follows
''one passage however defaces its very outset which
merits for its extraordinary Character no delay Of repre-
henson."
We give the passage in the message which is here re-
ferred to-
81 deem il TO be my dhy present you the present
occasion, condensed review Of the injuries had
ained of the which led the war; and of its pro-
gress since its This is rendered the
extent prevailed its origin and character
The has been represented unjust and unnecessary
ured enemy Ouch erroneous views though enlerained
by but few have been widely and extensively circulated
and the whole world more efieetual means could not
have been devised TO encourage the enemy and proac the
war than TO advocate and adhere to their cause and thus
give them aid and confront"
Upon this the lntelligencer remarks.
"The public cannot have forgotten how constantly since
plunged in the existing needless and unhappy
here the Union, has stryen stae all inquiry into the
usyng causes, hector the press into silence, and
the representatives. of the people into APPRECIATION by
denouncing better than moral treason all examine
into the conduct OF the Executive and by stgmazng
all questions about this inception OF the war without
sung Congress- the prudence OF lis management or the
legality Of many high-handed under amounting
nothing less than giving aid and comfort the enemy
In spite of the perseverance and arrogance with which
this claim 10 public silence urged by the Union and
though the failure rebuke such doctrines strongly implied
their official sanction, neither the public Congress,
ourselves who have enjoyed the honor of being very
special mark Of these could hitherto believe
such doctrines ything but the mere offspring of blind
devotion to power Il seems, however, That we were all
overindugen; the Executive has in this message his
royal stamp these claims of nonnqury. Nay be-
fore entering upon his exposition Of his conduct and Of the
causes OF the war takes To lay down the very pr
cipes insisted by the Union IL was, possibly, deemed
necessary precauton thus 70 inform the country in adj
vance lest his reasons should fail 10 convince H. that TO
doubt them permitted and that question them
would be held siding with Mexico and giving her aid and
comfort"
Now, in far these comments touch the passage in
the Presidents Message referred TO, it is enough to say
once for ALL in reply that the passage states plain prop
oson the exact truth OF which cannot be disputed and
which, in its most and searching point is express
ed in words cited from the Constitution itself Reduced
to single sentence, the Presidents proposition is pre-
csey this To circulate widey and extensively, not only
at home but throughout Merioo and the Loe trorld as
has been dons the erroneous UisirS entertained by but ep
that our trar unjust and unnecessary and act Of az
erosion on part upon redk and injured enemy,
10 adopt most eectai means Of encouraging The enemy
and protraetng the by advocating and ddherng 10
their cause and thus gfUing them did and comfort"
Now, whomsoever this proposition may reach, and
whomsoever however deeply it may wound, we defy
the nelgencer to deny gainsay single word OF it.
1t is wholly and severely true just it stands The
which implies being expressed in the very words OF
the Constitution, attaches to those and to those alone
whose conduct has violated the moral obligations of that
sacred instrument, and thus made them amenable to its
moral penalties II is not to be wondered at that the In
tegencer "winces !" but it so wnces because it stands
in the predcament of the "gaed jade" else, its with
ers had been unwrung" That journal, and those who
in this matter have acted with it, have constantly repre-
sented both home and abroad our war as unjust and
unnecessary and act OF aggression on part upon
weak and injured enemy thus advocating and adherng
to the enemys cause and giving him aid and comfort"
Nay more; the offence is repeated by the Integencer
in this very article upon which comment That Jour
nal is thus caught by the constitution cited by the
President in that very Ggrane delcto" which it is the
province OF the law summary to condemn. Doubtless
this is very serious and sad matter for the ntegencer
and for those, be they who they may, who have acted
similar part But it cannot be helped. The censure is
the solemn censure of the constitution The moral crime
is crime designated and defined by the constitution.
When it hardens into overt act il is punished by the
law in pursuance OF the constitution While il exists
only in the embryo OF intent substantially reasonable,
it is punished not by the laws avengng power but by the
open and burning shame of "MORAL TREASON
So much in reply to the 'Inelligencers" comments
upon the Message But in bar of this crushing judg-
ment the Intelligencer," utterly unable to deny the
facts as charged pleads the Freedom of the Press"
To the suficency OF this plea in the we demur
We yield to no man in for the freedom of
the press As the sacred palladium of our liberties
should always be maintained and we, at least will al
ways maintain it, In the Judgment of the Intelligent
cer," the press is free to denounce the which
country wages against foreign foe Much more,
then, in Judgment is the press free denounce the
g ntellgencer for such course In the Judgment of
the " Integencer," as shown by its own systematic
action, the press is free to throw dsrepute and odum
upon cause and to advocate the enemys cause thus
giving him st aid and comfort" Much MORE them in our
guage of the nteligencers" earlier and better days,
and stigmatze such conduct as "moral treason" Shall
the " ntegenser" be free to hold up its own govern
men to the reproach of the world as an unjust and blood
stained aggressor upon weak and injured foe, and
then shall not we be free to charge home upon the In
and upon those whom it represents, the
whole tremendous responsibility of such course? Shall
The press be open-mouthed to assal the country and
ongue-tled in its defence? few days since the Intel
gencer found itself free to declare and did DECLARE in
terms, that just had been stated either officially
Or unofically, why this with Mexico should have
been engaged in. Shall We them be denied the right to
ienounce such statement the doctrine Of national
and its advocates as the advocates of Ma
roNAL DsGRAcEi The freedom OF the press has its re-
'ponslbes. When the press, in time OF war; assails
It's own government and thus abets the public enemy
hose responsibilities become fearful to be met, and hard
ha h.rV "a L.