The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-13
THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE REPORTERS
CoLEMAS's HOTEL, WAsHEGToS,
March IL, lS46.


Messrs. RTTcHIE & HISS
have waited several days, to see whether your
reporter would correct the bunders he made in re-
porting the proceedings in the House relative to the
New York Tribune and Mr.. Sawyer, of Ohio. No
correction having been made, | ask the privilege Of
doing 1t for him. know that have no claims up
on you for any favors but such justice and gem
erosity may suggest.
In the report and congressional summary opin-
ions are substituted in place Of reports can bear
editorial comments, but reports of proceedings
should give what was done, not opinions.
Your reporter says that Mr.. Sawyer chad been
unable To FIX the letter on any lndivdual-the re.
puted correspondent denying the authorship" am
the repuied correspondent Of the Tribune, but Mr..
Sawyer never asked me whether | wrote il or not.
No wonder that he was unable TO tell have had
no personal feeling against Mr.. Sawyer. If he had
come to me, should have told him at whether
wrote it or not, and the matter could have been
easily settled, either by public or private expana-
ton. IL any injury done to truth to individ-
uals, no paper would have been more prompt to
make PREPARATION than the Tribune, and nobody
would concur in 1t more heartily than myself. Mr..
Sawyer, however, has chosen to pursue a different
course, and have no right to complain. This is a
free country.
Your reporter says that the explanation given is
necessary to render ineligible the subsequent ac-
ton of the House." The "Union," in such cases,
has usually quoted the offensive paragraph on
which subsequent action was founded. IL the re-
porter does not see fit to give the paragraph, let him
not give his opinions, but leave your readers to
guess the substance of it. A good guesser would
come nearer it than your reporter has done.
Your reporter adds, after the yeas and nays:
"The Speaker thereupon ordered the Sergeant-at-
Arms to execute the order Of the House." The
Speaker did not speak to the Sergeant-at-Arms
ty Of the Speaker himself. Why, then, was this
assertion made' Why were go many mistakes
Ito call them by no more uncharItable name
made in reporting so small a matteri | question
the right Of the House to erpel a reporter. They
may expe one of their own members by n vote of
two-thrds, or they may deny privileges. They
have no authority over me. The constitution does
not provide for expelling private citizens.
But the grossest Misrepresentation Is reserved for
the congressional summary written, presume, by
the same hand.
Mention is there made of the expulsion of "the cor
respondent of the New York Tribune for very gross
vituperation and abuse" This is not correct. The
vote was not taken on the correspondent, but cor
respondent. The paragraph complained of was not
in the regular correspondence Of the Tribune.
When the House refused to consider the vote re.
ferring to the correspondent, how does your writer
prove his assertion!
There may be an attempt made to crush the lib
ery Of the press by votes Of expulsion without al
lowing an opportunity to the accused to be heard
in sclfdefence. The attempt will prove inadequate
10 the OBJECT Inc people, whose property n Tree
press u.s. have right to have the proceedings of their
representatives reported.
For myself, will not be thus misrepresented.
Though have commented freely on political oppo-
nents, have avoided personal abuse. appeal to
my letters of two sessions to prove that have been
at least free from induging in personal abuse as
any other correspondent from the metropolis.
Freely as l have commented on the "Union,"
have treated its editors with uniform respect.
doubt whether either of them would have written
what appears as report and congressional summa-
ry. Why any reporter would misrepresent me
know not; for have never had any misundersand-
ing with any reporter in either house.
The attempt to injrre the Tribune is impotent.
It'll as risen from flames and ruins, like a phGnix.
It'll as greater caamities than the loss of
poor seat in legislative hall. We shall give fuller
and more impartial reports now than when we were
blessed with such privileges. In few days our re-
ports will be sent by lIghtning-which votes of ex
pulsion and partial legislation cannot bind
The vote stands recorded would not have it
otherwise. We are capable Of taking care of the
Tribune; let the House look to itself and its own
| reputation. We ask no favors. The Tribune will
live awhile longer and its expelled reporter will yet
be heard from. Some of the objects leading to that
| expulsion will yet be understood. doubt whether
those whose names are recorded in the affirmative
will find themselves rewarded hereafter by the re-
lection that they gave an opportunity to some OF
| those who voted with them, that they had finally
| w. E. ROBINSON,
Correspondent of The Tribune.
| NorE Br THE REpoRTER.-This letter is given ia
the public without any hesitation the part Of the
reporter whom ii undertakes to assai; and, although
certain portions of it, being programme of the in
tentions and objects of the "Tribune, belong NOR,
appropriately the head Of advertisements; yet tina
il might not be shorn Of any Of it's fair proportions
the whole matter is cheerfully published. Il car
go for what it is worth, with this single remark
that if the writer Of it had waited until what he dis
| courteously, and without foundation, designate
I" blunders" and ''gross misrepresentation" hat
been corrected, he might have waited until dooms
day.
But there are four points which call for reply
Before making it, the reporter wishes to state tina
he studously refrained from mentioning the names
of either of the correspondents designated by Mr.
Sawyer. In assuming the ground that it was NO
neceaaerv TO transfer to these columns the artic