New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-06
A High-Hnnded Outrage:

The House Of Rpresen tatives at Washington mas
seen ct 10 exclude all Reporters and Gorrespono-
epts of The Tribune from the common privileges
accorded 10 reporters in its Hall outside Its bar.
Hereafter we are denied the right TO report the
proceedings and debates of that body, or even to
enter its walls, and are condemned (if the power OF
the House can effect III have note Of its doings
but such as We may obtain at secondhand But
the power of the House cannot effect any thing oil
the sort We shall continue to have regular reports
as heretofore, full fair, and when Justice shall re-
qure it) caustc and the majority OF that body has
stultifed itself to no purpose.
Tho folly of this attempt is SO extreme that the
public Is in danger of overlooking its audacity and
contempt Of right In its support there was no pre-
,ence that any proceeding Of the House had been
interpreted, nor that we had treated any OF It's do
ings unfairly. But in an anonymous letter from
Washington not even pretending 10 give report
of Congressional proceedings. entitled The Ru-
nors and Humors of Washington signed Persim-
mon, and INDUCING throughout in vein of per-
fectly good na.ured banter of some OF the striking
oeculiarities of certain Members, &c.-every para
graph giving the idea of exaggeration and Garcia
ture, whether it really contained such or not, and
therefore not calculated to harm any one-there
were certain remarks at which Mr. Sawyer OF Ohio
saw fit TO take offence, and his crony Brinkerhof
thereupon moved the permanent expulsion OF ell
Reporters and Correspondents for The Tribune
from the Hall OF the House! There proof
NO inquiry even, as to the authorship of the letter
objected to; the letter per was deemed sufficient
10 justify the Punishment of all connected with this
paper from the premises, and the behest was
promptly ratified Had this conduct ever parallel
for outrage or absurdity?
The Members who voted through this gag can
have no idea Of their own position nor that of the
Press There are no forty of them who could not
better be spared from the House through the SEES
sion than half so many Reporters. True, they are
paid exorbitanty from the Public Treasury, and
the Reporters as may be by their publishers bat
It il very rarely that onethrd of the Members have
done as good days work for tho Country as the
least efficient of the Reporters But for these the
Speaker could with great difficulty preserve any
approach to order in that beargarden bat for these
the indecencies and atrocities of certain members
would render Washington even more intolerabe
than it's. We fear our reporters and We have done
less than our whole duty in regard to this House
A faithful exposure of the ostentatious debauche-
ries, unreasonable drunkenness, and general row
dyism of certain Members, (whom the majority
never dream of expelling go far it could be made
without grossly defling our columus, would exert
wholesome influence, if not on these degraded
beings, certainly on the larger number who are
unconsciously preparing to follow in their footsteps
at least on the constituencies whom shame would
prevent from so disgracing themselves in future
We will consider what is our duty in the promises.
Meantime, as we have reported the proceedings
of Congress, never matter of grace or special
favor from the House. but as simple duty TO our
subscribers, we shall continue so to do, without
attempting please concihate those who dressed
in little brief authority are intoxicated with the
delusion that we have been enabled to report their
doiugs only through their magnanimity. Whether
they or we shall have reason to their exclusion
ofour reporter may be determined hereafter