The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-16

present position upon the Oregon question: and the
position he intended TO maintain upon it hereafter
he should not be suspected, he trusted of symPa-
thizng with any one who, or any interest which,
should seek TO compromise il and he felt il due TO
10 his position, as member of the committee,
since the matter had been deemed by the Senate
worthy OF investigation, TO say-and he did 30
heartily and without mental reseryaton--that there
was not one word Of evidence, or single eircum-
stance before the committee, or known 10 II, when
ought to- could in the least possible degree, I'M
mediately or remotely, prejudice the Senate as a
body, a single member Of II; and therefore ne
had given his assent TO the report with very great
pleasure, and the report truly said that such was
| the unanimous opinion Of the committee Upon that
part of the report which recommended the expulsion
of the proprietor, editor and reporter OF the Times
newspaper from the gallery, he had some doubts,
and he SO said to the committee, though, n HIS
brethren of the committee, the sense OF the Sen
ate after this suggestion, should deem II necessary
TO the yndicston Of the body, he would not resist
it, nor did he intend to be understood as making a
point Of il further than TO suggest Il for the consld
Grafton Of the Senate. He said this, not in jushca
ton Of the publishers for they were without jqstih
cation or apology, though they had demeaned them
selves creditsby before the committee and in view OF
all the circumstances Of the case he could not but
gard them more the victims ofimposnion than
men stimulated by malicious motives and he
would submit 10 the Senate whether this proceeding
necessary 10 Its dicationor whether the tone
of the press could be thus improved or corrected.
There was in the press, he admitted, gross cen-
tiousness and abuse; but, in his opinion this was
not the best corrective. The reported proceedings
Of the Senate were now erroneous and imperfect,
from various From the position of the re-
porters in the gallery and the constant conversation
which he understood held behind them, II was
impossible for them TO report accuaelyi and there
were some, he regretted 10 add, who occasionally
ported what was not said, withheld what was and
interspersed the report with remarks calculated to
cast reproach and opprobrium upon the speaker.
His views for the correction Of this absse would be
10 carry out the plan Of the senator from Missouri,
Mr., BEsros,l offered a few days since, to admit
upon the floor of the Senate authorized reporters,
and hold them responsible for faithful discharge of
their duty. twas due to the people throughout the
Union that they should have true relation of the
doings Of their servants at the Capitol. He would
not exclude any from the gallery, but leave il
open, and let those who should choose to do so
misrepresent the Senate and burlesque its members
to their hearts content. No one had proba-
bly, reached seat in that body who
had not been the subject Of lbellous publca-
tons for twenty years; and all experience showed
that no one was ever slain by paper bullet unless
discharged by his own hand. He was for the ut
most freedom Of the press, Notwithstanding its
abuses, It's gross RIGHTEOUSNESS, its aspersons Of
private and public character. The remedy was in
giving 1t freedom, and not in restriction. In pro-
its power for evil. But let have current like the
swollen stream, overlooking its boundaries, gather
ing backness and fury in its course, and casting up
its miro and DRIFT would be purified by its over
agitations, and subsde into its proper and healthl
channel.
Repeating, he would add, his high qualification at
the perfect and triumphant vindication Of every
member Of the Senate and, should it suit the sense
of the body, be should be better satisfied to close all
proceedings upon the subject with the yindication
of its members.
Mr.. JARNAGIN had the honor be one of the
committee, and found his name referred to by the
editor Of the Times Of the witnesses expected
to prove the charges which he had published. II
became therefore necessary that he should be exam
med as a witness; and the honorable senator from
Missouri had at his (Mr. J's request occupied the
place Of chairman, and presented the report While
up he took occasion state that there were other
honorable senators whose names had been mention
ed, as his had bcen and in order to guard them
against surprise, he thought II proper to inform
them Of the fact that their names had been used in
that connection. He would read from the statement,
presented by al. H. Robiason," which cot forth
that he expected to prove by Messrs. MAncun,
ARCHER, CLAYTON, CoRwN, DAVIS, JOHNSON, OF
Maryland, SIMMONS, WEBSTER, land others, whose
names the reporter did catch, that secret eau
Gus Of wings had been held at several times, at
which a compromise Of the Oregon dispute was
debated in various shapes; and that Messrs.
CALHOUN, CoLauTr, McDurTE, HArwoop, and
BAGBY, "or either of them," offered to CON-
promise. The committee did not deem il ne
cessary to inform these gentlemen that they were
about to have the distinction of figuring in the
charge of"H. H. Robinson as conspirators against
the interests of the country, and therefore they had
not been notified that their had been SO used
But it had been said in reference to reporters that
from the position they occupy, it was extremely
difficult to hear correctly. He had no donbt that
was quite true AT all events, it scanned tn at his
friend from North Carolina Mr.. HAYwoopl had
not been distinctly heard by the reporter for the
Tunes, as would appear from his report-not his re-
port, for that he did not attempt-but from his de-
scrpton of the purport of that gentleman's speech
lie would read that statement from the Times:
"Mr H.rwooD who was entitled to the floor rose and
addressed the Senate in favor of arbitration
arrangement OF the question: o.. go.
The date of the number Of the paper from which
he had read printed lS49; but he supposed that
they meant 1916. At all events he (Mr. J.) did not
understand his friend from'North Carolina as argu-
ing in favor of arbitration Possibly, if he had been
in the gallery he might have thought otherwise.
Mr.. then suggested that certain number of extra
copies Of the report should be printed He believed
that the senator from Missouri had not specified
any number y" '@
Mr.. BENTON remarked that the usual number
was to be printed, and then many additional
copies as might be deemed proper.
Mr.. BERRIEN had heard with great regret the
ochoSot uOm ANcw AUth DICKINbONl exprcSe
the opinion that the editor and publisher Of the libel
on the Senate were the victims of imposition He
wished to know from the senator if he was to be un-
derstood as expressing such an opinions
Mr.. DICKINSON said, he said something like
that, in connection with other matter. The remark
was, that in view of all the circumstances he could
not but regard them more the victims of posi-
ton, than as being influenced by malicious mo-
tives. s
Mr.. BERRIEN continued. He did not riae for
the purpose Of engaging in any discussion with the
senator from New York to the correctness of his
opinion on the subject of the motives which actuaed
the authors and publishers of this libel. He rose to
express, as he begged now to repeat his unaffected
surprise that member of that body--a member OF
the committee who had concurred in the report
which had just been read at the secretary's table
should intimate the slightest impression that the au
thors and publishers of that paper were the victims
OF imposition. BY whom imposed uponi The re-
port IN which the honorable senator had concurred
informed them that when called upon to state the
source of their information spnnle onnor,,n;t, mo,