The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-04-25
CORRUPTING THE PRESS-SECRET
SERVICE FUND, &c

When Mr.. Charles Jared IngersoH made his
heavy charges against Mr. Daniel Webster, while
Secretary of State, with using the Secret Service
Fund OF the country. for the purpose of corrupt
Ing the press OF the country we felt the blush of
Indignation mantle our cheek that so base charge
should be made, and spoke our mind; but we
thought it possible that sumo large sum of money
had been used extravagantly, but not corrupily,
by that man who knows not, and never did know,
the value of money-what, then, was our aston
ishment to find, by the Presidents Message which
we publish today, that the whole sum used du-
ring the preceding Administration, was only S.
400. Fiue thousand four hundred and sirfu
dollars, TO corrupt the " PALLADIUM OF LIBnR
TY - in this country of freemen. Where is the
honor of the Press? the esprit du corps, that they
do not rise and crush the base calumniator2 Law
party aside until your honor is indicated, or We
are no men-ye are not worth the paltry sum
named above, if you suffer him to go unscathed of
justice. Look how quick the Daily Times of
Washington City was crushed, when it dared to
breathe SANDER against the Senate-then. all
the members forgot party, and joined to vindicate
their honor--and those even, in the Senate, who
had brought Robinson from the West, and bouqh,
the w. >. Journal, were silenced by the over
whelming stream Of public indignation. Be We
men, lrue to yourselves, and no man will be-.
placed so high that for party ends, or personal
mallgnly, will dare to touch your honor, how
ever much he may desire to destroy your influ-
ence.
One word now TO the charge made by Mr..
lngersol as to corrupt and fraudulent use of the
secret service fund by MIR. Webster, (Which
grows small by degrees, and beautifully less. -
Ii will be recollected that he disclaimed anv in
tention of inculpating Mr.. Tyler, the late Presi-
dent, but 1t is not yet satisfactorily shown how
Mr.. !. came into possession of The facts on which
he based his charge. 1t must have been by some
agent of the Government, who is entrusted with
the confidential documents of the Department.
Who is that agent? If he put those documents
In Mr.. rs hand, he has violated his oath of office
and if Mr.. /. accidentally stumbled upon them bv
having authority from his official station, to search,
the archives of the Government, and has taken al
mean and unwarantable advantage to ruin no.
lltlcal opponent, he has placed himself in situa-
tion that we would not hold for The world. The
Presidents Message shows the utter absurdity of
the call, but it does not do justice to all parties
1t leaves chance for Mr. lngersoli to reterate
his charge-which Mr.. King, of Georgia, met on
the instant, by showing how the fund had been
expended. The very fact of the Hunters Lodges
being in existence at the time, accounts for the
outlay, and the only establishment with Us is, that
much larger sum was not found requisite to ac.
complsh the business of the Government. and tn
put itself in possession of all the facts cunnected
with the border troubles Mr. Van Buren, ex
pended heavy sums from this very fund, vet no
one ever thought of charging corruption upon
him. The matter in It's winding up, however.
has become TOO contemplate, to be treated with
the respect of arguing its absurdity, and we can
only wish that the President had felt it his duty
to have laid the whole documents and vouchers
before the world, and it would have been another
weapon in the hands of the friends of JOHN Tv.
LER to confound his enemies, and enable tbose
friends to open the eyes of the people to the great
wrong which reckless and unprincpod politicians
have done him.