The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-03
We understand that Mr.. Rathbun, of New York ;,

We understand that Mr.. RAthbun, of New York
undertook to comment in the House to-day upon
our article of last evening. We had not tho oppor-
tunity Of hearing his remarks; but understood that
whilst he denied his having attacked the duty on
tea and coffee, in his speech, he admitted that he
was opposed to the duty, and yet that he voted
to-day against striking them from the bill, for the
purpose of defeating it, These are nice distinctions
upon which we would be scarcely willing at any
time TO expatiate, but still less 80 in the present
state of our feelings. We should consider it rather
poor proof of our chiVary at any time to
throw down the gauntlet, or to accept II from the
representative Of New York. But at present we
feel in too good a humor with ourselves, and
with all the world, to engage in any personal alter
cation, or in any Of words, with any human
being. We rejoice at the passage of the tariff
bill. We are happy that it ultimately received
the votes of Messrs. Rathbun, Mcdowell, and
Brinkerhof; and we feel at the present moment not
the slightest disposition to upon or to wrange
with any Of them. We could not find it in our
heart to say unkind thing of any of them, or OF
anybody. Determined, as we are, on all proper
occasions, to cross the path Of any man who
opposes the great interests Of the country, and TO
expose every democrat who, from private grisfs,
may desert his principles, yet we feel in too much
good humor with the world in this moment of glo-
rous triumph to our great cause to say anything
harsh or vindictive towards either of the gentle.
men whom we have specified in this article.
We must say that we somewhat surprised al
the course OF Mr., Mcdowell, of Ohio, in going out
Of his way to attack the editor Of the Union. Had
we attacked him in our remarks upon Mr.. Brinker
hof-had we made any offensive remark upon any
other member of the Ohio delegation-had we aim
ed or intended single unkind expression for the
great State Of Ohio itself, we might have excused
the remarks of gentleman, towards whom we had
desired TO cultivate but courteous and respect
full relations. We have not seen his remarks to
this moment; but we understand that he made some
reflections upon our position, which can only be ex-
cused from his ignorance Of our character. We are
as proud man as Mr.. Mcdowell himself-as
proud of our independence-as much devoted TO our
principles as the member from Ohio himself We
have undertaken to do the public work for the
Congress Of the United States. Whilst we
mean to treat them with all proper respect, we
never understood that we had thrown our principles
into the bargain that we have made with Congress.
We have been too long independent even Of the
Virginians themselves-we have too much respect
for the liberty Of the press, little too much respect
for ourselves to be willing to sacrifice our integrity
or our independence to any or all the members OF
both houses of Congress As little would we sacri-
fee them upon the shrine Of any all the members
Of the executive department The President knows
this as well as any one else; and we must do him
the justice to say, that his whole course towards US
has been marked by much courtesy and conf
dence as we could have desired. He has never
asked the slightest sacrifice of our principles; but in
carrying them out, believe have carried out his
own Should different state of things ever come
Mr. Mcdowell will find that we shall be as little
disposed to sacrifice good name to the President
of the United States, as we are to kiss the rod OF
overlook the gross derelictions of any member Of
Congress