Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-21

H II 4
BY transferring to our columns not long since an
article from the Charleston Mercury, on the Ore
gon controversy, having brought that journal unGei
the ban of the government paper, we think il due
to the former that we should give its defence the
benefit of our columns here, on the ground on which
it has been assailed, and where its adversary has
SO much the advantage in extent Of circulation.
sRoM THE cHARLEsTos MERcuRr, mARcH IL.
THE DUTIES OF PUBLIC JOURNAL.
The Union, proceeding its indictment against the Intel
Ggencer, varies the specification thus
We charge that in doing this" e. e. copying articles from
the Journal Of Commerce and the Mecury] sthe Inte
gecer said that for itself and tried its utmost to make the
Wing party say that Of which Mr. Webster days ago. in
his place leading opponent Of this Administrations told
the country that his tongue should be siered before he
would say it. We charge the egenc with having thus
committed breach Of patriotic duty" &c.
The language Of the Union is Of the orcibe-feeble
der; but there is si apparent in il something which, coming
from the Administration organ, has gravity and importance
enough to merit notice. It is maintained that discuss in
spirit Of mpartay the pretensons Of Government
pending negotiations, is ga breach Of patriotic duty The
attempt is to ghen the press by such accusations from all
free discussion and get free field for the reckless agitation
of those who seek drive the country into waran unne-
csssary absurd runous war; And the attempt upon the
freedom of the press gains additional importance from
its being apparently part Of system OF tactics. The
charge Of coogung with foreign country against
brought by the scul tender Of the Union Washington
against the body Of the Southern Senator's who resist the
eme Of those who trade for noorety with the blood
Of the Million We should not notice this infamous SANDER
If Of city papers had far forgot the respect due
the community allow its correspondent to retail the
vile fabrication something worthy of attention,
credence Such attempts will not honest men, except
TO Of those who make them. They much an
evidence Of weakness of malice. 3tet
But return. Mr. WxssrrR may have been right in his
view Of what became himself He Senatorpar of the
treaty making power, and therefore in position differing little
from that Of the negoators themselves The position Of
public journal is widely different The people look for
the very elements of opinion public questions But for Its
help, they would be in great part ignorant Of their position
and their interests in the matters under the control Of the
Government Acting as the instrument for informing the
people, it the duty Of the press semnae truth false
hood? ga breach Of patriotic duty for editor TO de-
liver his real convictions to his readers conceal them
give what he believes false reasoning, false statements and
deceptive views of the consequences Of public measures
What would be the result if the doctrine the Union
fully carried out The petensons Of Great Britain and the
United States to the Oregon territory wholly reconce-
able except by compromise. The "patiotc duty" Of the
press Of each country the to print nothing that shall
conflict with the extreme position Of its Governmento
give the public only side Of the argumentto impress
patriotic duty every reader to maintain this extreme
gound-to give everlasting iteration Of the argument for the
claim Of his own couhty-c auJc The Opposing claims
only scott and denounce them insulting and dshon-
est and impress the mind and heart Of the nation with the
conviction that all compounds is dishonorable. Truth,
shaned and rampled on, deserts the earth, nations de-
ivered by the force Of paotc duty to the dominion
of conflicting asehoods be reconced only by the exhaus
ton of mudeous strife. The people, seeing the only
sde believe there the other, and thus
the whole power Of the press and the people is thrown against
the Government drive it in the maintenance Of its
pretenons Reconcement of national differences thus
becomes impossible, and every conflict Of claims must end
In war.
Fortunately, the press cannot become dead 10 true pa
otsm well humanity, to act out this monsrous
principle of fasehood and injustice TO its full extent Unfo
tunatey national pride and prejudice carry it off to fearful
way that direconso far indeed constantly to unsee
the stability Of peace and give exaggerated consequence to
every petty difference among nations When the press shall
be moved only by truth and justice, will be impossible
Il