The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-23
shirt of the Press.

The National lnlegencer having III the course oil the
nat week devoted only four OF its leading articles to the
snt action of the Senate against this journal, informs
m readers in its leading article OF Saturday last which
3 Iso devoted to the subject, that 1t has on hand
bs communications from different quarters in relation
. s same matter AMI withholds them from publication
~ the ground that the resolution of the Senate against
=. is too unimportan for further discussion
Po ourselves; we have already said all that deem
necessary for the present to say, by way OF showing
be nature OF the outrage which has been pepetraed by
the Senate against ourselves and the press in the adoption
of its resolution But we deem it proper to lay before
our readers some further specimens of the general sent
onts entertained and expressed BY the press OF the
FRY in relation to the course which the Senate has seen fit
10 adopt
From the Pennsy vanian Feb 70.
TIE SENATE vs. THE CoNsruUTIoN.--It bad
enough in all conscience, for the Senate of the United
States lift lis parrcidal hand against the freedom OF
the pressthat most gigantic OF modern instrumentalies,
which is "inesmable TO reemen and formidable to ty
rants only" But IT was monstrous aggravauon OF Its
course, that in cieavng down OF the pillars OF Tree
government, deemed necessary to ride roughshod
over the RUNS OF another
The constitution provides that "Congress shall make
no lar abradgng the freedom Of speech, OF or THE
PRESS" Messs RITcHIE and HESS are the publishers
of daily journal a the seat Of government 1t is part
report them to the world. This they can only do by
havn. free TO both branches OF Congress, either
personally OF by their representatives. the reporters but
the Senate of the United States dealing out to these gen
temen punishment for an imaginary offence, formally
declares that they shall be excluded from the floor oil
the Senate" and shall no longer thrust themselves 'be-
tween the wind and their nobility" If this be not an
abrdgmen OF the freedom of the press, we confess our
selves ignorant OF the meaning of some OF the planest
words in the English language The Senate OF itself has
done what the constitution declares that the Senate and
House combined may not do!
The constitution further provides, that IN all crtm-
nal prosecutions the accused shall ENJOY The right 10
Speedy and public t'tGt BY AN IMPARTIAL JURY The
veest yro in the law knows that the uttelance OF libel
is criminal offence, and is punis hable such by fine
and Imprisonment The Senate has declared Messrs.
Richie & iess guilty OF the utterance OF " public be
upoR their body, and the punishment Is expulsion
from their immaculate presence The Senate has thus
itself personaed the multiplied characters of accuser,
prosecuting attorney, Witness Judge. Juror, and eNecu-
TONER les-the impartial jury demanded by the con-
stuton consists in this Of eXaspeated partisans,
sitting in Judgment on their own cause and condemnng
opponent without even the poor compliment OF hear
ing
The constitution also humanely provides against man
being punished for the same offence twlce The Senate
has already once punished Messrs Richie & Heiss for
this alleged iibel-but which, we contend, was libel
and if It's theory be true they may punish these gentle
second time, by institutng proceedings before
courts regularly constituted for the purpose We pre-
sumo the next step the part Of the unhoy alliance
will be- that the aggrieved senators will seek to be lndem
ned for their wounded honor the quarter sessions of
the District OF Columbia They Will have perfect right
to seek redress for their wrongs there but they will ap
pear with bad grace before that tribunal If they should
be told that they have already decided their own cause
Mr. Calhoun--who, regret to hear, has conducted
this crusade against the publishers of the Union-has
been all his life famous scker for strict consirnc-
ton" Of the constitution His fault has rather been, as
so refined and subtlized its meaning that it required
mind fully ethereal and ranscendental his to
comprehend it, 1t is this fact that makes his course on
the Yulee resolution the more unntegibe to plain
minds accustomed to Judge men by their professions
The same senator too has in his day boosted constantly
and loudly OF his "chaUatry"-a term that stares one in
nomenclature The knighied heroes and gadators of
the oden time could not have Wanted themselves much
more on the possession of this great virtue, than has the
representative of the palmetto banner" But what la
mentable condescension, thus TO strike al grown
gray in the service of democacy who has rendered to
his party and his country eminent and Invaluable ser
vice. who was in earlier life the bosom friend and
cate OF Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; and
whose name Is associated with of the most brilliant
inunphs OF the democratic party Here deed I'M
worthy the proud fame OF the distinguished South Carroll
man; and we record it 'more in than in anger"
That he may live TO repent OF it, is all the harm wish
HIM.
From the Harrisburg, Pa) Democratic Union.
The LIBERTY OF THE PREss-The expulsion of Mr.
ktche IRON the Senate chamber has attracted the gener
al notice OF the press. The ground for the expulsion
the publication of alleged libel in the columns of the
Washington Union upon the Senate The proceeding is
almost universally treated attack upon the liberty
and therefore, 10 be resisted and repealed with the utmost
zeal and vehemenCe.
We trust that the liberty of the press may be defined 10
be the privilege to write freely opinions and to be
only responsible Tor their expression to the laws OF the
land We regard liberal discussion Invaluable in pre-
serving the purity OF our councils the safety of the gov
emment and the welfare of the people. When how
ever party amnesty embered feeling avails itself
OF the protection OF this sacred principle in our bill of
rights and makes the press the vehicle of indecent and
malignant bels, the individual aggrieved can resort to
the law of the land, and he will receive al the hands of
court and jury ample and Immediate redress The liberty
OF the press is the guardian principle of political liberty
and political liberty preserves our social liberty from VIC
Ialon Place this glorious principle under increased re-
sralns-glye to any judicial or legislative body con-
troll IT, either directly or indirectly and you subvert
one OF the strong barriers OF popular rights and subject
them to the caprice and tyranny of others.
We cannot but regard the action of the Senate as tend
ing TO this (although have disposition to display
duging in general invecives with particular reference
for, the expulsion OF Mr. Ri,chie they have decided
that the offensive article libel on that BODY and
asserted then power 10 punish the publisher of it, For
however the act may be justified under the plea that is
necessary to sustain the dignity of the BODY or that the
article published conveyed contempt of the authority of
the Senate II will appear to the public TO be an uSIfpa-
ton of the rights OF trial by jury, and effort to abrdge
the liberty OF the press
We have expressed our views in a moderate tone Of
The tendency OF the action of the Senate and endeavore
to point out its important bearing upon the principle of the
liberty OF the press No suppose that an Ameri-
can Senate had this object in view in the expulsion of Mr.
Richie, that they distinctly the real tendency OF
theT movement. 1t was privilege which Mr. Richie
would have accepted nor ought any independen
editor, be he wing democrat, to have upon the
hoor OF the Senate, If censorship to be exercised
over his writings by the body comforting the privilege
This has been done by the Senate, and article publish
ca IN the Union as communication has been declared to