Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-08-07
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PRESS.


The leading article in the " Union !" of Thurs
day evening" exhibits the Executive again in the
very unbecoming not to say disreputable, attitude
of endeayoring to sife every thing like inquiry and
expression of opinion by the People and the Press
concerning his acts and especially those relating to
the origin, the object, and the conduct of the war
with Mexico. 1t would readily be imagined by
stranger to our institutions, reading that article, that
in our country freedom of opinion and of speech
were interdiced to the People, instead of being the
rights most carefully enumerated and most sacredly
guaranteed by the Constitution. 1t is hardly mat
ter of surprise, however, that in an atmosphere in
which the planest mandatory provisions of the
Constitution are much disregarded as if they had
no existence, the Administration should lose sight
of those which are declaratory rather than pre-
ceptive.
We had some thought of replying to the argu-
ment, however absurd, of the government paper,
that the People of the United States have no right
to scrutinize the merits of this war lest the Mex-
cans should overhear them but, glancing at CO.
hmn or two further on, we found in an Editorial
announcement of a forthcoming publication a reply
so satisfactory to all that the Union'' now says,
has heretofore had to say, against the most
unreserved freedom in the discussion of this very
matter of the Mexican war, that we feel ourselves
relieved from any further trouble on that head.
The work which the I" Union " announces as being
in the course of preparation is, "a complete and
comprehensive History of the War between this
Country and the Republic of Mexico'' work
which, the government Editor informs us, is de-
signed to mpart clear and correct views to the pub
lie mind in relation to the origin of this war, its
prosecution, its tendencies, and its results"
These, the reader will observe, are the themes
which it has been represented as moral treason y
in us and in others to have endeavored to impart to
our readers ineligible and true views concerning.
The proposed discussion of them, in the forhcom-
ing book, is highly approved by the Executive or
gan. So that what is not lawful in US, according
to the government paper, is actually laudable in the
author of the proposed work, because, we presume,
he is on their side. BE that as it may the argu-
ments by which he is cheered on to his task cor
respond so entirely with those by which we have
constantly vindicated our own free and unreserved
investigation of the history and conduct of the ex-
listing war, that we adopt them, every word and
letter, in reply to the /" leader" in the government
paper of the same date:
EXTRACT FROM THE "uSoS OF THURSDAY NIGHT
al IS proper that ALL Governments and Ma
lions should be seen IN their true light, Jy the
people vho Hve u,der their respective lars and
Constitutions, uhen engaged IN enterprises so
important as that achich has called oar 6raUe and
patriotic soldiers 10 The batle-feids Of Merico
and the people of the United States have pecu-
liar right to their Government in its true and
/. undlsguised position toward country with which
it is engaged in sanguinary war; or rather 1t is
tile peculiar duty Of thu people who Hue under a
Government like oars, 10 inquire carefully, pa
stientiy, and minutey int THE CIRCUMSTANCES, MO-
srrvEs, and PRINCIPLES rhich control their Cor
'erament IN the prosecution ofA WAR AGAINST
FOREIGN COUNTRY. The incongeniaity Of or in
Stitotions Nth military exploits, and the imme-
date relation Of The american People ,oith the
machinery Of their Government, make it pecu-
liarly their right and their duty 10 become ac-
quainted- famlliarly acquainted the history
of THE CAUSES AND Events ochich bring their
country into beigerNa contact wM other
Powers"
Most true, and eXcellendy well said
II has heen alleUed within n few DAVIS thot tho