The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-02
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 2, Is47.
A Lame Defence.

of three columns defends itself against the charge OF
being Federal press, its denuncahon of its countrys
war, by asserting that SIT stands up for the authority OF
Congress- against the Executive Here is IFS language
Snow without one word OF commentator the needs
is clearer than light seliwe put to readers,
and every reader within the bounds OF the United States,
exas the Nueces included this question Suppose the
Washington Uaion represent the administration party,
and the National Metgeacer represent the WING oppos
ton party which of the is the Federal organ Certainly
This paper the National Mfeigaeer, ,cch stands up
for The authority Of Congress, aud desires 10 strengthen and
maintain bur the 'Union, the amplifer of the Execu
tive power and the organ of the President in all attempts
dragon Congress and force it submission to the Execu
tive will"
Since bad excuse is better than none-particularly
where plea of "guilty" has been entered-we could
wish, for the good name of the American press that
the National lnteligencer had, in fact, some such
palliatlon as this to offer for taking sides, in the
worst spirit OF old Hartford Convention Federalism,
against its country in Unfortunately for ITSELF
it has no such apology. The Mexican war is the
war OF our mhote government against Mexico II was
sanctioned by Congress with almost unparalleled
nimity-with far greater unanmity than the Of
1912 sanctioned by the Congress of that day So
far from unfolding Congress in this its sanction of the
war, the National lntelligencer stgmazed the Act OF
Congress which gave that sanction, an "Act of In
demnity for the Executives and continued TO denounce
the the Presidents war.
The lntegencer next defends itself against the charge
of moral Treason" by asserting that there is no such
thing possible in our country moral treason Here is
its language, written and published the nth of May,
ls45 before the present began and republished
upon its course, in stirring up the Mexican government
to protract the war.
"Dforal treason truly, Did we ever think live to
hear this abomnable heresy in free government again
broached Twice before in history has its horrd croak
been heard during the quasi of 1913, and last in
the epoch of 1872, whentough in the midst of the excite
ment OF raging wareven then was fairly hooted out OF
the House OF Representatives the author of it flying before
the which he himself had raised In free govern
ment the treason can have application whatever
have shown except during nor even then can
have any rational application the ireest use OF speech
or printing"
This is sound doctrine with the lntegencer in the
present war; when it is accused OF moral treason Let
us see what was sound doctrine with the " Integencer
upon the very same subject in the of 1872 when the
"Integencer" was patriotic Journal and of did
not take sides with the public enemy Our readers will
remember that is always bad sign the case, when
criminal is forced contradict himself in his defence
The following extract is from the :" National Intelligent
cer' OF October 10, 1912:
SAD AND ENEMy.'-There other
ways of aiding enemy than by deserving his standard
Those serve him quite eectualy who seize every OPP
pornity to dishearten the patriotic army of country
and thus encourage the enemy hen With this pietc, land
can be wh other facts discooed and perverted to
the injury Of the countrys cause, those oho pay
eened IA such DErEsrABLE CONDUCT guilty ola MORAL
TREASON, at least though their offence is, perhaps
cogHtsabe by taW And really when the infamous
conduct in this respect of certain clerical and editorial
personages cannot bu violently suspect they but
the po,cer 10 erre the enemy 'oay that coud put
their Ines in jeopardy"
In very truth, as the "Intelgencer" says "he case
does not need one word of comment"
"Moral Treason Libcrty of the Press.
Under the above caption, we find in the Baltimore
Clipper Of this morning the following paragraphs:
In defining what constitute 'moral treason, the
"Union" of Monday night says.
Those acts are, misrepresenng country's cause,
and denonnclng its Justice espousng and vndicatng the
cause OF our enemy encouraging the latter persist
war; and to refuse all terms of odaton inviting
foreign interference in the quarre endeavong to disgrace
the branch of the government which in,rusted with car
rying on the war, and bring it into dscpue both at
home and abroad attempting deprive it OF the means OF
wagng the war successfully, by msepresenting and inn
pairing It's credit endeavorng prevent the enlistment OF
troops, by deiamng the of the war; magnitynp the
dangers Of the service and by all kindred means these
are some oil the overt acts OF moral treason
We thought that the sentiments of Jefferson that error
opnion may be tolerated. where is loft free to
combat IT. had been Incorporated into the political code of
te eutor Oh tue Union; out ne now repudiaes the
principle oil tile great head of the democratic party and
stgmazes and proscrbes traitors those who dare to ex
erclse freedom OF opinions and that too under constt
on which expressly guarantees the liberty speech and
Of the press Under this code of moral men
who honestly believe that with Mexico was inn
properly produced, that it should be closed if pssbe
Without boodshed, must not express their opn
ons lest they incur the disgrace OF being held up to their
country as traitorousy adhering the enemy'
The clipper" in the above passage wholly mistakes
our position and our purpose We go for the fullest
Freedom of the Press first because the profession OF
hepress is by our constitution, singled out from all the
other professions, and its entire freedom is made the
subject matter OF express guaranty the constitution
and secondly because this entire freedom Of the political
is necessary in order to enable the people to Judge
'f the comparative patriotism of those who aspire to lead
and represent the two great parties in the country
1t Is not zoe who assail the freedom of the press On
he contrary, it assaed only by those who would deny
o us the right to call mora treason" by its right name
Let the federal press write against its country and
n favor OF the enemy freely it pleases and to its
hearts content We only ask the privilege of holding
Up such conduct in its true ghto pointing out its in
,vabe effect upon the spirit of our enemy and Of show
ng its real character before the people Can this right
almed in the name of the freedom of the press be right
uly withheld from u.s. especially at this moment when
he very latest intelligence from Mexico shows how
the reasonable of the rabd federal
organs has operated in that country
GOVERNOR BRowN, of Mississippi arrived yesterday in