The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-19
Spirit Of the Free Press.

Spirit Free Press.
The Democratic and Neutral Press is entirely unani-
its condemnation of the high handed attack upon
ate Even the Federal press does dare to justify the
act The Integencer of this morning meany pleads in
favor of the self made Federal Censors of the Press that
their resolution of exclusion intended pun
shment II was intended to brand the mark of degra-
daton and disgrace upon the forehead of the editor-a
punishment more severe than fine upon his pocket
We tell the Alexandria Gazette, this was ''the head and
front of the offending of the Senate; and know not
the character of the editor of the alexandria Gazette,
if he would not ''feel such STAN as a wound"
Why, if it was a Imatter of moment, did
the Senate spend two whole days in discussing II !?
Why consider alleged public libel at all, if not with
view to and penalty The senior editor of the
ntelgencer himself expelled reporter from the
House of Representatives Did he consider that expul-
sion as merely the withdrawal of courtesy warantng
no complaint or protest. But not all of the Federal
Press can take this easy view of the act of the Senate
The New York Tribune CD says:
"And vet we are half inclined to side against the Sen
ae-that is to hold that it would have better consulted
lis own dignity by taking notice of silly diarbe in
newspaper But for the facts that the Union IS the Sen
aes own printer and its editor enjoyed peculiar prv-
decidedly AS things are, we hold that its action was
right but that inacon would, if practicable have been
wiser The Senate acquire no dignity IN any contest
with journal; 1t cannot be harmed by the IDLE dispersion
of newspaper"
We subjon the following opinions from leading dem
ocratc journals
From the Albany Argus.
The PRESS AND THE UNITED STATES SENATE.-It is a
significant commentary the act of the Senate eXclud
ing the editor of the Union from the privilege OF admis
sion within its walls, that the House of Representatives
after refusing TO expe the Union reporters, by vote OF
to 1877, have discharged its committee from the
further consideration of the matter. This done on
Monday and it would seem without contest.
Certainly, if either branch of the national Legislature
had a right to complain of indlgnity and was called
upon to pass censure upon the ofenders--lt was- all
that is charged be true-he House of Representatives.
II be true that its proceedings were carcaued by the
Union reporters and its reputation for decorum thereby
malgnedhe House had the right to take such measures
might think necessary to punish the wrong, and to
prevent its recurrence by excluding from the floor those
who had thus abused the privilege OF place there But
the House, either from belief that the offence charged
did not deserve censure, that the report in the Union
was not caricature that if it We're, had been sui
GENTLY reproved by the notice taken of it. has twice dis
missed not the reporters, but the resolution OF eXpul
son-thus giving to the public their exposition OF what
constitutes ibel on public body" deserving OF cen
sure.
If the reporters for public press, who, by the courte-
sy of legislative body admitted TO seats where they
can conveniently pursue their calling, not deemed
proper objects of cense nor their employer Tor reports
of It's proceedings which complained OF as eXaggeat
ed and calculated to bring the body INTO reproach
they are be brought under the new law OF hbel
promulgated By the United States Senaewhat shall be
said of the application of the rule to the conductor OF an
independent press, whose duties do not necessarily re-
due his presence the body, and whose admission Is
formal act of courtesy extended to all officials and who
in the discharge of his duty, sees INT to comment with
severity you please upon the acts and votes OF pub
lie BODY and to characterize them he may think they
deserve being amenabe always to the public for the JUS
tice of his structures Exclude offending reporter and
the further abuse OF his privilege may be prevenled-bn
cl,1o tho cppduc 0F a MI and
manner an offence his part real or imaginary, re-
dressed prevented In what respect unless lntiml-
daon be the object; or restraint or censorship OF the
press =. ia
In this light only the exclusion of the editor of tn
Union from the palny privilege of the floor be regarded
AS SUCH it will be regarded by the Independent press and
people of this country and that the blow will recoil up
on the heads of its authors certain it is that there
is of right and spirit OF resistance to official ar
rogance and assumption among the American people
Correspondence of the Boston Posl
New YORK. Feb l5 1917
Having ever been stckler for the RIGHTS and the
FREEDOM of the PRESS, need not tell you that affords
me satisfaction, delight, Joy ndescribabe, to notice
that majority of those gentlemen who connected
with that lever of the world without distinction of party
unite in deprecang the outrage that has been
on it by majority of the American Senate through the
person of Mr.. Thomas Richie, the editor of the Wash
ingon Union. Even the New York Express, welded as
it is and bound down as it IS to the Mooch OF the wing
If it does not defend Mr. Richie, or vndcae the conduct
which he thought fit adopt, it stands by the dignity of
the press and condemns, in that qualified phraseoogy
which its eay to party is supposed sometimes to exact,
the arrogant extra judicial and tyrannlcal action OF
majority of the Senate
rejoice that the attack that made the press by
the Senate has occurred, nasmuch as IT will, think,
call forth manly feeling among the conductors OF news
papers; induce union of sentiment among them, calcu-
lated in the end to vndcae the honor OF the profession
The National ntelgencer is the only paper that have
thus far seen that has apologized for the outrage
perpetrated by the Senate; and even that PRINT does
with forced grace, and unwilling yielding to the
date of party.
When some fve-and- twenty years ago, Mr.. Joseph
Gales was expelled from the House of Representatives,
as reporter, for an alleged libellous attack
Der, he made manly resistance to the tyranny that was
perpetrated, and induced a reaction which not mme
of usurpaon and aggression, and becomes the apoogst
of the wrong doors He is welcome to all the distinction
he can win by this outrageous act OF servlity.
This is subject which the united press of the Union
should be awake for if the Senate possess the power of
expeng one press expel ALL and establish at
censorship, muzzle the press with impunity and
forge for its conductors manaces and chains Let the
press of the Union speak loudly this subject Let it
teach petty yrants that they not omnpotent Let it
exercise its power, and inform the aggressors that fit
pun ishment awaits them
From the Ptsburg Morning Post.
Our friend j. B. G., at Washington writes an account
of the proceedings of the United States Senate in refer
ence to the editors of the Union. In opinion the
resolution which passed by that body to exclude
those editors from their privileged seat is mean undgn
fed and tyrannical and stab at the liberty of the
press which should meet with the indignant frown OF
every freeman in the land We shall have to say
on this subject hereafter.
tha i.la Pa \