The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-12

Brown, COllln and HarManSOn.
excuse something to the spirit OF Liberty"
Edmund Burke.
We hope escape all persecution from both branches
of Congress, the ground Of the publication OF ga pub
lie libel against the character" OF either House, if we
ask them, in the spirit of freeman and of free press
whether il is becoming in ihem at this me Of at any
me to turn aside from their present important duties for
the purpose of denouncng the reporters the editor of any
public journal, however high or however low whether
published at Washington at the farhest extremes OF
the republic The couintry is in state of war Her
rights her interests, and her honor are all issue
Men and money wanting TO its vigorous prosecution
Ito wage an honorable war, to secure honorable
peace Measures of the utmost importance are pending
before them. There is bill passed TO raise additional
revenue support the credit of loans prevent the
accumulation OF the public debt and to prosecute the
war with irresistible energy The precious time of the
campaign is wasting away. The northers are ceasing
TO blowthe romto is approaching with fearful and start
ling strides One achievement, least yet to be
pshed which every chvalrous and patriotic American
demands to be effected before we 60 of this war; Shall
we, then, waste this precious time passionate wrangng
and idle debate Most of the appropriation bills are still
pending The graduation BILL sodeeply interesting to our
Office bill is still hanging up; and unless that bill be
passed, the Post Office Department will lose hall Of its
officers throughout the Union They will resign their
Offices for want of adequate compensation, under
stand 5000 have already resigned The three mil
lion bill is before Congress Other important bills
are also pending To carry out the great and in
dispensable measures OF the session. every moment
is precious In less than three weeks the 18th of
] l..
ought to be economical by both houses Not moment
ought to be lost We speak freely, and, if you please,
boldly In a situation where may risk the hazard OF
offending the representatives of the people, OF being
silent and treacherous to the great community Of the
people themselves will hesitate TO speak the
truth, fearless OF all consequences.
We therefore ask the House of Representatives, with
all respect, whether is becoming in them whether
they are doing their duty to their constituents whether
they Consult their own dgnity-and employ their
privileges TO the best accounn wasting the last sands
OF the session. and passing resolutions to eype
compshed reporter from your Hall, because he has in
erspersed report Of debate with too many bahs
too many ''ohs'or substituting these indications of dis
gust fora voey other EXPLANATIONS which burst from the
lips of your members Is the object worthy OF the time
it consumes Was there no better way of accomplish
ing the same object and reforming the evil of which
you complain We speak for ourselves, and we
say frankly, that if the ncenscd querruous members
had us, and complained OF the reports in the
Unon," requested correction, and advised us TO leave
out all this storm and interude of ordinations their
request and their advice would have been received with
the utmost possible respect We have sincere respect
for the characte! OF Congress-as much interest in the
glory of our common country any you. And let
us frankly assure you that the best system will be adopt
ed Tor the dgn6ed report OF your proceedings
Let us now repair to the Senate chamber; and in APP
preaching its doors, feel all respect; but do not
feel as If we entering the temple of the Deity We
cannot take the sandals from feet and exclam, 'the
ground on which tread is holy' for there the
institutions of free people ought TO shed their noble in
Auence We ask them then with all frankness, but
with all respect is it becoming the Senate of the United
States to spend the last precious moments of the session
in attempting expel reporterbeore he is heard (and
Who when heard, stands before you free from all trans
gression) from his desk in your gallery Is this hot
haste and summary prescription called for by the prvi
eees and dignity of your body Is it becoming in you,
too, to pass resolution excluding from your priv
LEGGED seats the editor OF free press because he published
a communication in his paper which marked
by some strong, and perhaps uncourtly expressions
these expressions, were used by free and able
citizen because, he thought, you had rejected a
most important bill upon utterly unenable grounds
grounds of constitutional objection which had been set
naght by more than sixteen laws of your predecessors,
and for some of which some of your own body had pre-
vously voted? This bill was regarded by him
measure essential TO the maintenance of his counry's
rights and honor And we ask you, frankly, was
il necessary TO remove the editor from your priv
LEGGED seats, and thrust HIM forth with intended conume-
" from your chamber Was it becoming any honorable
member to move his expulsion, when, by carrying out
his prescription, he in danger of offending the liberty
Of the press You remember John Marsballs famous
remark on the liberty OF the press in his celebrated letter
10 the French commissioners You remember the thou
sand homages which have been paid even in England
TO the freedom OF the press You remember the memo
rable sedton law, passed in the highest and darkest
DAYS of federasn=the horrors which excited and the
glorious protest which il called forth from Virginia in
the report OF Madison In the light of the celebrated
documents of that period land this report the greatest
and most enduring of them alb we found our first
fast seadast opinonsand to these opinions we mean to
adhere whether the Senate pass the resolutions OF pro-
Tossing democrat-a mere tyro in the school-or
whether it reject them We will stand up for the liberty
the press let be assaled from whatever quarter tmay
and in that spirit nail flag the mast, tostand or
fall in the cause We will publish whatever we please
whether IL ia written by ourselves written by others