Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-16
THE ENQUIRER.
RICH MOND, VA

THE ENQUIRER.
RICH MOND, VA.
Monday Morning, February Is. 1877.
| WARON THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS
By the cars Of Yesterday, We learned that 'ir
Editor Of The Union has met the late which was IL
be anticipated, when We look 10 the quarter iron,
whence the movement came. The personal re-
lalions be,weenrha Editor and ourselves are 81
close rs to forbid our entering into The merits d
The charge preferred against him; bat, having
that ground TO others we shall mol be 50 re!niss in
our duty 10 the country as not TO call its atlen
ton 10 the principles involved in The decision o.
the Senate.
We understand from passengers who came in
the cars, that the Editor Of the Union has been
expelled from The floor Of The Senate, By vote OF
| 81 10 2l-MessIs. Caiisnn, Butler, ni S Carroll
ma, Yuee, Hestcon, and perhaps one or two others
who claim 10 be Republicans, uniting their votes
with those of the Wings 10 carry their point
The champions of this war on the Liberty Of The
Press cannot, and We regret they cannot, claim
the honors OF being The first who began il. The
honor belongs 10 The elder Adams, and his Fede-
raj compatriots, OF having inflicted The frs, blow
Under The malign influence which then directed al
fairs Duane, and Calender 0! the Press, first fell
the force OF the cdiCus Sedilion law their sturdy
defence of The rights Of the people brought down
upon them The concentrated haired and power Of
federalism. The press must be gagged No
censure must be cast upon The servants Of the
people All must be sweclened tones OF adula-
OF the country. Under The despotism thus esab-
lished, the liberty of speech was gone may, the
liberty OF person would have persisted with il,
but for The prompt interference Of the American
people, led on by our Jefferson and Madison -
Attempts have since been made 10 different
forms, and at different times, 10 renew 10 some
extent, those hateful and dangerous shacklesi
but it has been reserved for The only Democratic
editor al the seat OF Government, or within forty
miles Of it, TO be The victim Of the last as Duane,
the only Democratic editor in Philadelphia then
the seat Of Government was OF the first, blow al
this sacred liberty
The expulsion Of the Editor OF The Union, OF
OF any Editor, has in effect, asserted the right Of
that body 10 deprive no. only citizen, but the
selected agent oil millions OF American freemen
from hearing their sentiments and viewing their
conduct on thai floor. If The people of any
party, faction or clique, can submit TO this then
we may say we have underrated their love o
liberty and equality. II il be competent ior
the Senate, in the conclave Of a committee, 10 de.
prive an Editor Of the privilege Of free citizen
the privilege OF personally watching over his Ii.
berry and The interests OF his country. there is nc
reason-nol even the best reason OF kings, their
royal pleasure-why they may not condemn CT
tizen for sentiments ute ed, as those OF The Union
were, without their walls, al his own fireside, and
excluding him too, unheard, from The view q
the servants of the people, or deprivog him ofany
other liberty he may enjoy! Why shall they MOI
exercise also The power 10 commit him 10 pr.
sonl II they can take one Liberty from a CT
lizen, they may another. Will The profound
casuisl OF South Carolina tell US The differ.
ence Perhaps he will say, that there is a
/
eli Tor on the floor, and that extended IL
other persons, 10 enter The galleries. II this be
his reply, and being the best that can be made
we assume it, will he be so kind As 10 tell US
whether he or his coadjutors have fixed iheiI
power by line oil altitude - that they
can exclude man from one part OF their
Chamber but not another. Does The Consl
tulion-do The principles OF liberty recognise
such power in that body over The rights o
citizens, by sndden and tyrannica orders lor i'm,
puled offences, in which the accused has nj
been confronted with his accuseIsl
Conjoinly with this measured and deliberate
blow al line freedom OF The press is The admins
tra,ion assailed Was il intended first to muzzis
the organ ui The administration and then 10 assai
in If ii were mol, Senators were very unlurlu.
nate in timing their measures; many man has
been condemned by mercifm jury on muci
weaker evidence; but, lei The public Judge Of lht
design IRON both acts they stand together
| The war on The press has not been The only
indication furnished by The notable RepuG
lnan Senators of their ultimate design in The
measure they have pursued. One Of Them
| Mr.. Weslcnll, has undertaken to denounce the
administration in the strongest terms, and we call
particular attention 10 il, as We find il in The Alex.
aniria Gazette:
"Mr Wes,coit warned the demociacy--lhe real
democracy Of The country-aganstl The dangers
which besel them. If they could only see The
corruption which had been brought about by the
"A ,.,;. t;0 IhaU
made use Of by those who were seeking only
plunder-piunder of hc pubic oGces-lhey would
view il with establishment and alarm. They
would come here and would tumble The Presi-
denr, The heads of departments, the Senate and The
House of Representatives, Wings and Democrats
heels over head into The Potomac, and they wou ID
serve them right 100"
We had presumed thai the Republicans o.
Florida when they elected their Senators
meant 10 send TO The Senate friends, and no
enemies of the Administration. But what vii
they think OF their Senators after the recent ex
hibiiions they have made 1-both attacking lht
liberty OF The press, ard one attempting 10 hreal
down the administration. Friends of Democracy
they are indeed Could il have been supposed 70
a ,noment-when they were elecled-that lb,
arms of Florida were 10 be turned against he
best friends-againsl an administration, and lh
only press in the district, which had devoted all
their energies to support her doctrines and the
measures she espousedl We believe not. Fiori
da will be true 10 her faith and her duty, though
her Senators abandon them.
What shall we say Of the Senators from Soul
! Carolna2 From The general character 81 Nj