The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1847-02-25
For the New Era.
NORFOLK. Feb. %. lSd


Nh Edifor:-G am much pleased with your
| remarks in SATURDAYS q" New Era" upnn the
recent action Of the Senate. in Withdrawing from
the Editors Of the " Union" the privilege of the
| floor of that chamber. | have been much sur.
priSed at and cannot bnt deeply regret'ihe effurts
which are most unwisely being made tn convert
tina, simple exercise of an unquestioned right into
political capital. designed to break down and
destroy the usefulness of The great friend nf South
ern rights and Snnthern interests at the present
time, when they are strongly assaulted Who
can ionk npon the condition of our town at this
time. called emphaiically into newness of com
mercia life by the operation of that pulley of
which Mr. Calhoun was the original author and
most efficient advocate. and lend moments aid,
| To this most unnatural war against him 2 For a
TIME misguided impulses may rnle the hour hut
the period of reckoning will surely come and il
will he most fearful 10 those who have deserted
the true cause. Had this movement sprung from
the North, it would have heen less astonishing
but no. 1t comes from who has ever been the
professed advocate of the South 1t is he who
now aims the most deadly blow at the interests
OF the Sonth in the person of their ablest cham
pion. 1t is idle In say that the liberty of the
press has heen assaed. Such an idea is too ut
teriy preposerous To he credited even by those
who most warmly urge it. Before that can he
done. ii must first be shown that the privilege of
| the hnor ct the Senate is necessary part and
parcel ut the freedom of the press, without which
| That freedom cannot he preserved And then
what becomes of all those presses whose editors
scattered over the whole country, are from the
very nature of things excluded from the Senate
| floor? Are they not free Or is the phrase
restricted in It's application to the presses in
| washington. But when did this horn zeal
Tor the liberty of the press spring up? If re
member rlght. during the last session. Messrs
DOW and Robinson. editors of the Times or their
| reporters. were excluded from the gallery by the
unanimous vote of the Senate because of an arti-
Gle IN their paper reheciing upon the conduct of
some of the Senators in refusing To contend for
the "hole of Oregon. On that occasion the freq
dom ct the press was surely as strongly assailed
as now, and yet its great defenders were silent,
and uttered not one word in lis support No,
! Mr. Editor this notion of an attack on the free
dom of the press by the Senate. in their late pro-
reedIngs. is absurd in the extreme. The People
have too much intelligence to be gulled by snch
a fimsy pretext
But it is also objected that Mr. Calhoun differs
with the administration, both as it regards the i'm.
mediate cause of the Mexican war and also the
extent To which we should carry our conquests
Well. what if he does? That difference involves
no principle hut relates merely to abstract specu.
iailVe opinions as tn expedlency. Has he ever
refused To vote for the necessary supplies of men
| ana money 10 carry on a vigorous prosecution of
the war Has he not on the contrary, even
while presenting his own views, distinctly avow-
ed his readiness. if they were not acceptable, to
vote tor the supplies necessary to carry oui any
| plan winch might he deemed most advisable? Is
there any want of patriotism in this? Is there
any thing like giving - aid and comfort to the
enemy" In snch course? Surely not
But In what position do certain other dslin.
gnshed gentlemen Of the democratic party stand
In relation 10 the policy of the administration in
regard TO other great questions, involving high
! prlncIpIes--nOt mere speculative opinions? How
do MesSrs. Wright Coss, Benton, and others.
stand on the important subject of Free Trade
/ The Western harbor improvement The nc
QUESTION IF Territory on om South ,cesietn
border touh The privilege Of Slavery, SEP
These are questions of far more commanding in
terest Than any above referred To. upon some or
all OF which those gentleman have differed, and
do stu differ with the President. and yet 90
warnng voice is heard. Or, if heard at all in the
very mlldest accents. Why this unaccountable
difference Virginia will ask the question ,chy?
And from her mountains and her vales--in her
towns and her villages along the shores pf
her noble water courses. will be sounded in tones
OF thunder the indignant question. why.
COMMERCE.