The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-15

ceive to be necessary. We propose no fine or mn w
ment as punishment OF Mr. Richie or his ASSOCIATE
prive those individuals OF no right which Citizens M
possess We simply desire to mark our disapprobaon N
libel the character OF the Senate, by refusing 10 tb
who have published il the privilege of associatnr ON N
floor with the members of that body which thew har
thus sought TO Willy and disgrace before the world
Mr.. PEARCE said he desired TO make few RENAL
would be quite as unwilling that senator to do AM
thing which could in the slightest degree infringe ,S
glorious right which Ii, at the foundation of all prbi
liberty-the freedom OF the press: But how does n. I
tona protection of that right What constitutional rg
Toes the resolution violate? What civil right does G
away What right TO which the senator can give (
a name does il in any way affect Whence does 4 Il
printer of The Senate derive his privilege to seal on %
floor of the Senator 1t is admitted that it is not dey
from the constitution nor from any law, from am
that arises neoessitate Now, sir this is the @
with your right and my right to he here You cam
perform the functions which the constitution has ~
volved upon the Vice President except in this chamber
and in the chair which you occupy. No senator can pa
form the functions OF his high place if he be not adm
here; can the Secretary, the Sergeant-at- Arms and
all other officers Of the Senate whose business as such
being here, they must necessarily be here too Bu b
is not the with the printer of the Senate who's
functions SUCH do not require his presence here an
not in the slightest degree aided by his being here an
indeed cannot be and never are performed here at al
Mr.. RIchie's sole business, our printer is TO prr
such manuscripts as the Secretary may send 10 him r
that purpose in stipulated manner, and at prices fxe
by law The reporting OF our proceedings and debates
no part OF his business printer of the Senate. Tha,
another vocation, with which we have nothing to DO
Since, them the printer of the Senate has uncionsU
be performed in the Senate chamber, he has right
necesstdte rel to a seat on this floor As well might
be pretended that he was here by divine right There.
lore, Sir, hs privilege to he here has grown up OF the
acquescence and usage OF the Senateby their grace AMI
favor. IL is as much courtesy extended to him as The
same privilege which the rule extends to governors a
States, members OF other legislatures, military and nas
officers who have received the thanks of Congress foil
distinguished public services, and all others mentioned IN
the rule; from all OF whom II may be taken away by e
Senate without that body being liable to the charge Of yo
ating right 1t is not right which he holds in CON-
with all his fellow citizens, and the only purpose /,
which, in TACT he applies It, is TO watch our proceedings
and debate, and make them the subject of such articles
IN his newspaper as those which have drawn upon him
the just rebuke of this resolution That sir takes from
HIM no POLITICAL or civil right ncts penalty prop
crly called; it does not affect his liberty or his prone
y; it trenches upon nothing which the constitution or
the law guarantees. 1t leaves him at full liberty and
with pnmpared ability, to print the public documents
everything in his newspaper which he could publish
while IN the possession of this privilege Ii does nothing
hut deny TO the man who has DETAINED the majority q
this Senate the privilege of mnglng with them here
med to great numbers of the highest responsibility It's
indeed as if private gentleman, who had been assaied
by private SANDER should find his calumniaor making
free in his house, and should rid himself of his hate
full presence by directing his servant to show him
the door The one would be as much violation
OF the liberty OF the press the other but no more
The articles IN the Union which have occasioned these
resolutions are IN my opinion grossly defamatory Of
majority OF the Senate they assal with wanton malevo
ence public men, whose pure, spoess, and time honor
ea characters have given reputation to the country which
are part OF ITS glory and to be cherished and preserved
as such never doubted the right of the Senate mark
its sense of the vile injustice done to the majority BY this
malignant attack but did doubt the expediency of doing
thought would be giving too much importance to be
ap1a nf fho vpoY p,,tto
day see the caumny endorsed and reiterated by our
printer, who defes the Senate and declares his intention
TO repeat the SANDER as often suits his purpose while
IN the Senate 1t Is declared upon most extraordinary and
faacous constitutional views that we cannot pass The Sc
resolutions without abrdging the freedom of the press
Under these circumstances cannot refuse to express
opinion by my vote, and to mark this calumny, so far
can 40 g, It IT, with my indignant depreciation
Mr.; BUTLER, of South Carolina said that he had sue
gested the other day. the poprety of referring this whole
matter to special committee The suggestion had been
made In spirit OF justice, and with hope that some
atonement would be made TO this body for the insult
its character and dignity by satisfactory explanations
the part OF the editors OF the Union 1t was not Mr. b.
understanding that such a committee would have the
power to cause the attendance of those editors All that
1t could, or perhaps that ii would do, would be to send
copy OF the resolutions TO the parties concerned with
declaration that they might, at their option, avail them
selves OF an opportunity to make such showing as
would relieve themselves from an intentional as
sault on this body. This, (Mr. b. said,) was going
very lar, further than it seemed to be regarded be-
sumed position of defiance, with repeated avowas that
they would write what they pleased and that they
would not conlescend to make such explanations are
certainly due from one gentleman to another because they
meant TO maintain what they are pleased to regard
right under the guaranty Of the liberty of the press And
the remarks OF the honorable senator from Virginia have
gone very lar to countenance the same doctrine. tie
thought a position had been assumed that was wholly
untenable had been contended by than one SEN
ator that the editors of public paper occupying the ea
uon 70 tins body OF being its public printers and private
ho Il
OF the Senate, without violating the constitution and laws
OF the land which guaranty the freedom OF the press
HON was It that the printers had right to come into the
were admitted by an implied license, arising from acqui.
escence was this to be regarded as franchise as a
vested interest IN the nature of property and that
could be enjoyed as perfect right If So the printers
had an revocabe license that could not be controlled by
this body one that could be forfeited by the editors
in question openly said that the printers cannot be
deprived OF TIER right in consequence OF any publication
no matter what might be its character That s, they
have right to insult the Senate in any way they may
thnk proper provided it is done in their newspaper and
not by word of mouth, whilst IN the presence of the Sen
ate In other words, the Senate cannot enforce the laws
OF frotecton by excluding its recognised printers
from minglng IN the body. Such position is dangerous
ana eXravagant; and it predicts this ISSUE either that
tins body or the editors of the Union must yield The
position Is only fortified by generalities by popular terms
-"the freedom of the prcss"-'sthe freedom OF the
press" Regarding the subject in this way, the Senate
might De forced to vndicate IFS authority, for the pu
POSE o. exposing the true nature OF these dangerous ana
desiye popular preensions Their popularity rather de-
pended on honorable preudices in favor OF the freedom
OF the press than upon just doctrine or sound rea
son lie wished the matter to ASSUME such tangible
shape as to enable the country to see whether The editors
would undertake to claim the right to abuse the Senate
IN as lcentious language they might choose, without
mourning forfeiture of the courtesy extended to them
If they to deny the jurisdiction of committee ON the
subject ny insisting on right, or refusing be heard,
then there would be but course; there could be no
1rnave Mr. B. said he was willing the Senate