Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-02-25
THE UNION" AND THE LTBER-
TY OF THE PRESS.


The "Ufa0av il Numbering forth IFS anath-
emas by wholesale against the Senate for Its
late action in relation 70 its Editor. Mr. Rrr-
CHE, ever ready with The pen, IS writing col
lumns Of editorial upon the subject Of his ex-
puision, and correspondents from "Dan 10
Bersheba'' in the Democratic Kingdom are
sending in their contributions 10 swell the tide
which is to sweep the authors Of the outrage
{G) into the fathoniless depths Of an indignant
public displeasure. The Democracy Of Rich
mond are in mourning because the elections
for U. s. Senator'S are ever, and they cannot
make Father RIrcHrE Senator, Of course in
Mr. HUSTEs's place. as the Chiyalry party in
the Senate moved the proceedings against him.
Others talk Of making him Vice President in
/ 1913, but Mr.. RITcHIE bushes al the very
thought, and declines the proffered distinction
with as many "Ohl don'ts--behave now
OIL quit yourselfr' as a little schoolgirl
would use TO a rough bearded man who wan
ted to kiss her Now all this Gaataronadf. and
hubbub about martyrdom, violation and res
friction of the freedom Of the Press, will not
dot won't go down anyhow you can fix ii
Iii don't come from the right quarter--for
everybody knows how furiously this very pro-
scribed and prosecuted "Union" has been
dcnouncing the Wing press Of the country for
daring to oppose the will and edcis Of she
throne" upon the subject Of the Mexican war.
Orders were issued and counsel given from
"Head Quarters" TO denounce them as the
Mexican Wing press-Bue Light Federalists,
Sc. &c.--they were 10 be visited with the op-
probrium Of rendering "aid and comfort" 10
the enemy, unless they endorsed the infalliblli-
ty Of Mr.. PoLK-they were to be muzzled and
not allowed TO express an opinion. Congress,
too, was to be gagged npon the same principle.
and now, too, the Army is to be placed under
the same ban, for we can regard the revival
and republication Of the .4'rny Order Of l925
Immediately upon the appearance of Gen.
TAyLon's letter in the public aud free press Of
the country, in no other light.
And if we remember rightly, when the Re-
porters Of the New York Tribune were expell-
ed from the House last Spring, because one OF
its Washington correspondents, "Persimn,on,' u
told the story about Mr. SAWYER Of Ohio, eat
ing "sassingers" behind the Speakers chair,
the "Union" approved and justified the act
cel tainly it Numbered no denunciatons against
the restriction of the freedom of the Press then.
| Where is the difference in these cases, and
especially and pointedly in the last one we
have mentioned. If there be any difference,
"Pc,sin,nlo," has it, for his letter was a piece
OF good natured fun, and the "Union's" a
piece Of strong, embittered, insulting denuncia-
ton, which can find no shelter under tho free
don, Of The Press.
The truth is, the Presidents Message lbels
his countrymen by charging portion Of them
with rendering aid and comfort to the enc
my"--which expression, by the way, was a
quotation from one of the "Union's" editori
als-and the Union" has been following up
the effort during the whole Winter, 10 restrict
the freedom OF Speech and the Press, and
should not now utter one syllable OF complaint
when i, finds ''the poisoned chalice return
ed to its own lips" Ii is trite saying, but a
true one, "that people who live in glass hous
es should not throw stones" The venerable
Editor will have to try again-his martyrdom
is not yet tragic enough for the new edition of
Fox