The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-06
SPIRIT OF THE FREE PRESS.


APPROVED March 2, ls7.
SPIRIT OF THE FREE PRESS.
From,th New Hampshire Gazette
The Outrage OF the Usitcd States Senate
! We have only had time as yet barely to aude to the
alarming outrage committed by the United States Senate
upon the liberty OF the press, in expeng the distinguish
ed and venerable editor of the Union from the floor OF
the Senate chamber for daring to the action OF
that body IN Just terms in the columns OF his paper
Calhoun and Butler, of South Carolina and Westcott
and lalee OF Florida protesting to be democrats,
der the lead OF Mr. Calhoun, which, from selfish and
ambitious motives, doubtless has sought every oppor-
tunIty and preext during the present session of Con-
gress TO thwart and embanass the administration, and
deprive OF the means and ability of vigorously de-
tending and maintaining the honor and interests of the
nation In the present trying emergency It is to this
faction and they Alone that to be charged the delay
and defeat in the Senate of those measures recon-
mended and asked for by the President for the vigorous
prosecution of the war. They have almost constantly
been found aayed the federal side OF the Senate,
doing battle against the administration with zeal
scarcely inferior to that OF Corwin Webster and
upon them justly rests the responsibility, so far as the
Senate is concerned, of any lack of vigor which may
mark the contest in which the nation is involved, and
OF the evils of its prolonged duration The last i'm
portant measure Indispensable for the maintenance of
the countrys rights and honor which defeated,
permanently 1t appeared by their votes was the ten
regiment bill The defeat of this bill called forth
munication in the Union" in which the action of the
Senate spoken OF in just if severe terms, and the de-
feat Of the measure characterized truly Another MeX
can Victory" This article, and especially these words
which regarded the offensive portion of the article
touched the tender sensibes and aroused the ire of the
guilty parties, and caused the introduction of edct by
Senator luee, with the appreciation of Mr. Calhoun,
Guiding the tor and reporters of the Union from the
privileges of the Senate chamber. Ii was discussed
through days. and adopted in form osracsing Mr.
Richie, but allowing his reporters to remain, by vote of
ri 10 2l-he whole federal side of the Senate proper
with the psuedo democrats above named sustaining the
gag!
Thus has the United States Senate, which has been re-
garded the most enlightened and dgnfed body of egsa
tors the world, after aordng ad and comfort to the
enemy by procrastnatng action upon measures necessa
~ to vindcate the rights and honor of the nation for
months, to the close of the session. rejecting
them, added the climax TO its unjust and dishonora-
BILE course, and brought disgrace upon the country and
a free press for speaking in just terms of its
facous and American, not to say treacherous acts
Will the press and the people OF this free land tamely
submit to this high handed this outrageous this I'M
The public Indignation is aroused, and senators may rely
upon it, from the ct'roroMs Of South Carolina to
the profound statesman of Florida, that they will not go
unwhipped of justice The press is too potent an engine
and too closely identified with the peoples rights, to be
crushed by the mandate of the peoples servants though
thew NAV be placed for brief season beyond the reach
of the popular will 1t will be sustained though mighty
senators may fall, they assnredly will fall and
they reach the point OF their aspirations too From all
sections of the country goes up universal shout OF
condemnation OF this disgracefu and tyrannical act OF
the Senate. 1t was designed TO crush the "Union and
destroy Mr. Ritchies influence and reputat ton edi
tor and man; but it will entirely fail of its object nay,
will produce results quite the opposite of what were
intended Mr. Rches cause is the of every press
in the Union-for il the Senate may gag leading Jour-
nal in the city OF Washington, 1t may extend It's arm OF
tyranny to the remotes section of the countryt Is the
cause of the people; and far from njurng him pecu
narily, the outrage which that time servant of his
country and the OF equal rights has suffered at the
hands of the Senate will add thousands to his subscrp
ton list while, instead of diminishing for him the SYM
patty OF the people, it will elevate him to the highest
M IS ,p,,ar flup Rut hln ,tfra nf
the Senate is blow aimed at the President, no less
than at Mr. Richie, Men aspiring than honest
and justmore selfish than patriotic abandoning the in
tees of the nation in the present trying exgences seek
to strike down the President by crushing the official pa
per among other MEANS in the hope OF leveng path
over which to ride into power at future time But here
too their miserable aim will fall and while will rally the
people firmly and strongly around an administration
devong its every energy to the support of the nations
rights and honor can hardly fail to hasten their de-
structon Truly the time has arrived when the Presi
dent needs, and the welfare Of the country demands he
should have the warm support OF every democrat every
the the TaaTns do. to the s
high handed outrage of the United States Senate demand
Of the democrats Of New Hampshire to rally to man in the
coming election IN support OF their principles Their coun
try and the President of their choice, whom faction and
federalism striving to break down at time, when
national disgrace must be the inevitable consequence
From the Burlington (VermonD Sentinel.
MIR. Ritchie and the Senate.
The injury done to an individual is almost always in
tcrestng society," because foreSee that the
case which is anothers to-day, will not be his to-
morrow And it becomes especially important when it
affects SO respectable character Mr.. Rtche-con-
fcssedy at the head of the editorial corps in this country
not only BY his position but also by his long services his
age his unmpeachable integrity, and his uncommon ab-
tiles t.
Not unmindful of :" the long arm" against which Mr.
Richie warns us TO stake care" shall at the
time take up his own because interests us
in common with the whole American press Ii the Senate
of the United States may by any process OF reasoning
punish such for scrutInzing its with free
dom they can do so to ohersthey do to all If they
NAV exclude him from their floor they may exclude his
reporters from their gaereshey may thus nlc heavy
pecuniay damage him. and their exclusion will operate
like a fine And, he himself suggests they may nary
the punishment-they may it. From exclusion
they may proceed to hnes--irom fines to Imprisonment
Win any one say they UW not 1t enough for to know
that they judges in their own cause-tha they have
the power of determining the nature and amount OF pun
ishment We do not desire protection against their
einutton TO njure us is their ability to do mischief
that we fear.
We perceive an effort on the part of the opposition
press to make the question turn upon the personal injury
private one at all The blow struck Mr. Richie,
matter how little may affect him, falls with tremendous
force upon the liberty of the press II IS an explicit
declaration of the Senate of the United States that they
will suler no newspaper TO remark with freedom upon
their proceedings Ii establishes at once censorship OF
the press which trust the people have too much sense
and spirit to submit to-
1t is deliberate opinion that the liberty OF pubca
ton enjoyed by the people OF this country rs worth all
the rest oil their Liberties put together IL Is the origin and
preserver of every other right known to laws or GUS