Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-09-18
"MoRAL TREASON"

When we read the daily charges of moral treason and
murder with which the Administration press anahematize
the Wings for daring question the necessity of the present
war, (says the Richmond Republican,, are almost tempt
ed to doubt whether the Government under which live is
Republican, except In aame and whether any thing remains
of the institutions bequeathed to by fathers the
empty ortho eless body from which the spirit of lber
y has long since departed 1t not take it merely
to change the name Of the Government that the men Of the
Revolution struggled through Of years. 1t
not to be simply independent Of Great Britain and obtain
elective monarchy under the title of Presidency that such
supehuman evidences Of courage and patriotism were dis
played We may reasonably suppose that the founders Of
the had design not only redress the wrongs by
which the colonies had been long aggeved, but to transfer
the source power from the king the people, and make
the people free and independenno free alone in body but
free in mndnot Independent alone Of the British monarch
but Of all other yrants whether wearing Kings
Presidents robes. hss-
cherished Of all privileges with the founders Of the American
Republic And with good No slavery degrad-
ing that which seeks to aen its chains upon the mind and
conscenceo force not only the knee to BEND but the SOUL
the divinity man, bow in groyeng homage before
mere worm of the dust II that tyranny which forced
fathers first leave their native andhe homes Of their
youth, and the friends of their manhood Rather than yield
the freedom OF thought and its fearless expesson they bav
ed the horrors of stormy ocean, of rockbound coast of
savage foe of life in the wilderness, of disease and DEATH
They would any time have gone cheerfuy to the stake
and casped to their badge of immortal honor
her than have purchased life at the expense Of suenderng
q single honest sentiment
II is the same species Of despotism which long has
weighed the powerful empires of Europe to the earth
despoism which has seated itself like nightmare upon the
breast of nations deprvng them Of all power and pasyng
their tongues when they would cry for deiverance The
press has been permitted to exist but the mirror Of pub
lie opinion 1t has reflected only the soveegns face 1t has
been the agent of the throne. The moment that it boldly
condemns the Government terminates its existence It's bat
xed md its into
difference of opinion from kings is mora treason" every
where.
This has been especially the all parts of Germany
Every other subject has been left open investigating and
philosophical German but that Of The German
mind has been permitted ansack the Of ancient and
modern teratureo become learned and acute in theology
lose itself in the infinite of metaphysicso reve IN
the regions of poetry romance, and superon-bu politics
have been forbidden ground Eden guarded by flaming
swords which pesuming ootstep dared to enter Bon-
dage and banshmen have been the rewards of every adven
turous spirit who has dared to question the maxim that Kings
do wrong Such has been the but now, even
in Germany, liberal spirit is beginning TO prevail and
free discussion of political subjects in degree tolerated
This step upward in the progress of vassas TO liberty
But how stands the with the United States nomnay
the ees people in the world! What the claims which
Government virtually makes upon Republican
nifty Why, nothing less than base renquish-
by every citizen Of this country of that freedom of OPT
Mon which is the dearest birthgh inherit from the
and without which there can be real liberty and no
earthly security of the people against the encroachments Of
power Take the example of the present majority
of the people believe that it unconsuonay and
cessanly commenced. II in which they deeply
nterestedin which their lives their treasure their honor
all stake But they must not dare to express their dis
from the Government They must look silently upon
the encroachmens of the Executive and its absorption of the
powers of other departments They raise warning
cry, utter protest. breathe doubt Of Presidential na
biy True, they cannot be punished with the rack the
sca but they denied the right of free thought by the
mnons of authority and if they dare to exercise it. stg
mazed traitors and murderers What thsbut desposm
in its worst shape l-the slavery Of the human mind
nation of freemen viii submit TO such bondage. II
will let the President know that he the servant and the
of the people What is the loyalty which the Amer
citizen owes II is the blind devotion of dog, that,
right wrong espouses the quaels of his 1t is not
the allegiance of serf to his proprietor On the contrary,
intelligent obedience the organic law of the land and
enlightened reverence and affection for his COUNTRY,
prompting him obey her voice when uttered by her cons
uted organs TO admire her virtues and TO repove her
Loyalty TO his country far from obgng him to acknow
ledge the inaby of President compels him to scrunze
his course that he may transcend bis authority and when
he usurps power boldly proclaim the fact the world He
is unworthy the Of freeman who sacrifices freemans
chief and Independent thoughat
the foostoo of power There may be such thing moral
treason but if there be- it consists in wagng upon that
liberty Of mind which is essential element of Republican
nstituonsn imposing eers upon free pressin making
the opinions Of the standard by which nation
believe and ac-and in eviling and denouncng traitors
and murderers a majority Of the American people, because
they dare to think for themselves and to differ from Of
their temporary agents-Richmond Republican.