The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-01

little behind the age.
We have now received from Kentucky anew
development from Mr.. Clay, upon another SUBJ
ject, and that is, upon newspapers and newsPa-
per reporting The following is his first bulletin
| upon this topic - ,o.
NV DEAR sR-Notwithstandiug tho public express
dion of nv wish tho late occasion Of addressing
an ssssmblsgs Of fellow citissDs at Lexington that
as Intended to report myself regret that mssgrs
and Ia respects Inaccurate sketch II my speech
tho paper ss.. som. o.
| very mischief which desired to avoid.
| 1t my anxious wish that the North .1nericon
should have been the t paper to present
public. That thought it entitled to, from its ocs
tion from its deserysdy high character Heading whs
journal and from ths fact that you came to Lsxiogton
from Philadelphia to report the Speech but declined In
| consequence Of my earnest entreaty.
Monros McMIcaAEL, Esq. 49,
This, indeed, appears to be rather obscure
and meagre development of his opinion--a tele-
graphic report, we suppose but that which is
lacking in this development will be found more
clearly expressed in the following extract from
Mr.. Clay's confidential organ, published at
Louisville, namely, the Journal, of that city-
When Mr. Clay to make his great speech at Lex
ington he saw before him several reporters from distant
he announced that his particular wish not to be
reported He said he bad been often msrepressnted
that 1t his earnest desire especially the he
about to make would probably be the last Of his
life, to put his to whatever opinions he might
he his dstsrmnation not to proceed With bis
remarks until he should have that he would
their pens and all seemed 70 soousses In ~.
and distinguished satesman's request
All seemed to scquieece in his request, and al did
ecquiesce In 1t except the reporter Of tho NeU York
Herald. lie stationed himself on tho outside Of the
market house, took notes by Stealth wrote out what
employer in New York by telegraph. twas . dsrepu-
table and vile proceeding 1t scarcely better than
what was going on, they would have inflicted personal
chsstissment upon the offender Louisville Journal
This is quite clear, certainly. The editor of
the Journal, when he wrote the above article,
must have known, perfectly well, the private
sentiments Of Mr.. Clay; and no doubt can exist
but that he reports them accurately Now, on
this subject of newspaper reporting, we beg
leave to take issue. with the Hon. Henry Clay,
of Kentucky, before the people of every part of
the civilized world--wherever free and indie.
pendent press exists.
When Mr.. Clay gets up in public meeting,
and makes public speech, upon public matters,
he and his speech are public property. His
speech belongs, of right, to free press, and he
has no right or title to interpose obstacles upon
right to pretend to silence it's columns, in any
particular, by the establishment of an especial
Gems orship on his own behalf. The plea which
he puts forth, of meagre an inaccurate report of
his speech, is mere subterfuge. We have been for
years before the world, and the people know the
superiority of our reports. The reporters of this
journal give better and more accurate reports of
what public speaker utters, than the individual
who speaks can do tor himself. Even with all
the obstacles thrown in the way Of our reporter,
at Lexington, we venture to say that that
sketch of MIR. Clay's speech, transmitted to US by
telegraph, and published the next day in oul
columns, was as accurate as the report made
afterwardsby Mr.. Clay himself, with the single
exception of the passage relating to the Bay o.
San Francisco But even, considering the OBJ
structons thrown in the way of our reporter by
Mr.. Clay, it was wonder that so much accu.
racy was attained. And so all have considered it
The indirect threat Illuminated by the organ o.
Mr.. Clay, Of an intention, or wish, to interfere
violently with the honest liberty OF our reporter
either by personal attack, or by exciting ant
creating riot, in which he should be vic
tim, is a melancholy specimen Of the degree o
civilization to which some individuals have
arrived, even at this advanced age of the world
1t is the same sort of brutal feeling as tina
which is tabled Of ancient Greece, to hav
been inflicted upon Prometheus, who wa
chained to rock, with vulture devouring hl
vitals, because he was guilty Of making, in hi
day, report, or, as it was called, stealing fir
from heaven. No doubt Prometheus was in tn,
situation of the reporters Of the newspape
press of the present day, or something similar
| ia he irit eli m
which inflicted upon Calico the punishment O
Imprisonment for daring to assert that the cart
moved round the sun, and not the sun round tn
earth Mr.. Clay has no right to interfere witt
the liberty of the press and if he had givel
proper facilities to our reporters, he would hav
had no cause to complain of meagre or incor
rect report.
But the whole affair shows too plainly tina
even Mr.. Clay, with his great mind, is far be
hind the spirit of the present age and if SO
what is to be expected from his little followers
who are ready to support him through thick ant
thin, in carrying out such brutal principIes--ir
making silly threats and uttering ridiculous
Nominations Instead of threats of violence
for the enterprise, skill, and brilliant effort
made in procuring this speech, to be read in
New York city the next day after Its delivery
in Lexington, Mr.. Clay ought to shower down
thanks and compliments upon us (; and he would
do so, if he had the same high, chivalrous, mag
unanimous feeling which inspired him in his
younger days.
The NEWSPAPER EXPRESS FROM New Or
LEANs.-In reference to the daily newspaper ex
press recently established between this city an,
New Orleans by the journals Of New York, it j
generally stated to be the first of the kind. Thi
is not correct. Three or four years ago we ha