The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-21

IL see prospectus on lf page
TO TIE EDITOR or THE MA 7IoNJL WING.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE OP-
~ POSITION PRESS.
We would not, if we could, restrict the
freedom of the press, no more than we
would restrain the voice of the people.
That government cannot be styled great
and free where either the one, or the other
is shackled But shall the press, because il
is free, be utterly regardless Of truth and de-
cency? Shall il invade the sacred precincts
Of the domestic sanctuary Shall it desc
crate, with its foul touch, the family altar
Shall it wound those sensibilities Of private
character, which are too tender and delicate
to be exposed for an instant, even TO the
sympstbizi:g regards oil the most intimate
friend ! Or shall it blacken and damn pub
lie character without ryme, or reason"
merely because he who writes, or prints, is
associated with a party, differing in views
Of public policy, with him who is thus ira
duced and malgned } Licentiousness is not
freedom. tits, in comparison with freedom,
what madness IS, compared with sound rea-
son. In its action, as well as in the effects
Of that action, it is decidedly despotic. IT.
does more than assert its own rights---it sub
yerts the rights Of others. Every we'll
thinking man viii agree upon these points.
What then, must the country say to the
course which, for the last two months, has
been pursued towards President TAYLOR
and his Cabinet officers, by the opposition
press, led on by the Union 4" The legiti-
mate weapons Of reason, fact and argument
have been thrown aside by them, and in
their stead, SANDER and vituperaton--the
tire-brand and secret stiletto Of political con
troversy have been seized upon. In the
case Of Mr.. Frrz HENRY WARREN they
invaded the domestic sanctuary and desc
Grated the family altar His letter-cases
and bureauX Were broken open by them and
their contents exhibited to the world. They
have remorselessly traduced the late APP
pointees to Office, not only in their public,
but also in their private character They
have ruthlessly assailed the tenderest sensi-
bilities OF each member of the Cabinet; and !,
as 70. the President, like savage fends,
they have unbared his bosom and struck at
heart without fear and without reproach.
They have maligned his acts and misrepre-
sented his motives. Is it thus, that Justice
Is to be upheld and truth disseminated among
the people? Is it thus, that the freedom of
the press is to be maintained and the insti-
tutlons OF the country perpetuated; Is it
thus, through SANDER, falsehood and vitupera-
tion--the snbversion of the courtesies and
proprieties Of life and the sacrifice Of all the
nobler impulses and emotions Of the soul,
that party ends and purposes are to be
achieved?
But, in our last article, we said enough
upon this subject in general sense-our
object, on the present occasion, is to notice
one, or two of the shallow pretexts, seized
upon by the " Union," as constituting a
sufficient justification for its barbarous and
extravagant conduct-such conduct as the
venerable editor Of that journal, in days Of
yore, would have been ashamed to confess.
In the first place the g Union'' contends
that President TAYLOR presented himself
before the American people, as a candidate
for their sufrages for the office Of Chief
Magistrate, unpledged to any party, and
therefore, that, he is bound, through a due
regard to consistency, as the President, in
bestowing the patronage Of the government,
to lean no further to the side Of 6 Whiggery"
than to that Of " Progressive and Free De-
mocracy." In other words, that he is and
should be a " no-party President" But, says
the " Union,o hehas not held himself in this
position. 6 He has grossly violated his
pledges and abandoned his consistency BY
prescribing Democrats" For the sake Of
argument, we will allow the Union to as
sumo this position. Now by the /" Union's
own showing, in statement lately made by it,
as to the number Of Wings and Democrats
left in office IN the City OF Washington, by
Mr.. Polk, there was clear majority in
favor Of the Democrats-of Some hundred
and eight" Incontrovertible facts prove
this statement far short Of the mark, for in
the Land Office alone, out Of some eighty
clerks there are moi 10 be found more Than
one dozen Whigs, and one -hah Of this small
band were appointed by Mr.. Commissioner
You've, in the last days of the administra-
ton, as is weH knop., under the hope Of
saving his own head---with the other powers.
Nor is the fact to be illustrated by the case Of
Washington, a fair illustration Of the truth as
to the whole confederacy, for many causes
operate toprevent so general a sweep Of the
lncumbents holding office here as elsewhere.
Yet we will approach the " Union's" posi-
ton much nearer than truth would permit
US, as we have stated, for the sake of the
argument. Say then that, out Of coo Office
holders left in position by Mr.. Polk, there is
to be found majority Of 100 Democrats
how stands the list when carried out 10 the
limits Of all the States and territories; In
the Union there are, think, something like
10000 Offices Divide tVs by 600 and
we have dividend of216 90. Now null
tply this sum by 100 and we have 81 $50,
as the majority Of Democrats over Wings,
left by Mr.. Polk in governmental position.
Now according to the argument Of the
Union,o Gen. TAYLOR as "no-party
President" must see justice mcted out to
the Wings as well as to the Democrats. lie
must, therefore, remove from office twenty
one thousand six hundred and sixiy-six Dem