Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-06

IT, .T,ndeleund Investigating Committee, the Edaor %
IN. Union and the Freedom Of the Press.
A oht have been expected the wonderful labors oil the
preat Bundecund Committee, appointed 10 investigate Tue
conduct Of certain officers under Mr. Poks ADMINISTRATOR
g. ,o,.d abuses of the press have ended in smoke. Mr.
Ssanv Of North Carolina the OF the great mountain
f poli,ca SIM conued up by his wild fancy the gai
Eodp, of this awful volcano which burst its lava
over the Democratic party to be exhausted oy the
magnitude of his own stupid struggles the crushing weight
Of his own stupid folly The whole affair has terminated In
the rdcue and disgrace Of its authors and the subject were
too insignificant to be noticed but for other matters con-
nected with It.
The Editor of the Union was called before the committee
70 give IN the names of various contributors TO his paper
during the Presidential Of 49, Denying the right
of any Congressional committee for whatever purpose ap
pointed to pry into the private concerns OF the press and
thereby destroy liberty and feeling under obligation to
violate his faith with confidential friends whose Kindness
had furnished him many able articles Editor of the Union
firmly but respectfully declined answering the nquisitoral
nterogatores which party persecution had addressed him.
When these facts reported to the House. young Mr.
Evans of Maryland took advantage of the occasion to hun
forth voey Of Lipu,ian arrows poisoned by the malg
nifty Of political revenge the head of him whose manl
ness had defeated deed the malice of his enemies We
shall not stoop the mpotent vuperaon of
this verdant politician" If the Union had not sufficiently
exposed him. the scar6caon deceny yet severely In
ficted upon him by DR.. Fitch Of Ohio would have left the
Juvenile curt bare and bloody excite any other feel
ing than contemptuous pity WE'LL said this latter gentle
man the floor of Congress- in the hearing of the nching
subject he was dssectng "Such language (as that OF
Evans) applied such only recoi upon the au
thos head and should burn his cheek, upon MS oro"
shame is (nof) ashamed to sit"
We turn the scurlous personalities Of this youthful
slanderer of old age the important principle involved IN
this matter The resolution of Mr. Stanly requiring the
editor of the Union appear before the bar OF the House
answer for contempt OF its authority, in refusing to ex
pose the business OF his paper would better have be-
come the chamber of yran than the representative
assembly of free people, The freedom of the press would
not for where such invasion of its rights
allowed. This is party matter though brought on
by party inquson 1t the whole country The
personal rights of every citizen involved in its decisions
for Congress has authority exort the business
of political editor than the business secrets OF the
merchant the lawyer, the clergyman. Still less has it
authority demand this when by DOING the private and
confidential communications of third PERSONS shall be ex
posed the beareyed inspection of malicious enemies for
the qualification of party rancour personal SPLEEN
Worse than French restriction of the press would be the
consequence worse because in France crery writer for
newspaper is compelled append his his article,
while Congressional usupaon like that supposed would
the predominant, party might think available for party
purposes The whole power of Congress would be used as
of political torture and Congress itself be converted
into grand nqustoa machine whose fires would frequent
ly burn fcrcey against its innocent victims
Happily the resolution OF Mr. Stany was by an immense
majority rejected That it would have proved futile, il
adopted beyond question: had the been brought
final issue. The constitutional safeguard of the citizen
would have protected the Editor OF the Union against the
pazan persecution of the House, and the freedom of the
press would have been INDICATED and upheld from end
of the country to the other.
We rejoice that the papers and writers of all po
cal parties unite n the strongest condemnation of the
iempated outrage free press. The Washington
ponden OF the Richmond Republican that Stnns
solution "for the destruction OF the liberty of the press
ought have been received by the House II
buesque upon boosted institutions am glad that
House did not Lose its upon this movement has
upon other equally hostile popular liberty
There is remaining Of duty in it, republican
institutions"
The attempt embarrass the Editor Of the Unon even
by Imprisonment and to inure the Democratic party, has
resulted in nothing but the handing down infamous
nooriety the of Stany, Evans and Schcnck, the
worthy in such stupid and dsgraccul proceeding