The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-11
Congress.

The Senate was occupied yesterday al
most entirely in the discussion OF the YER
mont resolutions on the subject of slavery,
and adjourned over to Monday.
The House made further attempts to
elect Clerk without effect.
Liberty OF the Press, and the Democratic
Members OF Congress.
In an article, day or Two since, we
alluded to the g lack of bowels" evinced
by General CAss for gentlemen afflicted
with an earnest desire, not to say GU
pidity," for office, as contrasted with the
latitude which he allowed himself for the
indulgence Of this passion. The Union
construes this as reflection upon the
person of the honorable Senator, as II II
were one of unseemly proportions. Our
language was not, in its just lnterpreta-
ton, capable of being so understood.
1t is hardly necessary for us to dis
avow utterly any such intention. No
thing was more remote from our thoughts
than any such alusion to the honorable
Senator.
The language that we used was as APP
plicable to spare and meagre as to
stout gentleman. How the Union could
have been so malicious towards the hon
orable Senator as to make personal APP
plication of it, we cannot understand II
it were mere stupidity on the part OF the
Union, {" it must have cost it great deal
of pains to become so dull'' as to be guilty
of such blunder. General CAss is HIM
self too familiar with the best English
writers not to know that the expression
we used conveyed 10 sinister meaning,
but is the only expression in the language
that would have conveyed our precise idea
with propriety.
ANY one would be little surprised If
CLARENDON should be set down as guilty
of a personal allusion where he employs
the same expression in the same sense in
the following passage
"He had no other consideration for money than
for the support of his ustre and whilst ne could
do that he cared not for money-having no
bo,ceis in the point of running in debt, or borrow
ing all he could"
Our only object in the paragraph was to
point out the extreme i'll grace with which
the charge of "cupidity" for office came
from a gentleman who had been all his
life the incumbent of Office by Executive
appointment This was the gist of our
article-and the sole organ makes a very
poor figure of it in blinking the main topic,
and criticizing perfectly proper express
sion, as intended to convey reflection
upon the person Of the honorable Senator.
But worse than an allusion TO "cupidity''
for Office from General CAss is the censure
of style by the editors of the Union. II
is universally admitted that journal so
licentious as the Union has been for the
last six months, never disgraced the press.
The English language contains nothing
that is to be compared 10 it for coarseness
of allusion and virulence of language, APP
piled to gentlemen whose age, and charac-
ter, and public services, ought to have
shielded them from insult and libel. And
for such journal TO cry out-distort harm
less expressions into gross personal allu-
sions-and, assuming 10 speak for the
Democratic members Of Congress, menace
the conductors of public journal with
their vengeance, and with some "remedy"
for the offence Of free speech-surpasses
all that we have heard Of impudence and
intolerance. Do the Democratic members
of Congress intend to invoke the aid Of
new sedtion laws? Do they propose to
enact statute providing that all journals
shall be at liberty TO abuse General TAY-
LoR-but that fine, stripes and imprison-
ment shall be the fate of all who venture
TO employ type in criticizing "Demo-
cratic member of CongressW We should
be pleased to learn from the Union if il
really spoke by authority. Who were the
members of Congress that stimulated or
empowered it to use such language in their
behalfi Who are the men that shrink
and threaten, when the press arraigns fac
tionists and agitators, and exposes corrupt
coalitions, and lays bare the inconsistent
cies and the hypocrisy of public menu
We call upon the Union for the names
of the Democratic members Of Congress
who authorized il in their behalf to an
nounce the intention with which il men
aced us the other day. We should be
pleased TO learn who they are. We wish
to know the disciples Of "progress" who
are so far behind the age as to suppose
that there is an appropriate remedy" for
free discussion, or any mode Of gagging
the press. We should be pleased to make
the acquaintance Of these gentlemen who
approve Of free trade and fettered speech;
who reject the idea of all other internal
improvements but the improvement Of
the WIG press; who desire 10 withdraw