American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-16
TELEGRAPH
= asHINGTONs
,,nn,v 4FTERNOoN, AUGUST le.

press declare that they have proved 10 the heaas
~ the departments that their paper has larger
permanent subscription list than either the IN
tslligencer, the Union, or the Republic. The
last-named three papers get the public adver-
Using, worth to each something like $1,000
year.
The law upon the subject IAN appropriation
act) of March 3, 1916, reads as follows:
'That in all cases where proposals Tor any
contract or contracts to be made by any OF the
Executive departments or bureaus In all cases
where notices of any description issuing from
the same are now required by law to be adyer-
tised, the same shall be advertised by publica-
ton in the two newspapers in the city OF Wash
inpton "a, ing the largest permanent subscrip-
ton: and. at the discretion Of the Executive,
in any third paper that may be published IN
said city provided that the charges for such
publications shall not be higher than such as
are paid by individuals for advertising in said
papers; and provided, also, that the said pub
locations shall be made in each Of said papers
equally as to frequency"
The editors of the Press declare that, not
withstanding their permanent subscription has
been proved, to the members of the Cabinet, to
be the largest of the four papers named, and not
withstanding the plain letter, and command, of
the law in the matter, the Administration still
persists in giving the public advertisements to
the LateAigenc1, Union, and Republic, and re-
fusing them to the Press
One of the grounds alleged for this line of
conduct, on the part of the Administration, is
said to be this: that the Press openly advocates
the doctrines of secession, which doctrine seeks
to destroy and break up the Union; and that
IT,. ~.
the Union, is not bound in morality, ethics, or
law, to afford aid and comfort" in the shape
Of the public advertisements, to any newspaper
engaged in destroying the Union.
We dissent from this position, said to have
been assumed by the Administration, in toto
cello. If the lar be wrong, let Congress amend
1T. The Administration should not take the
law into its own hands, but should follow and
ohev Il lille it stands unrepealed on the stat
nte hook. We h,hor the doctrines of secession,
notification, and disunion. But if they are to
be practised, if the laws are to be disregarded,
set at naught and trampled under foot, we had
rather the work should be done by the States,
or by the sovereign people, than by ON Admin
istration setting ITSELF during its brief authori
ty, above the people, its legitimate masters.
But we do not design, at this writing, to dis
cuss the doctrine of secession or disunion. We
make clean breast of it, and confess that we
are after the public advertisements ourselves.
Our paper is going ahead triumphantly, with a
daily circulation already which certainly ex-
ceeds any one Of three, and we are pretty sure
of all four of the other daily papers in this city.
We are ready, at oil events, to compare notes
with that one Of the four which claims to have
the largest daily circulation, the respectable
Inteuigencer, and see whether the young Tele-
graph is not already ahead of it, and conse-
quently entitled to the list of letters remaining
in the city post-ofice, in the shape of an occa-
sional advertisement. If we are not already
entitled to that list of letters, we mean soon to
be, and also to be entitled to all the other
public Advertisements We are wide awake. |
We know that we are right, and we are going
ahead. We will deserve success, and we feel
assured that the people win take care that we
have it.
Upon this subject the New York Herald Of
Yesterday has some pertinent remarks, from
which we make the following extracts:
"The only questions are, which two papers
have 'the largest permanent subscription, and
are their charges to Government mot higher |
than such as are paid by individuals and are
the advertisements in each paper made equal |
ly as to frequency The Southern Press, seve-
raj weeks ago, proved, we understand, that it
has the largest permanent subscription, larger
THAI either the Union, Republic, Telegraph, Ma
fional En-. or Inteiiigencer. We have no doubt
of the fact, ana that the National Era is next
to it. The other papers Except the little 1efe-
graph have become eneryated dull, spiritless,
uninteresting, and the public generally, for
some time past, take little interest in them
whereas the two prints specified have at least
zone idea apiece that they sustain with spirit
and ability. If the fact is as claimed by the
Southern Press it has strict legal right to this
printing, and one which, it appears TO us, the
courts in the District of Columbia, following
,ne a,,.,.,;sou in Mr. Kendalrs case, would sus
ta;n mon uandaynus. The law is imperative.
A refusal to obey its directions would be good
ground for the impeachment of any functionary
The President is sworn to take care that the
laws are faithfully executed He is bound to
see that his subordinates do not disregard and
violate it. II is of little moment whether the
violation is from partisan partiality or igno-
rance In such cases, the crime is in the act
When the terms of the law are unmistakeable,
the culpability Of the motive is inferable An
honest motive will not excuse such illegal act
upon an impeachment. The law must be
obeyed.
"The delay that has ensued as to the definite
decision of this business, is, perhaps, attribute
BILE to the continued absence of some two or
more Of the administration for several weeks
past 1t should be settled forthwith The
President should attend to it. 1t is his especial
duty. He certainly does not divide up his Of
fetal conscience and his convictions Of duty
into eight parts, giving to each one Of his cab-
net share, and retaining one share for him
self. II so, he ought to constrain the "fugi-
tive" members 1--WE mean those absent from
their ofices) to surrender their respective
eighths when they 60 of. We learn that the