The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-23
WIN. H. GRANBERY, ESQ.
Further Debate I'm the Senate on tho Franc
ulont WING Circular.

Further Debate I'm the Senate on tho Fraud
ulent WING Circular.
We learn that an animated debate took place in
the Senate yesterday upon this subject. letter
from Hon. Mr.. Stanly, of North Carolina, whose
name appears signed to the card, was addressed
to Senator Douglas and at his instance read to the
Senate. We understand that in the letter Mr..
stany dsclaimed all articipation in or knowledge
of the card or it's circulation. Senator Mangum
also denounced the circular, we learn. as an infa.
nous fraud, and especially denounced in the
strongest terms the person or persons who had
dared to forge his signature to such document.
To-day we can only publish brief synopsis of
the debate; and we therefore suspend further
ment until we can see the whole Of it in print
when we shall endeavor to notice the main points
embraced in the several speeches.
1t appears quite euidsnt that the matter cannot
rest as it is. We deem it highly probable that it
,oiH be soon discussed in the other branch of Con.
gress.
It should be borne in mind that the signatures
of members Of both Houses affixed to the card
in their official character, designating the States
which they respectively represent In so far,
therefore, the card is fraud, it is plainly in the
nature of breach Of privilege; and such, since
it has been denounced as fraud, ,uould seem to
,oarrant, If not to require, parliamentary inuesti
gation.-Union.
GA parliamentary investigation" Our con-
temporary of the "sole organ" of the Democracy
is losing his wits. The parliamentary inves-
tigation" Of jeu d'esprit at the close of SEES
sion, with most Of its important business I'M
finished Perhaps the Union would recon-
mend committee to sit in the recess, with
power to send for persons and papers.
Did our contemporary ever hear ola ''parlia-
mentary investigation" into the authorship of
Intercepted Letters, or the 1aoo Penny Post Bagf
We do not recollect that any such investigation
was ever attempted of the productions of PETER
PINDAR or of PUNoH-and yet Tom Moore,
DR.. WoLcor, and PUNCH have taken much
greater liberties with the names OF members of
Parliament, and indeed of the royal family,
than have been taken by the authors of the
very harmless effort at humor which has caused
such stir in high quarters that it is deemed
proper subject Of Senatorial discussion, and
of parliamentary investigation"
We have heard from time to time good
deal Of the "privileges" of the two Houses of
Congress, and have sometimes thought that
the vague and indefinite doctrine of "privi-
leges" was carried SO far as to invade the con-
stitutional rights of the citizen. IF this ques-
ton should ever come up in serious shape,
we shall endeavor to meet it in a manner in
which all usurpations of power-whether leg
islative or executive-ought to be discussed by
free press. Meanwhile, we hope our Demo-
CRATIC friends will not render the whole mat
ter odious and ridiculous, by talking of libel
that has hurt nobody and deceived nobody as
"breach of privilege" II there were only
Star Chamber at the present day, Senator
DOUGLAS and Senator WALKER might call upon
the Attorney General to join them in exhib-
iting bill against the offender and in
good old times they might have pro-
ceeded by an action de Scandalo Magma
t,n,-under the statute of Richard the Second
This statute hits the case exactly, and we
| think Congress. had much better re- enact it
than occupy the public time in discussing such
matters as "bseach Of privilege" The pro
| vision to which we desire the attention Of Sem
ators DOUGLAS and WALKER and the Union
newspaper is in the following words: "None
shall devise or speak false news, lies, or other
such false things Of the prelates, dukes, earls,
barons, and other mobiles and great men of the
realm; and Of the chancellor, treasurer, clerk
Of the privy seal, steward of the kings
| house, justices of the one bench or the other,
and other great officers Of the realm''-under
the penalty Of being ''taken and kept in prison
until he hath brought into court him which
was the first author of the tale"
| We think the honorable gentlemen who have
introduced this subject into the Senate, and the
DEMoCRATIC journalists who seek to have il