The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-31
The Executive PrInting-The faithful Exc
cutl0n Of the Laws.


The whole country is aware that the peculiar
boast, the ornament of the present President and
his Administration, is their intense anxiety for
the faithful execution of the laws. This has
been so often announced in messages and proc.
lamatons, and in all the organs, us to constitute
avery unusual and yociferous claim 10 the char
acter of a law.revering and law-abiding Admin
istration. Nay, not satisfied with all these
godes of making the thing known, the Pres-
dent and his cabinet travelled last summer and
fall over large portions of the country North and
South, to repeat the sentiment in person. Scarce
ly could the cars stop for wood or water on the
Presidential excursion on the Erie railroad or
to the Virginia Springs, when the President
would step out on the platform to repeat his
solemn pledges of devotion to the execution Of
the laws, and the locomotive whistle Of depart.
ure generally cut off some supplementary secre.
tary in the middle ofthe same phrase
Now II these pledges had been sincere, how
completely would the Southern Press be vind-
Gated by events? We asserted when the fug
tive slave law passed, that il could not and would
not be executed in the North. And now il would
appear that, with President and Cabinet and all
the power and patronage of the federal govern.
ment in its favor, the Christiana rioters and trail
tors, and murderers, have all finally escaped
punishment-so have those who rescued fugi-
tive slave from the United States court in Bos.
ton, and all that is left is squabble to quash
the indictment Of the rioters at Syracuse, who
also rescued by force a fugitive from the fed.
eral authorities there.
But unluckily for all this immense quantity
of profession, we have case to present that has
fallen under our own personal observation, that
exposes so completely what is meant nova days
BY official language, that we shall ask of our
readers strict attention to all the facts and
documents. We intend to present these duly
and in detail, and in all their official forms and
. words. We shall, however, to-day present
statement Of the essential elements of the case,
winch we will verify in the most exact, specific,
and conclusive manner.
There il law which was passed in l845,
which requires the notices and advertisements
Of The Executive Departments to be printed 10
the two papers of largest Subscription In this
city. In the latter part Of June last we applied
to the Secretary of the Navy, one of the only
two Secretaries then in town, for this printing
on the ground that the Southern Press was en-
titled 10 il under this law. The Secretary OF
the Navy, promptly enough in few days mott.
fed Us TO produce our evidence in support Of the
claim. And this we Immediately complied with
And on comparing the number Of our subscri-
bers, as set forth by the affidavits Of the Clerk
and Printer, II was found 10 exceed that which
was so attc sted on behalf of the In.elligencer
and the Union, the two papers which had before
been awarded this printing under the law. Yet
notwithstanding this, we received note from
the Secretary of the Navy similar TO the follow.
ing, which is published in yesterdays Union
NAVY DEPARTMENT, July 9Th, 1851.
GENTLEMEN: ] have examined the evidence
touching the permanent subscription Of the Ma.
iiOfai Ini.iigtner, Union, and Southern Pres.
laid before this, department, in conformity with
notices issued to the proprietors Of each Of said
papers, and have 10 announce that both Of the
former exceed the Southern Press, not only in per-
manent subscribers 10 the ediigrs Of those papers in
rheh the advertisements Of this department hare been
hobituaiiy p,biised, but IN the aggregate Of papers s-
sued either 10 permanent subscribers or Others per
psek. therefore decline 10 send the ADVERTISE
ment, OF this department 20 the Southern Press
am, respectfully, your obedient servant.
VIM. A. GRAHAM.
Messrs. DOsELsoS & Ans,rRose, Washing
ton, ID. G.
The italics are ours.
On receiving the note<vc Immediately called
on the Secretary Of thetotavy, and objected to
this decision-because The lap says notiing about
particular editions Of papers Ii was not pre-.
tended that the number of our subscribers TO the
daily, Fri weekly and weekly editions Of our
paper was not larger than 10 either Of the others
according TO the affdavits and we asserted that
the Department had no right 10 discriminate be.
tween different editions Of the same paper, so as
10 give the printing to favorite, who nigh,
have greater number Of one edition, but less
Of them all. As for the pretence that the other
Offices printed more papers per pesk than ours,
that was founded on the same assumption.
The Union and Intelhgencer had, we knew, a
larger daily subscription than ours, but we had
larger weekly subscription than they; and the
Secretary was compelled, in order 10 support
his statement, 10 count ore daily subscriber as
equal 10 six weekly ones, and thus to attach as
much consequence TO a daily subscriber here at
the seat Of government, as TO Fix weekly sub.
scribers elsewhere, in giving notice Of proposals.
for mail, navy, war, Indian, and other con racts
The daily papers are chiefly taken here. How
many persons are here resident likely to contract
for the mail transportation in the various States
of the Union, or for supplies Of provisions.
timber, clothing, &c, for tie army, navy, &c. Z
The effect Of such a construction. and the etF-c,
Of habiiu0Hy publishing in the least numerou,
and more local editions Of a paper withsu,
authority Of law, was to give a monopoly o,
notice and Of jobs to mere spectators here II
the District, and hangers-on around the Depart
ments
But the Secretary Of the Navy persisted in hi