Washington sentinel., 1853-12-14
THE "UNION,s- ATTACK ON THE
SENATE.

SENATE.
After the Washington Union had attempted
10 explain away and apologize for its threat
ening language with regard to Mr. Red6eld's
confirmation, we did not expect to see it in
sulting the Senate again. But the election of
the publisher of this paper Printer to the Sen
ate, has induced it to commit another act of
impropriety which our position forces us TO
notice.
The motives which have impelled the Union
to the course it has taken, we can readily un-
derstand. We, however, fully acquit General
Robert Armstrong of all and everything often
sive in the Union's article of yesterday. We
have known him long, and We have known him
well and it would pain us much to believe
that he had any agency in the preparation, or
any knowledge Of the scope and bearing of the
article in yesterdays Union. He knows full
well that he has no right to complain of the
action of the Senate He was gallant soldier,
and we believe that he is kind. good man.
For many years he was the postmaster at
Nashville. Mr.. Polk sent him to Liver
pool. After buying out Major Donelsons in
terest in the Union, he enjoyed all the emolu-
ments from the printing of both Houses Of
Congress-all the en- oluments from the print
ing Of all the Executive Departments the
emoluments from the Executive advertise
ments; and without any opposition on our
part, he was elected printer to the House
of Representatives for the next two years.
Was not all that enough? Surely it was; and
therefore we acquit him of the malignant ar
ticle which appeared yesterday in the paper he
publishes, and which is edited BY "God knows
who"
Mr.. Guthrie says that he wished an equal
distribution in New York between the demo
Gratis and the soft-shell freesoilers. Then why,
permit us to ask, should not the rule be ex-
tended to Washington? Do soil and climate
and parallels of latitude alter principles? No.
they do not; but soil and climate and parallels
of latitude exert great force on the ideas of
selfish politicians. Did not the Senate have
a full and perfect right to elect its printer?
Having performed that task, has any man
the right to denounce the Senate because the
result Of the choice did not suit his wishes?
When the House of Representatives elected
General Armstrong, we made no complaint.
We did not villify and abuse the members Of
that body; on the contrary, we submitted with
out murmur
We have been calm and quiet. Feeling
that our purposes and intentions were Just and
proper--knowing that our leading design was
TO uphold democratic principles, and that our
chief desire was TO purify the democratic party,
we have pursued straightforward and con-
sistent course We have entered into no ALI
ances. We have made no engagements with
any one. We have not nauseated our readers
with fulsome and disgusting adulations Of
members Of the House Of Representatives and
members of the Senate. We have not bowed
the pregnant hinges Of the knee where thrift
might follow fswnng. We have pursued an
open aud manly course; and we defy our
worst enemy to point out the instance in which
we have shrunk from the straight line, or in
which any outward applianee--any motive Of
personal aggrandizement-- influenced our
course.
The Union, forgetful of all discretion, charges
that the printing of the Senate was given to this
Office by combination of factious democrats,
wings, and abolitionists. 1t is not true. The
nsinuation that any such combination was even
contemplated, is without foundation We do
not know who voted for MS; yet, with the
information we have been able to gather,
we do not admit that the Union could have
obtained the Senate printing. if none but
regular democrats had been permitted to
vote, without favor or affection. As against
the Sentinel the Union could have done
nothing. 1t could not have made decent
struggle. But General Armstrong, separated
from the Union aud its indefensible course
commanded votes which the Union could never
have obtained.
An understanding between our friends and
the aGoltionists The very idea is ridiculous
and absurd. Who makes this charge against
us7 The Washington Unioni What has been
our eourse9 What has been the course Of the
Washington Uafoaf We have abored most
earnestly TO purify the democretic party-to