New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-23
rsE rEIBUsE OS ITS TRIAL.

I
the deliberations of Ii eislature, or st least OF
one of i's Houses, and that the Legislature of no
less State than ew-Jersey. In amin ,ted aud
interesting speeches it was proposed by one oil
the assembled wi.dom of that State, whom our
franbness had deeply Offended, 70 forbid all per-
sons from reading THE TRIBUNE in their hall,
spd even to prohibit the carrying OF our modest
sheet through its portals Fortunately now
ever for our existence. so dire punishment was
not iuposed but af,er due explosions of talk we
were again tolerated, if not forgiven. and the
legislative JerseymaD, seeking knowledge and
counsel was still allowed to ef JOY the benevolent
| Illumination of our columns.
In the LEGISLATURE of New York it has not yet
been proposed to lay THE TRIBUNE under an in
! tercict Dor to restrain any member from spending
the moderate sum required from his daily stipend
for the purchase of a copy. 1t is true we have
been aralgned there under grave accusatiOns
but the discussion, which We report in another
page, partakes perhaps as much Of sorrow and
paierDa repToof as OF anger and Judicial condem
Iati0n. In0.cd. one homo rable member OF the
Assembly, justly respected b. the public even
bao the biDODe1 to apologize for our ofenss, and
10 assure his colleagues that they only happened
because one of the conductors Of the paper Vas
out Of town, aud that some person, whom be
pronounced TO be low eaves-dropper was the
csuse OF all the mischief.
The indictment on which we were thus brought
up for trial, and graciOusly pardoned and patted
out of Court, alleged simply that we had puo-
lthed base and f4lse report Of the proceed
iDes on occasion of the Legislatures visit to
BlacBwells Islsnd, on Tuesday of last week,
wbtp they wen. out in the ste ,mbOas Nor~aik,
and stay ed to dinner with the Ten Governors. At
that festive board, after Lieut. Gov. Raymond
bad n ade bis speech, rumpus took place which
rendered it impossible for any one else to be
heard, though many gentlemen desired to make
speeches, and the banquet was broken up in dis
order, with an attempted fight between two we'll
known individuals, and variety Of profanity ADD
blacte guard slsng, by way OF setting of che scene
Thee general facts we're attested by almost
every journal whose reporters were present, and
our report of them did lot vary in single im-
por:ant particular from that OF The Journal q
Commute, The Htrad, The Commercial Adrer-
fser or The Express 1t is true that our reporters,
in obedience to our Instructions observed the
pererai rush of dram. drink ng that took place, and
inquire d fl ON those mostlikeiy to know whstqusn-
tity of wires and other intoxicating liquors was
consumed on the occasion in order to communicate
TO our readers the facts thus obtained. TAs may
possibly be sort Of information which We should
have withheld from the pubic,-for we do not
pretend to iDfallibiliy, and are ready to admit
that others might conduct metropolitan journal
great deal more scceptably than ourselves,
especially in what relates to the tipping and sale
of iiauors-but still we must hold TO the opinion
that when a Maine Law Legislature goes in a
body upon an official excursion, sndis entertained
at dinner by another official body of the first im-
portance it is very proper that reporters should
ascertain, and newspapers publish the TACT, that
a great deal of liquor is consumed, that various
rerons get drunk, and that disorder and noise
characterize such an official jolhfcaton.
If private, or even official men have private
frolc, or crafty a bad taste with private drinks,
or even MAX g themselves booty privately az their
private expense, that is their own private affair,
which it would be uDjusti6able to drag into pub
licisy, except under very extraordinary circum-
.tances. But this was pesform.nc of differ
ept character. The entertainment was given TO
the Legislature as such, by on official Board,
choten to administer the charities of great
city, AID the people had to pay the expense. If
Mr.. Blatchiord, or any other gentleman, thinks
1t wrong on such an occasion TO report on the con
sumption of wine or brandy, OF both, very well;
be is entitled to bis opinion, others have the
right to differ from him; if our reporter was in.
formed that $50 bottles of champagne were
consumed when it turns out by subsequent
official vouchers that there we're only l75, we
submit that it lie q very venisl error, which We
would willingly have corrected had our attention
| been called to it, and which cannot justify any
excessive severity of language in our Legislative
critics. And yet We beg the public to understand
that it is only in respect to this point that our
port Of that memorable banquet differed from
those Of cur cotem porNies, and that in other re-
spects our punishment is to be taken as only rep
reseDtative vicarious, suffered in behalf of the
Press in general, which it mutt be confessed is
apt to comment rather freely on the doings of
Legislatures, Governors, and others In authority.
~ shOulu A!so DC oosel'cui lnaI NuiIc Int uV'-
errors OF the Aims House aid the members Of
tbs Assembly are thus aggrieved by our oppOsi-
zion to free AID Independent liquor at official
festivals and our reports thereon-for really that
lie all it seems TO amount to-tbey are also
agreed respecting the very matters touching
which they accuse US Of falseness and base
ness. Thus the Governors declare that the dis
tuibances which occurred at the dinner were oc-