New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-16
GOV. GARDENERS LIBEL.

GOV. GARDENERS LIBEL.
The Legislature Of Massachusetts, at its pres
ent session have voted an Address TO the Gov
trnor to remove Judge Loring from Office, for
the sole reason that az Commissioner of the
United States under the Fugitive Slave Aet $50
called) of 1850 be surrendereda man into slavery.
By voting this Address the Legislature have
stigmatized the Fugitive Slave Act as so unfit to
be executed that Massachusetts, Judge who
gives effect TO il shows himself thoroughly I'M
worthy to be continued in Office If unfit TO be
executed. surely il was still more unfit TO be
passed.
Gov. Gardner, in searching round for reasons
to excuse his refusal TO remove Judge Loring,
BY strange ignorance or forgetfulness, which
in any other than professed know Nothing
politician would be taken as a proof of hallu-
cinaton or incapacity expressly charges the
Senators and Representatives OF Massachusetts,
in the Congress of 1850 with having, all Of them,
voted for that infamous act; and the House, not
having yet heard the Message read, or heard it
imperfectly, vote to print 5000 copies of this
infamous libel. The truth being that only one
Massachusetts, member Of Congress- viz: Samuel
A. Eliot OF Boston, was guilty of the wickeiness
charged BY Gov. Gardner on the whole delegl-
tiOn.
This grieyous wrong to eleven citizens of
Massachusetts,, several of them since deceased.
it is but charity to suppose was unintentonal
when originally committed. But the course
which the matter has since taken has not only
placed Governor Gardner in the position of a
wilful slanderer, but has brought in the House
of Representatives of Massachusetts, as IN in
dorser and publisher of this libel, no less dis
graceful (were it true) to the State of Msssa-
chusetts than to the individuals thus wrongfully
charged.
The Governors SANDER having been pointed
out in the public prints, everybody expected
that he would of course have the decency to
send to the House and withdraw his Message
for the purpose Of correcting this egregious
mistake. Was it possible to do less Not hay
ing done so, persisting in this charge made in a
grave official paper after its falsehood has been
brought to his notice, Governor Gardner is no
longer to be regarded as mere laundering ig
noramus; he deliberately assumes the guilty
position of willful and malicious falsehood.
But there was yet an opportunity for the
House, while saving itself from being involved
in this guilt 10 hold out also TO the Governor one
last plank of escape. Possibly the Governor
might be so confused and mystifed as not only
TO have lost his political recollection, but also all
sense of the duty of a gentleman who has unin-
t,ntonally published gross falsehoOd injurious
to others. A motion was therefore offered in
the Massachusetts, House to send back the Gov
ernors Message to him, to give him an opportu-
nifty to rectify this mistake. This motion was
voted down, as il would seem from the debate
mainly through indispOsition to interfere with
the matter, or to help the Governor out Of the
quagmire in which he is sunk up to the neck.
But while thus refusing to help the Governor,
the Massachusetts, House may as we'll look ont
for themselves. Their vote to print the Cover
nor's Message makes them the publisher of his
lbels, and in law and morals equally guilty
with him; aud this refusal of theirs to take any
step to aid or prompt the Governor toward
correction of his error, will also admit of the
that the House think il of no
consequence whom the Governor and themselves
may see fit to SANDER and libel. The matter
cannot rest here 1t is absurd to suppose tint
the Massachusetts, House are thus going to be-
come the hackers of the Governors lbels.
Justice to the injured parties might require
them 70 do more; justice to themselves will not
allow them TO print a document which they
know to contain historical falsehood injurious
TO the Commonwealth and Injurious to indi-
yiduas.