The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-05-25
The President and the Press.

TO WHOM MR.. BUCHANAN IS RESP ONSIBLE-AC-
RIMONIOUs ASSAULTS DEPRECATED.
The editorial excursionists from the west
ern States waited upon President BUCHAN-
UN on Monday. Mr.. MITCHELL, of the ST..
Louis Evening News, addressed him on beS
half of the fraternity, and Mr.. BUCHANAN
replied as follows:
SIR l am most happy to greet you and
this large assemblage of the gentlemen of
the Press, especially as you are accompanied
by so many ladies, who never come to trou-
bile me, but always to cheer and delight me.
Applause. give you all hearty wei,
come to this house.
You have been pleased to call it ga pal
ace" but it is, indeed, the house of the peo~
pie, and the President is only the servant of
the people, but he is the servant of no other
power upon earth. Loud applause1 The
President is elected by the people of the
United States, the Senators are chosen by
the Legislatures of the States of this Union
and the members OF the House of Repre>
sentatives by the people of those several
States, but the President is elected by the
whole people of the United States and to
them alone is he responsible, under the Con-
stitutlon. Prolonged applause. Any en-
roachment upon bis just constitutional
rights, come from whatever quarter it may,
is, therefore, an enroachment upon the rights
of the people themselves. Repeated bursts
of applause.
The duties of the President are severe
and incessant. shall soon retire from them;
and if my successor shall be as happy on
coming in as l will be in going out, he will
be one of the happiest men in the world.
Laughter. 1t is remarkable, however,
that, Notwithstanding the tolls and troubles
of the Presidential office, there are plenty of
distinguished gentlemen ready enough to
come in, and representing all the different
isms known to the country. Laughter
Nevertheless am confident that the pre-
vailing ism will be the wish of the Ameri-
can people to preserve and cherish the Con-
stitution as it is, and the Union. Loud
applause. My life, in the course of nature,
cannot be long but should not desire to
draw single breath beyond the existence
of this our beloved Union. Deep sensa-
am much pleased to see this meeting of
so many of the editorial fraternity. 1t can
scarcely fail to be salutary to yourselves in
many respects; and, among its beneficial
effects, it will doubtless tend to relieve your
mutual relations and discussions of that
needless asperity which has sometimes char.
acterized the Press. While you are free,
bold and firm in expressing your convic-
lions and maintaining your principles, there
is surely no necessity for acrimonious as
saults upon those to whom you are opposed.
In connection with this point, 1 am remind
ed of an anecdote which, perhaps, 1 ought
not to relate. Cries of "Tell it, Sir !"
"Go onr'] While ! was Minister to Eng.
land distinguished nobeman once said to
me: &" MIR. Buchanan, if 1 were to Judge
from your newspapers, l should infer that
the different candidates for the Presidency
were the greatest rascals in America ~
Laughter and cheers. l replied that it
did look so; but, in reality, it was only
aoay ace had of talking about each other at
election times!" Hearty laughter and
applause.
The President concluded by expressing
again a cordial welcome to his visitors, and
wish to take each OF them by the hand.
The ladies and gentlemen were then several
ly presented, and many pleasant words of
kindness and good humor were inter-
chanppd