The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-24

4 -
It's DtMcult1es.
We see that on Tuesday last the opposition
State Convention held In Richmond, prepare
tory to the coming Presidential campaign,
parsed resolution excluding the reporters of
the New York press from the hall in which
their deliberations are held. The motive for
this proceeding can only be set down to the
foolish susceptibility of some Of its leading
members That any advantage in the way OF
secrecy is to be gained by it, is not for mo-
nent to be assumed. The allsearching aud
penetrative faculties of the New York press
have been too frequently demonstrated in
! csses of this kind to allow the authors of the
motion to lay that fattering JUNCTION to their
souls. The only rational explanation Of the
passage Of so silly resolution is, that it had
its motive in personal pique, and that the inau
ence OF individuals was sufficiently powerful
to carry it against the better sense of the Con-
veption. Some weeks since similar proceed
ing. originating. no doubt In the same cause,
was attempted in Congress, by Mr.. Ash
more, of South Carolina, and. it is needless to
add. was at once secuted by the House.
One of the most sacred provisions of the con-
stitution is that which declares that Congress
sbali make no law abridgipg the freedom of
the press. In that great palladium of our nber-
ties it is laid down in the most positive manner
that there shaii be no interference with
rights which form the keystone of the
structure raised by it. None recognized more
fully than the men who had the destinies of
the infant republic in their ssfekeeping the i'm
portance, not only Of freedom of discussion,
but Of freedom of publicity in everything not
treDcbipg on individual rights. These two
conditions were absolutely essential to the
choice of proper representatives by the people,
but more especially Of chief magistrates equal
to the responsibilities of position demanding
not only statesmanlike qualities, but patriotism
and integrity of purpose. They therefore
secured them, as they thought, by such con-
stitutOnal provision as would afford the fullest
effect to both.
To whom is it owing that the rights thus
conferred have been restricted within limits
more arbitrary than those imposed by foreign
cepsorsbipsg To the politicians trading
politicians, we mean-to whom we are indebt-
| Vu iOi oiA VIC OtuCA oVuSco uuU COIIuptiOuo
that have brought reproach upon our institu-
tons, and raised the national expenditure to
double the amount of what it should have
been. These are the men who, fer their own
selfish and venal purposes, have, from time to
time, placed trammels upon the free action of
the independent press by excluding it from
assembiages called together to discuss ques-
lions bearing upon the general interests
For FIVE and twenty years we have battled
against this system of party and individual CEN
sorship, which, as we have just observed, is far
more tyrannical and oppressive than that exer-
cised under foreign despotisms, for the latter
is based on fixed and understandable princi-
pies while the former is capricious and vindic-
tive in its action. From the first moment at
which we were able to lay down our course as
Independent journalists, we resolved that we
should restore to that provision of the constitu-
ton which proclaims the fullest liberty to the
press all the force and value intended to be
given to it by its trainers. We have never in
anything compromised, and we never shall
compromise, the rights and privileges to which
we are entitled by it. When we originated the
system Of publishing financial reports from
Wall street. the most absurd and ludicrous
cutlery was raised against it, and the strongest
influences were brought to bear on us to in
duce us to desist. We persevered in our plan,
notwithstanding all the abuse that was laviAhed
on US. Very soon the other papers began to
copy us, and now financial reports are as
essential feature of newspaper as
any other branch Of its intelligence. The same
desperate opposition was made by the politi-
clans to our reporting the proceedings of their
caucuses and conventions, but we were not
long in demonstrating the uselessness as well
as the folly Of their resistance. A few years
ago we sent a reporter to Virginia to report
Governor Wise's speeches, when he was stump.
ing the State, and. he was assailed and hunted
down by the chivalry of the Old Dominion, with
the Governor at their head, in q manner that
they have, no doubt, since been heartily
ashamed of, although Governor Wise has not
had the justice to take back the abuse that he
heapedupon him. The Richmond Opposition
State Convention have, unhappily for them
selves got into the same kink, and If the re-
mainder of their proceedings is to be of a SINH
lar character, it may safely be assumed that
they will not exercise any very serious influ-
ence on the Presidential campaign. AS for
ourselves, we care nothing about their sentence
OF exclusion; it will spare us both trouble and
expense, whilst all that we desire to learn will
reach us through channels that have never
failed us on such occasions.
RENTS AND real. EsTArE.-There is very
little change, either in the way of increase or
decrease, in rents throughout the city, this year
from last year. Both rents and the value of
real estate appear to be pretty nearly Stationary