The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-05
The Presidont's Message and tho News
papers-ConGressional Nenscnsc.

| The Presidents Message and ehc News
papers-ConGressional Nsnsense.
The Hon. Mr.. Schenck, Of Ohio, with the
discovery Of the Presidents Message in Bal
timore paper, in full, before it's delivery to the
two houses of Congress, called the attention
Of the House, as privileged question, TO this
subject, as involving breach of decorum very
disrespectful to Congress. Bosh! He had
heard that some hanger-on about the White
House, or some favored individual had been
selling 1t to different newspapers. If such
were the case it was still more disrespectfuI
to Congress. Fiddlesticks Mr.. Covode, of
Pennsylvania, said he had made the important
discovery that the Message had got to the
newspapers through direct purchase made
of one of the Presidents surroundings, and
that one hundred dollars was the price paid
for it that the seller had afterwards disposed
Of copies to other parties at reduced prices,
creating confusion in the market very
funny state Of things, to be sure !
But, assuming these to be the facts, what
do they amount to-! Some individual con-
identially or clandestinsly gets hold Of .
copy Of the Message day or two in advanc,
OF the time appointed for the submission of the
document to the two houses Not standing
upon ceremony, and willing to sell the conf
dence and the etiquette in his keeping for q
hundred dollars, he finds customer and ex-
changes tho precious State paper for the
ready money. Having broken the ice, be dis
poses of other copies in his possession for what
they will fetch in the market. The Newspaper
men who buy these early copies Of the docu-
ment buy them for the express purpose of get
ting them into print and before their readers
without further loss Of time. They have no
notion Of waiting for the reading of the Mes
sage before the House for then, like the Con-
federate scrip Of JEFF Davis after the taking Of
Richmond, it becomes only SO much waste
paper.
So the Message gets into the newspapers far
and wide before it Is read in either house of
Congress. But what fiji Suppose the Presi-
dent, week or month before the meeting OF
Congress- had published in all the papers of
the country the Message intended for the two
houses Of Congress on their reassembling, what
would have been the offences The only offence
would have been that Of disregarding stupid
old custom Of keeping the Message secret as
thing too precious for the eyes OF the public
press and the people until duly submitted to
Congress. Now, we hope that by way Of an
experimental reform in this matter the Presi-
dens when lie shall have finished his next Mes
sage in view Of the reassombling Of Congress,
will cause 1t to be published in advance over
the length and breadth Of the land, so that the
opinions Of the public press and of the people
may go up to the Capitol with the Message for
the Information and enlightenment Of the two
houses on the various subjects discussed. This
stupid old custom OF Withholding the Message
from the people as sealed book until the two
houses Of Congress have had the ceremony Of a
presentation has lasted long enough and ought
to be abolished. II puts the servants Of the
country before their masters, and we have had
enough Of that We think these ideas will
square exactly with the constitutional doc
trines Of Andrew johnson, and 80 we submit
them to his consideration. Let him follow our
suggestions, and old Miss Nancy Schenck, with
her silly complaints Of disrespect to Congress,
will never be heard Of more this side OF Bull
Run. s.