Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-05-27
The Senate,s Extra Session.


The serene composnre Of the United States
Senate has undergone an unwonted shock the
past week. The "Treaty of Washington" for
the consideration OF which, shat august body
was convened in extraordinary session, has
had TO be laid aside, until the exasperating
question can be solved, as to how copy of
that treaty got into the hands Of Tribune re-
porter. As every tree, shrub and plant has
its enemy and parasite, so the grave Senator
has his fell adversary in the reporter, clingmg
to him and penetrating his inmost soul and
extorting from him always unawares,) secrets
he would not impart TO his wife. For the ten
hundred and seventy-ninth time has this been
done and we do not wonder at the present
outburst of virtuous indignation. Is there TO
be no surcease Of this newspaporial "sapping
and mining ?" Shall the press of the land be
permitted TO publish every morning all that
their servants have said and done at Washing
ton in executive session, and in secret caucus =?
Certainly it will go ON. just so long as the
people desire to know what their @rpants are
about, and Just so long as She absurd folly is
INDUCED in by the Representatives of a free and
enlightened nation, of holding secret sessions
at all. The people love open discussion, and
only laugh in derision at such an exhibition OF
impotent indignation and rage as that enacted
the past week, at Washington. Probably no
set of men bought up the Tribune containing
the Treaty, with greater avidity, than these
self.same Senators. The administration had
itself given out comprehensive synopsis of it
showing its desire 10 place it before the pco
pie, and all this fuss and bluster over the en-
terprise of two humble correspondents while
their superiors are untouched, looks, in the
eyes of sensible people, as "very like q farce.
The Senate can make no credit for itself be
fore the country, however. provoking its atti
tude for he people to see the Treaty and this til
at the helpless reporters, but stimulates anC
increases the popular commendation of thu
Trtbune's enterprise. AS a mere advertising
Investment the New York Tribune could rich
ly afford TO pay 100000 for the notoriety anC
publicity the American Senate has given it
enterprise throughout the civilized world
But can the Senate afford to engage so exten
siyely in this patent medicine style of adver
tisement In denying that the Treaty was oh
tanned from any member or officer of the Sen
ate the Tribune correspondents have purget
themselves of all Senatorial contempt, ant
the depliving them of their liberties after that
is a stretch of despotic power which the pres
and people will most a suredly condemn
The whole country rang with praises becaus
at Gettysburg, Mine Run, Kilpatrick's raid ol
Richmond, and Grants battle of the Wilder
ness, the first news the government and til
people obtained from its armies was from th
7ri6unes correspondents. and the public sent
ment of the country will no less laud til
iustifable enterprise Of that paper, in givin
it, at the earliest possible moment, as it did,
State paper of such grave and momentous in
terest as the Treaty of Washington"