New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-17

The ratification Of the Treaty of Washington
must wait while the Senate of the United
States is engaged in futile attempt to force
the correspondents of THE TRIBUNE to divulge
information committed to them in confidence,
and to answer questions which some OF the
ablest Senators declare it would be dlshonor-
able to answer.
Our correspondents have already informed the
Senate that their information was not obtained
from any Senator or officer OF the Senate !;
there is therefore, no question OF breach OF
privilege involved in the matter. The press
cannot assume to assist the Government
in keeping its own secrets AS
long as the Administration may think
proper to conceal a matter of public import
ance from the people, so long 1T Is ther
affair. But when this information falls into
the hands of the Press it devOyes Directly
upon the Press to decide as to the propriety
or desirability of the publication. 1t ackDoWl-
edges no responsibility in these mat
ters to either Joint High Commission,
State Department, or Senate; IL Is
alone answerable before the tribunal
of public opinion. This tribunal has already
decided with sufficient clearness in reference
to our publication of the full text OF tne
Treaty of Washington. 1t has been unani-
mously approved by all respectable and can
did organs of public opinion, as praiseworthy
and salutary 1t does not now lie IN the
proyince of the Senate to appeal from this
authoritative decision.
The Senate is wasting its time foolishly.
The correspondents of THE TRIBUNE VIII not
dishonor themselves by answering questions
which are purely impertinent. They are bet
ter Judges of the propriety of such questions
than those politicians who, under the influence
of either curiosity or spite, are endeavorlng to
force them into submission. The correspond
ents of THE TRIBUNE will make no COM
promise with their self-respect. If the Senate
persists in arresting and confinlng them, 1t
simply sentences them to double salaries,
while others do their work. A petty inquisi-
ton like this has been out of date for many
years.
If no higher motive than curiosity, spite, or
a mere unthnling futter of conviction that
something ought to be done, controls the
majority of the Senators, they may find food
for sober reflection in a suggestion or two:-Ihe
genius of our Government Is opposed to
making secrets of documents like the Treaty
of Washington, and efforts in that direction
must forever be predestined failure. There
is now no law which enables them in any way
to prevention control the publication by the Press
of any documents reaching their hands, and
both Senate and all branches of the Gov
eminent have given abundant proof of
their inability to keep their own Sc
crcts. What the Senate can do is to
limit the number of secret documents
rigidly to such as an enlightened cOnsidera-
ton of the nature of our institutions and the
demands of the people who make them will
show ought to be kept secret, and then pro-
vide by law for the prompt punishment
of persons disclosing these to the Press, or of
the Press that publishes them. Such law
might be enforced if its application were
limited to cases where secrecy is an obvious
necessity. In any other case it would be a dead
letter; and it would be more consistent with
the dignity of the Senate and proper respect
for the power which, without any vainglorious
boasting, may fairly claim to control 1t, to
abandon the eifOr; ut secrecy.