The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-27
Grsili,aa State SonrnaL
The Country pressn Enraged.

| the Davenport cabinet-has raised storm
by his attempt to muEzle the press, which
Is the peoples agent to look after theil
servants and see that they do no wrong
| that shall not come to the knowledge Of
their masters. They may not have found
1t out yet in the Northern Neck, but the
Press is now the lever which rules the
world, and we are astonished that even
Mr.. Kelley, an editor and old printer
should not be aware of this fact.
The Speaker has not only insulted the
city press, by his discourtesies to its ac-
credited agents, but he has committed an
objectionable sin in calling the papers Of
Norfolk, Lynchburg, Alexandra, and,
would you believe it, of even the city Of
Staunton and metropolis of Burlseyille--
country papersl" These Country pa
pers" can bite and sting, and they are
already s'going for" the honorable Speaker
"worser nor hornets" and before be gets
through this business, he will wish there
warn't a paper in the country.
The Lynchburg Republican, at whose
correspondent, because of his consolidation
proclivities, the poisoned shaft was aimed
that has turned to wound the thoughtless
archer, is the first to open on him in behalf
of the country press.
The whole discussion in the House
of Delegates on the question Of excluding
Col. Richard +. Walker, was tele-
graphed to that paper, at very heavy
expense, showing the interest the people
take in this attempt to abridge the liberties
of their guardian angel
Richmond, January 25.--Your reporter is at
last on the floor of the House of Delegates
no thanks, however, to his "Accidency,"
Speaker Turner.
This distinguished but unlucky man positive.
ly refused last week to admit reporters con-
nected with country newspapers, saying that
there was only room for the reporters of the
Richmond press. Your reporter then assured
him that he would appeal from his decision to
the House, and the appeal was made to-day
and your correspondent Is gratiied to state
that he was admitted by a vote of nearly two
to one.
Sore-headed and disappointed men, like
Southall, Bell, Stubs, ct id omne genus, with
bloated conceit of themselves, but who will re-
tire in the condition of pricked bladder, of
course objected in having another reporter
among them. Some of these gentlemen came
here with big regulations and high expecta-
tions, but they will go home and ''roost lower
voted ssfrst-class failures"
The indomitable and eloquent champion of
the people, Col. John McCaul, of Roanoke,
offered this morning the following resolution
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House be in
structed to admit r. +. Walker, reporter of the
Lynchburg "Republican'', to a seat as reporter.
This gave rise to a lengthy debate partici-
pated in by Colonel McCaul, Judge Cochran,
Colonel Wood, Major Poore, Colonel Arnett
and others, in favor of its passage, and was
opposed by Messrs. Bell; Thomas and his
"accidency," Speaker Turner, who from his
chair urged various reasons for not permitting,
in any way, persons on the floor.
Colonel McCaul was very severe upon the
Speaker, charging him with being prejudiced
refusing to admit him. His speech was full of
fire, and listened to with great attention.
Colonel Walter Wood, of Halifax, made an
eloquent appeal to the House not to. exclude
the press. He thought that one more man on
the foor would not Inconvenience members.
ne WOulQ euErtuutT us own seat IL necessary
to accommodate reporter.
Judge Cochran, Of Augusta, always the
friend of the liberties of the people and of the
press, made one of his characteristic speeches,
short, pointed and telling. He tore off the
fimsy veil OF "no more room," and left the
opposition without leg to stand on.
Colonel Arnett made good speech, saying
he was for throwing the doors open to all
comers. He would be more inconvenienced |
than many others, because his seat was an out
side one. Still he did not want to legislate |
with closed doors. He is q man of fine pre-
sence, and Of good attainments, and in brief is
a rising man.
Major Poore, the able member from Appo-
mattox, wanted every body to come in. "visi-
tors generally behaved better than members"
Even the 'Grand Mogul," the Speaker,
shocked the member last week by taking
members seat and placing his feet upon his
desk.
After more than an hour spent in this dis
cussion, the House instructed his "Accidency,"
by sisty-one to thirtyjou to admit your re-
porter.
The Republican, in the course Of a
lengthy editorial in regard to this outrage,
handles the Speaker without gloves. We
make a few interesting extracts:
This is emphatically the age of degeneracy
and outrage. Give would-be great man a.I
little brief authority, and he forthwith ignores
his equals and superiors; he votes himself the
monarch of all he surveys, and desires that
others shall "bend the suppliaat hinges of the
knee' in the presence of his pomposity. Ac-
great men - those who have
been unwisely elevated to positions which
nature never intended them to fill, and the
duties of which are entirely above their COM
particularly addicted to i'm
itatipg the example of Esop's frog, which en-
deavored to increase his proportions to the
size of an OK but, unfortunately for the COM
munity, without producing the tragic termipa-
tion of the experiment which rewarded the |
efforts of the frog. We have been led to these
by the outrageous ruling Of Speaker
Turner, of the House OF Delegates, in the case
of gentleman whom we selected as our special
reporter at the Capital.
Then, after giving the facts of the at
tempted expulsion, it proceeds Indignantly:
Now, in the name of all the gods at once,
upon "what meat hath this' pompous Speaker
sfed, that he is grown 80 great"
In order to reach our correspondent, the
rule was made excluding aU'reporters, except
those for the Richmond press, and the Grand
Mogul who fills the Speakers chair, and thinks |
himself the greatest man on the planet, was |
doubtless gratified at the success of his infa- |
nous scheme to defraud the Republican out of |
the proceedings of that body.
But, as will be seen from telegram in an
other column, cur correspondent appealed |
from bis decision, and brought the matter be- |
fore those who were gifted by nature with |
brains to understand and wills to perform the |