National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-10
Freedom OF the Press.

press and tyrannize overan editor pub
fisher, or a correspondent for the exercise
of the freedom common to all-the free
usurper and subject to impeachment.
President Garfield is represented by
newspaper correspondents most friendly
to him as having stated that he had COM
municated in writing to the chairman of
q Republican senatorial committee his
wish that Senators abandon their caucns
nominee for Secretary of the Senate, be-
cause he had in the paper he edits
(meaning THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,
abused the administration" Abuse is
q word of many shades of meaning. The
REPUBLICAN has indulged in no language
unbecomlng newspaper. 1t has, In Ian
guage severe, told whatits editor believed,
and still believes, to be the truth i'll re-
lation to some acts Of the President. 1t
has been an expression of the editors
opinions as to admitted facts. We would
have used stronger language if any had
occurred tous. We regard the course ofthe
President in the matters we have criti-
cised as hurtful to the party which eie-
waited him to the power he abuses and
violation Of the most common obligations
among men. We shall not retreat nor
apologize We shall not fail to discuss
him and his acts as we do ali public
affairs. We shall not express his opinions,
nor those of his creatures, but our own.
We do not dread his displeasure. He
said late in March, when we had de-
nounced the Robertson nomination, that
he would defeat the editor of this paper
for the office of Secretary Of the Senate,
to which he had a few days before been
unanimously nominated in Republican
senatorial caucus, unless he ceased his
newspaper attacks. We did not heed the
admonition. He must have meant that
Unexpected to procure votes Of fRepub!ican
Senators to violate a caucus understand
ing. If the President could thus trans
form any Senator into a pander to min
lister to his passion for revenge or hum
bic editor for having entertained and eX-
pressed an opinion, then he could make
good his threat. Otherwise, otherwise.
If by invading the Senate he could effect
his purpose. then he would have sue
ceeded in inficting punishment on an
editor for having exercised only the
proper freedom of the press. The pun
ishment would be pecuniary oniy-to
wit: fire Of about five thousand dollars
a year, which is the salary attached TO
the office of Secretary of the Senate.
There would be no humiliation, but
the contrary. We should stand recorded
as having simply refused to surrender a
great right as a citizen for the mercenary
of an office. We value Cur
freedom il all things, and especially our
right to freely express our opinions on
public affairs, as highly as our imperioUs
President does his new honors and pre-
negatives. We honor the Senate and
expect nothing but honorable and just
dealing from any Senator. 1t would be
most meanly of any one of them
to believe that he could become the mere
minion of President weak enough to
attempt the punishment of those who
criticise him.
The Crack OF the Presidents Whip.
Senator Plat is in do,orous dilemma. If he
joins with his senior in making war upon the ad-
the nomination of his friend Elmer
for Second Assistant Postmaster General will be
Now PIatt dOteS on that nomination.
1t IS his particular bantling. 1t was at his plain
tive suggestion that Elmers name was not with
drawn with the other New York nominations. 4
sense of gratitude should control Platt He should
spare the President as the President has spared
Elmer. And yet il; the war rOatrdRce upon which
his implacable senior has entered Piatt must fol-
low Conkling or abide the consequences He is in
a strait, therefore. Shall he sacrifice Elmer or
sacrifice himself? The situation allows no alterna-
tive. There is no middle ground, no armed hell
traliy for PIatt-Hrdt HdLstedd in Cincinnati Com
macial.
If HaIStead is not our Kings jester,
his relations are too close to be otherwise
accounted for 1t is claimed on behalf of
that he. more than any other
man, iashed the President up to his pres
ent frame of mind And now he seems
to have been appointed boss overseer of
the Presidents senatorial plantation.
The above extract is an exquisite morsel
from the feast at which the partyis now
seated. If Senator Platt does not vote
to please the minority of his party at
home and against his own judgment on a
New York nomination, then he is MAX
ing war on the administration" His
is officially announced. The
Presidents friend and counselor, Hal
stead, advertises to the world that in de-
fault of voting as commanded the SEN
ator's friend, Elmer, shall be withdrawn
from the Senate, to which body he has
been nominated as Second Assistant
The friends of Senator Platt know well
enough that he is not to be shaken by
threats or bribes. But the merciful Hal
stead, and presumably his merciful mas
ter. marks out the way whereby Mr. FL
meT may be saved. Mr. Platt is not only
with friends decapitation
if he opposes Robertson, but he is cor
Tuptiy solicited by the semi-otficial offer of
that friends retention if he will favor
confirmation. And this was
to be purity administration! The Presi-
dent himself is reported in friendly
papers as having given as the reason for
Woodford, Payn, Tenney,
and AIcDougal that he will need their
places for Mr.. Conkling's enemies if
Robertson is beaten. That is to say to
these four gentlemen and all their
friends: = If you can force either of the