New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-10

CORRESPONDENTS RECALLED TO MIND
Washington. March s--The Senate is devoting much
time 10 a discussion OF the question what shall be
done with the newspaper correspondents who having
been called TO testify before special committee in
regard 10 the in which reports Of secret sessions
arc obtained refused to disclose the source of their
information. number Of propositions have been
discussed. but no conclusion reached. Among the
former made by Mr. Edmunds which amounted
practically to placing every Senator on the Witness
stand TO swear that II not he who gave out any
information Another is said to have emanated from
Mr. ingalls, who desired to submit the entire question
10 conference OF press committee and the senate
with a view Of arriving at an understanding by whch
no reports OF executive sessions should be prih'eu
hereafter There has been the usual discussion regard
inc the powers Of the Senate to commit contumaouS
Witness hut IL did not bring out any point tha' du o'
already been made. BY this time, however, IL may
safely be asserted that the Seilate knows great
deal more than 1t did week ago regarding inc uc'oh
Of the Supreme Court in the celebrated haiieu MI
bourne case. and still more regarding us o"" pro
ceedings in the case Of Messrs. White and Ramsdeu
who as correspondents of The Tribune. were placed
under arrest for refusing to dvugc the source whence
they obtained the Washington Treaty
In AT least one respect. however. 1t must be ad-
mitted that the sayings If not thc doihgS' Oh 'e
Senate since il seized by the present severe
spasm Of virtue and dignity, have been marked by
members of Mr. Dolphs special committee. have at
least begun TO study and bring to the attention OF
the Senate the most important precedent furnished
by lis entire history to the power OF that body 10
compel newspaper correspondents and editors 10 re-
veal under oath. the confidential sources OF imorma-
ton obtained and published by them. the extent OF
its power TO punish them in Of refusal TO make
such revelations. and the wisest manner to deal with
so-called recusant- contumaoious' witnesses VINO
halonr n tho prOfesslon mentioned
That precedent was the case of Messrs. White and
Ramsdell Washington correspondents OF The Tribune,
by whom the text Of the Treaty OF Washington was
obtained on May 10. 1871, and published In The
Tribune Of the following day. They were brought
before a special committee of the Senate on May 10.
and having declined 10 answer certain questions re-
specting the manner in which. and the person or
nersons from whom thoy obtained the treaty, their
refusal was reported the Senate on the following
day and resolution adopted, ordering that they
be arrested and brought TO the bar OF the senate 70
answer for contempt II is 10 be regretted perhaps
that the conduct of the present investigation mas not
been marked by the same frank courage which was
exhibited by the Senate in 1871. when. instead OF
hiding behind double doors. locked and boltcd and
vainly irving to veil its proceedings in the most pro
found secrecy the report and resolution OF the Special
Committee accompanied by the testimony, were pub
lished in "The Globe" of May 16. and all the sub
seouent debates and proceedings thereon took place
in open session. and were publshed from DAY 10 Gay
I'm The Globe"
Senate might lose in dignity" by like course IT
would gain in public respect and confidence by an
exhibition Of frankness and courage and Of regard
for the rights and privileges of the citizen. But
good many Senators do not readily to distinguish
the radical difference between the dignity Of the
Senate. and mere Senatorial dignity, socalled nor
realize that in vainy striving to protect the latter by
r1,do wi
cold unsympathetic world and licentious press"
they run the risk of bringing the former into con
tempt. An ostrich, with his head buried In the
sand, il is true enjoys the sense OF security and self
satisfaction however false and unreal II may actually
be- but the attitude does not command the admra
ton or enhance respect of the beholder for the
wit or wisdom Of the ostrich family In such An
attitude the ostrich simply unconsciously becomes
moderately picturesque, but utterly unheroic if not
ignoble, feature of the landscape In the eyes %
everybody except the hunter Who knowing his habits
finds him fair and easy game
However, the study and discussion. in secret ses
sion of the proceedings in the Of Messrs White
and Ramsdell will profit the senate. even If, as many
persons suspect the pending investigation be not one
undertaken and prosecuted good faith. If the Sen
ate sincerely desires discover the dangerous creviccs
through which treaties and executive proceeding''
leak into the receptive of newspaper correspond
ents and to stop such leakage, IL will find some
valuable and instructive hints IN the debate ana pro
reedngs referred TO: If it is simply engaged In
game Of bluf,7 these proceedings will indicate a
way Of retrcat-somewhat undsnihed. II is tIue-ovcr
which senator Edmunds and his discounted and weary
comrades 50 painfully toiled In May 1871. He and
Senators Morrill,, Of Vermont, and stewart Of Nevada
the only survivors, Senators-Of that heroic
band Of forty two who on May Is Of that memorable
year. gayly marched out under the banner Of sen
aorial dignity to wage against The Tribune and
ftaI a.,
formation in which the whole country was deeply
concerned and interested, but which the senate de
creed should be and remain a secret; marched out
10 gather wool. and back shOrn," Senator Nyc
sadly and excessively phrascd it, late III the debate
after everybody knew that defeat was inevitable. Mr.
Sherman the other side, IN minority com
posed Of fifteen senators at the beginning, which In
creased 10 a strong majority before the debate ended.
while the majority at the beginning had dwndled to
minority of thirteen at the end
The special committee appointed TO conduct the
Investigation consisted Of senators Carpenter, Of Wis
cousin. chairman; ConklinS, sumner, Trumbull, and
Garrett Davis. of Kentucky The leaders in tine EFFORT
to compel the spondcnts 10 answer all questions
which the committee deemed proper, and to punish
them for refusal by imprisonment In a common Jail
during indefinite period, senators Carpenter.
COnklng, Edmunds, stewart, Nyc Chandler, OF Mich.
iSan, and Logan who were backed up by such famous
men and sturdy defenders Of public virtue and Sen
atorial dignity" a. Flanagan, Of Texas; Osborn. OF
Florida sawyer, of South Carolina; Caldwell and
lOmcfoy, Of Kansas, Ames, Of Mississippi, and
Spencer, Of Alabama. On the opposite side were
senators sumner and Wilson, Of Massachusetts, shcr-
man and Thurman, Of Ohio; FentOn, Of New York:
Morton, OF Indiana; Bayard, scmrz, Trumbull, and
others.
After The Tribune correspondents had been brought
to the bar of the senate on May Il, Mr. Carpenter
delivered long speech, in the course If which he
cited the rules Of the senate, and the Acts Of 1o51
and 1852, making it miSdemeanor for witness
10 refuse TO testify before Congress or committee
of Congress- and requiring the President Of the sell
ate or the Speaker Of the House TO certify the fact
OF such refusal by any witness to the United States
District Attorney of the District Of Columbia to be
laid before the Grand Jury for its action. Mr. Car
ncnter DECLARED that is OF the prerOgaYes