Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-05-15
To THE EpiroEs OF THE Wmc.

Gentlemen: The editor ogthc Enquirer, after with
ING u"uc me aShlr"m various quarters, for the strange
hgnre which he cuts In the Appendix To "4k,srnon
sydney, conrosied with his present course has sud
denly, and. as think, without proyOcation Wrecked
MS resentment upon me, account OF that puEcs-
ton. con assure Mr. Richie that, IN publishing a
new and revised edition of that work, my aim was
lar more elevated and important than the simple
exposure OF his incons5tencies,--a task bv the by
which their general uooTety rendered entirely unnc
cessaTy. ! hc manner, however, IN which he has no
tced my edition, and the extraordinary and unpunr-
ded confessions, which he has made of his own edto
rial course, call upon mo for particular reply
hr. fIchie says'-"No one is more willing than
we arc, to pay homage to the merits of A. Sidney.
Fhere is genius stamped upon the face of it, and it
was happily enlis ed as we then thought aad as we
"sttH thank, an he Of truth. But AlGernon Sid
ney has done its work. with oil its wcherv Of STYLE
and all its vigOr of statements with all the inDreS
"ssoH 'ohich II ,1e calculated Ia make IL or;v
succeeded al the time its publication in checEi1|
but not changing the current of public sentm mt
The reader is invited to mark particularly the fore
gong language, and he viii not fail TO perceive hot
MIR. Ritch'es fayortc idea Of 1najoritl was presen
ana abiding with him. when he pcnncd the ar
tc!e The Letters of "Algernon Sidney" con-
taineu most powerful and indignant nrraign-
ment OF General Jacksons lawless and tvranDicaI
acts.--Ite Editor IF tie Enquirer ihen Aiomgtt ANn
STILL THINKS, That the letters iCeye enlisted in the
cause Of trUsyei the gentleman has abandoned the
cause of truth, and Joined in the current of public
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. forsooih, the current was too
strong 70 he chaHSed--Whato other inference can lac
drawn from this, but extremely unfavourabls tn
Mr.. lStcMe's political independence; lie Is wiln,,
[" adhere 10 Tie cause of truth, long and so lon-
only, as 1t is popular Again-hIr Richie in thc
latter part of his article says that he has changed
his opinion OF General Jackson and jusifes him
sen by asserting that some of Mr.. Cays former en-
enies have also changed their opinion with respec,
TO him. Mr.. Ciay's friends can at anv time nm
swcr for themselves when called on but how the Ed
TOR OF the Enquirer can now think, that Algernon
Sidney wrote the truth when hS also thinks hrhJv
ID lax 4
dOS o. Parado%!Cs, and is altogether inconceivabIe
But the Editor of the Enquirer has made one or
$40 other unlucky slips, "hlch IT is my duty to no
ice lie says. 1--WE have not bee: fortunate enough
70 see the Edition., land yet speaks Ci.cumstan'ial-
~ OF ITS .neto scenery n'aciIineyy nnd dec9yaiions
ITS t'rgacc on ITO Onc hTad anil as lDgcadir on NE
"oHer' viii not assert, that Mr. Richie has ac-
actually read the Apprenticeship it is per-
ICcuy pam that he II quite familiar with the
preface. How else could he have referred TO tho
Publishers opinions respecting General Jackson: or
how employed his acute and discrimination tosfc IN
assigning the authorship Of the Preface to the SANG
gentleman whom he so wrongfuIy accused OF writing
the Introduction 10 Mr. Ciay's Speech By the vny
IN this business Of critcisIng style Mr.. Richie has
not only blundered exceedingly, but seems to have
been governed by most unaccuuntGblc pcrversonees
He aI"g that the Introduction to Mr. Claws Snoecb
possessed 10 literary mcrit-bccause rumour had as
signed the authorship 10 gentleman near this citv
VINO was altogether unknown to fame! That gentle
man, a9grievcd by the attack made on him denied
the authorship, III eloquent article in the NYhir
which proved that Mr. I;uclo clearly understood
his professions. IL is really pity that Mr. r. was.
not fortunate enough TO sec that article Had he
seen It, nothing could have justified the repetition of
a charge which had been once repealed aud dispro-
we'd. 'F'
But nothing will satisfy the Eastdious Editor Of tho
Enquirer. The Introduction 10 Mr.. Clay'g Snccch
mad claims 20 literary mert-but the Editor rjdicuJed
The idea To use his own language, che exposcd
the shallow artIiicc az the time But now the pre-
face to "Algernon Sidney comes forth with
no such professions. II processes ~ be The humble
production of ~ PRINTER of this city," and vet
Mr.. Rtcho is not content. lie ATTEMPTS 10 depriyo
tho publisher OF the little credit due to his unpretcn
ding productions for no other purpose il would seem
bnt to wound the feelings Of ~ Gonlam1n near this
Cuy'-wbosc elegant clFusiou." Mr. lRIiche nav
never have sccn, but which no certainly never has
forgotten. can assure the Editor that feel higily
attorod b. his notice fthe Preface II is praise 10
nave noticed It AZ al along side the letters Of ger
non Sidncy'-und it b. certainly commitment To
suppose u 90 have been written b. IA GeaUs,. IN
near ~H CHy' who can certainly write much bet
ter.
But have not yet done with the Editor of tho I'm.
quircr. Having vented hrs spleen upon The Preface
he thinks polite to lavish his praises upoo tho
Letters. The Editor knows well where to 0ottcr
and where to attack; and he is generally az fusomo
f'fc bI.fnr .....f ...,s..-.