Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-19

side me hare taken IS an unpopular o'te' "' w
sorry for il: BUT THAT PRESS WHICH
WOULD YIELD IT'S PRINCIPLES ~
POPULARITY OR TO POWER, DESERVES
TO PERISH,-contains noble scnt:ment-a
sentiment which should tinge his cheeks WIN
shame. with modification and regret. whenever
it recurs to his mind What a mournful lesson
for humanity what proof of the weakness oil
human nature!. 1t NAV be doubtful whether that
mind could be firmly established in rectitude and
honor, which, after such profession, could so
soon make shipwreck of all that is estimable IN
man. The COURSE" turned into blessing.
when added years had only strengthened the pas
sions, while they hadimpared the original stinted
capacity. Virtue must have abandoned that man
who could publish such vile forgery as the East
Room letter; and suffer the fjlsehood to remain
uncontradicted, when the vie deception was ex-
posed. No man has done as much or !abored
more assidiously than Mr.. Richie for four years
past, to degrade bis native State, and lover her
from her former high and elevated station; and
if lie continues much longer to give tone to pub
lie sentiment in Virginia, she will rapidly des'
cend among her sister States. She is now IN vas
salage to few factous demagogues. whose tool
and organ is the Enquirer and its Editor. with
out being sensible of it. Her wisest and best CT
tizens exercise but limited influence, while her
councils and energies are guided by interested
and unprincipled politicians.
We need not say what has caused this gross
dereliction of principle the part of the Editor
of the Enquirer.-That it is great, however, is
manifest. Former opinions are now viewed thro'
very different media; the magnifyer is reversed,
and the mperfections and vices of his new asso-
ciates are thus diminished. Genuine republican,
ism is now the approval of every evil measure of
a party, however pernicious to his country. The
East Room is now furnished with regal magnii-
cence-and Mr.. Richie is dumb. Editors are
rewarded according to the scale of merit in their
blind ,votion to General Jackson-their propa-
CATION of faIsehood, and contempt Of decency:
not word of disapprobaton is uttered. Even
the infamous Hill is continued in office--and the
Enquirer is silent. Rotation in office, it now APP
pears, is only public good when applied to the
friends of Mr.. Adams; or, if applied to the friends
of the present administration, only means reno
val from one Office to another.
1t is singular trait in thehuman character that
we are the most apt to boast of those virtues in
which we are conscious we are the most defeo tive.
This arises. probably, from the consciousness that
the world will view US pretty much IN the same
light in which we appear to ourselves; and is done
with view of dlverting the scrutiny. TO this
principle we ascribe Mr.. Ritcb;e's extreme anx-
iety to impress on the public an idea of his great
disinterestedness, when probably no individual
in the Union is less entitled to the credit of 1t
He has declared that he seeks no oflice-nor looks
for reward. He may be credited in this, If in
nothing else,-for no Office under the General
Government would compensate him for the loss
of his present income.-The chief proprietor of
the Enquirer-an equal sharer in the Compiler
pubic printer-and partner in the firm of S.
Shepherd & Co.? What rare picture of dis
Who but must admire his mo-
desty. A passing compliment is here due to the
latter firm it is this-they deserve credit for the
handsome manner in which they execute their
work.
OF Mr.. Ritchie's propensity TO mislead the
public mind, we have an instance in his last pa
per. Anumber of queries were addressed by the
Lynchburs Virginian to the Editor of the Nash
vile Republican, respecting the defalcation of
Mr.. Parrish, the cashier of one of the Banks at
The Editor Of the Republican indig-
nantly repels the intimation of money having
been used by the famed Whis-Washing COM
nittee" for electioneering purposes, without pro-
ducing, except in one instance, any proof that
the charge was unfounded. And MIR. II. calls
it a complete refutation; and this solely ON the
denial of man who was paid, by this same Com
mittee, for publishing whatever falschoods and
their united ingenuity could
invent dsinterested witness, truly. We