Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-05-18
To TIE Ep1roRs OF THE WuIG

To TIE EDIroRs OF THE WuIG
Gentlemen: The editor of the Enquirer, aft err yyritb-
ing under the from various quarters for the strange
figure which he cuts in the Appendix to ".4lserno,,
Sidney contrasted with his present course has sud-
denly, and, as think, without provocation, wreaked
his resentment upon me, account of that pubica-
ton can assure Mr.. Richie that, publishing a
new and revised edition of that work nv aim WINS n
far more elevated and important one than the smple
Exposure of his Inconsistencies, task, by the by
which their general notoriety rendered entirely unne-
ticed my edition, and the extraordinary, and unguar
ded confessions which he has made of his own cdito
rial course, call upon me for particular reply.
Mr.. Richie says.-"No one is willing than
swe are, to pay homage to the merits of A. Sidney
s'Phereis genius stamped upon the face Of it, and it
twas happily enlisted then thought, and as we
'sstiH think, in the cause oftrh. But Algernon Sid
sney has done its work. with all it's witchery of STYLE
sand all its vigor of statement; with all The impress
sson tDc at ioe calculated to make, it only
succeeded the time of its publications. in checkine
s-but not changing tine current of public sentiment
The reader is invited to mark particularly the fore
going language, and he will not fail to perceive that
MIR. Rchies fayerte idea of majority present,
and and abiding hg with him he psnned the ar
tanned most powerful and indignant arraign-
ment of General Jackson's lawess and tyrannical
acts.-Ihe Editor Of the Enquirer then thought, AND
STILL THINKS, that the letters roere enlisted in the
cause Of truth-yet the gentleman has abandoned the
of truth and joined in the current of public
ent,-because, forsooth, the was too
drawn from this, but extremely untavourabe to
Mr. Ritchies political independence He willing
to adhere to the of truth long and long
only, as it is popular Again-Mr. Richie, in the
latter part of his article says, that he has changed
his opinion of General Jackson,--and justifies him
self by asserting, that some of MIR. Clays former
emies have also changed their opinion with respect
to him. MIR. Clay's friends at any time, an
for themselves when called on, but how the Ed
itor of the Enquirer can now think, that Algernon
Sidney wrote the truth, when he also thinks highly
To-
lox of paradoxies, and is altogether inconceivable
But the Editor of the Enquirer has made one or
two other unlucky slips, which it is my duty to
tice. He saws, eve have not been fortunate enough
to the Edition., land yet speaks circumstantia-
Iy of its 'ne,o scenery, machinery and decorations
''iss Preface the one hand and Us Appendix HE
''oher." will not assert, that Mr. Richie has ac-
actually read the Appendix,-brt it is per-
fectly plain that be is quite familiar with the
preface. How else could he have referred the
Publishers opinions respecting General Jackson; or
how employed his acute and discriminating taste in
assigning the authorship of the Preface the same
gentleman whom he wrorgfully accused Of writing
the Introduction TO Mr Clay's Speech? BY the way,
in this business of criticsng style, Mr. Richie has
not only Numbered exceedingly, but seems TO have
been governed by most unaccounable perverseness.
He aeg that the Introduction to Mr.. CIay's Speech
possessed no literary nert,-because rumour had as
signed the authorship to a gentleman near this city,
who was altogether unknown to fame! That gentle
man, aggreved by the attack made on him, denied
the authorship, in eloquent article in the Wing,
WHICH proven Jnat MI tClCDlG Clearly u0ueTrated
his pretensions. 1t is really pity that Mr. r. was
not fortunate enough TO that article. Had he
it, nothing could have justified the repetition of
charge which had been repelled and dspro-
we'd.
But nothing viii satisfy the fastidoue Editor of the
Enquirer. The Introduction to Mr.. CLAWS Speech
had claims 10 literary mert-but the Editor ridiculed
the idea To use his language, che exposed
the shallow artifice at the time. But the Pre-
face to @Agerncn Sidney comes forth with
no such pretensons. II processes to be the humble
production offA PRINTER of this city," and yet
Dir. Richie is not content. He attempts to deprive
The publisher Of the little credit due to his unpreen-
dlng production, for other purpose it would
but to wound the feelings Of "A Gentleman this
CIty-whose elegant effusion," Mr. Richie may
never have seen, but which he certainly never has
forgotten: can assure the Editor that | feel highly
fattered by his notice ofthe Preface. II is praise to
have noticed 1t at all along side the letters ofAger-
non Sldney,"-and 1T is certainly compliment to
suppose it to have been written by IA Gentleman
near this City," who certainly write much bet
ter.
But have not yet done with the Editor of the En-
quirer. Having vented his spleen upon the Preface
he thinks it polite to lavish his praises upon the
Letters. The Editor knows well where to Hatfer
and where to attack; and he is generally as fusome
in the one as nc is bitter and unrelentinp
in the other. II is true, that he mildly endea-
vors to parry the force Of "AlgerDon Sidney,
by representing int this is not The first time If h
cePubbsdtion But why it not convenient