Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-21
Foa THE cossrIrurIosAL Who.
Mr.. Thomas RIrcH1E:

FoR THE CONSTITUTIONAL WHO.
Mol.
Mr.. THOMAS RIrcHIE:
Sir-Whatever may think of your political
principles, am bound to notice you, according to
the value which others have affixed to your papes
Though believe, and almost knot1, that you are
paid, In some form other, for the support of
men; and that therefore, you reckless of tho
means to be employed for the purpose; yet, there
is still majority of the people of Virginia
who think differently; and 1 value public opinion
too highly to look upon it with Indifference
Were at liberty to act towards you, las edtor,)
according to my own opinions of your integrity,
silence, Pat said, would be the only notice
should take of your political course: but do not
feel that should be justified in this silence, be.
cause hold it to be the duty of all who have had
an opportunity of understanding you, to hold you
up to public gaze, in order that the people NAV
know what you haze been and by comparison, know
what you are, and what you probably luiH be.
This course Is not rendered necessary by any su-
perior influence which Thomas Richie holds In
our community; but by the extraordinary influence
which is, unfortunately, welded by the Richmond
Enquirer-an influence, altogether adcentitious,
and of which it is wholly unDorthy. Nor should
deem it necessary thus publicly to address your
if your readers were all able to trace you
through your meanderings. That they ara
not all able to do so, knows
better than yourself; and knowledge Of
this fact, inspires you with new ardour in your
cause, and adds to your unblushin temerIty- Do
not understand offering any disparagement
to the minds of your readers; / mean such
thing only intend to state the simple fact, that
great majority of those in the country who read
newspapers, are generally much engaged with
other matters extraneous to politics. that they are
unable to bear in mind, in one regular chain, all
the statements which made of men and mca.
sures, TO enable them to detect editors in
their wanderngs from principle and truth. No
people on earth are more intelligent than the Viz
ginians; but what have said is true of all people,
and is not intended to be confined to Virginians.
haf hat l..
even when several papers, of different political
compilations, are read, how much more forcibly
will the same difficulty press upon the minds those
who neither read, nor see, any other paper than the
Richmond Enquirer? You know, sir, that some
hundreds of your readers no other paper than
yours; that they rely you for truth, in order to
keep their judgments clear and sound; and you
know too, how easy it is under such circumstances,
to mislead and misguide the public mind. OF this
knowledge and these facts, you have awaited your
self not for giving light, but for rendering dark
and imperative, the most brilliant deeds of patr-
otlsm and devotedness. You have awaited your
self OF the generous confidence reposed in your
integrity; and by the perverson of truth, and O.
sertioA of fasehood, have ungratefuy repaid your
friends and benefactors for the liberal support
which they have given to your paper; a support
altogether unknown before in Virginia. Had your
paper made It's own way, into every neighboThood
OF the Commonwealth, by means of the Same prin-
clples which no,O characterize it, there would be
nothing to complain IF; but you falsely told your
readers for more than twenty years, aye, and you
still have the audacity to tell them, that your end
was the public good and your means the constitute
on The unsuspecting and con6ding people be-
lieved you and if any were inclined to doubt those
doubts were dspelcd, when they looked at the mot
to, inscribed upon your flag. 1t is true that you
were a little ashamed to give this motto in plain
English; because knowing yourself well, whilst
others know you not, you apprehensiye that
the time might arrive when truth, without sy''
might be placed upon the page with fdLseho1d,
trrn fear; and if both should be in language to be
understood by ALL your detection might, too easy,
and too soon, follow your desertion of principle,
To guard you against this detection, you cast aside
your ''mother tongue" and decl red your motto in
french. Thus you have perhaps, prolonged your
career; but rerte sans peur is well understood,
and your readers begin to think, that your motto
should be changed from "truth, without fear" to
fear, Without truth. You presume too much upon
the ignorance Of your readers: they have been
taught to understand that there is, souetimes
sides 10 question; and being able to gee but
one side in the Enquirer, they have thought It "a
ther curious, that this ealment Of the other
should distinctly mark your editorial paragraphs
and quotations: they have gone further; they have
dared to suspect that in place of publishing vour
paper for the public good, you laboring for the
good of party and that, that party is not altoge-
Their as pure as 1T oughtto be. / shall not pretend
to censue you, for the free utterance of your own
opinions; far from IT; but shall censure you for
the uterancc of opinions not free; and this shall
do IN language not very nicely measured, do not
expect to give you any, the least pain, from what
may tor two reasousl, because your feelings are
huoWn 70 ne lmperyoUs, you yourself have declaF
ed ond2 am that you will never or hear OF
these humble essays, since is known that y0n neueT
reHd the Wig, and they will doubtless not be
thought worthy Of the notice Of other papers,
But Will deal candidly with you-it IS not for
your benefit that write, but for the benefit of the
great mass Of the good Pecp'e whom you have so
grossly deceived. propose to put them in posses
sion Of facts, relating TO your own course which
though they have seen, they do not now remember,
and which must be remembered, before they can
you, in these pcrilous times. ! feel
very sure that am employed in a good cause, and
I viii yield no point which believe to be on my
side. Believing that you may be discredited as
witness in the great now depending before
the Republic, in which the People are plaintiffs,
and Andre1o jackson & Co. defendants; shall
employ my humble pen in the attempt, under tho
confident persuasion, that if can accomplish this,
I shall reach my object, For mysolc 7 kao1c that