Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-15

served with his musket his shoulder in the ranks Of Inc
coun,ry's defenders By trade he was PRIMER anu 10
had followed tina, business all his life, and no one sur
o.sed him in skill promptness and accuracy vi these
cs no stronger proofs wanted, than he IacI :ut
for MANY wears while Thomas Richie was the hoi'
Public Printer, Shepherd was the actual ch'cel au Pc
,d the duties TO the satisfaction OF all o
t.b;ch Thomas Richie duly praised-and was NJ"
pretended that Shepherd was not capable OF hins .
Office? MIR. Gregory knew very little, peIsIls"y, o y.
Ar Shepherd-lie had not known him unsu iust Jeui
bnt he had proved himself faithful public c1hcsF aaa
he had rendered services to his ccunuyCS"' 'n .
while rewards the order of the day, ar a. u, "S
know any man better entitled 10 be rewarded tfiah MI ~
He presumed, if Mr. S. were here asking or Pe"io'
he would be fair candidate; but candidate lof SUI
ion in which he could ably serve the Stale, MS ctao
we're 10 be pcs.poned-so argued gentlemcn-to 'hose
parzun Editor. This contest seemed most absurd.
'rhr Legislature wants man 10 perform mecha"ea'
duty-a mechanic is offered, in whose capacity every
one has perfect confidence but instead OF cectng MN!
we are told that must elect an Editor OF paper
who has knowledge Of printing than ne mas OF
,oeracd because this inefficient candidate Is zsnIotS
leader of the triumphant party. II the people OF frs
mia are satisfied that this thing shall be donc they are
fully prepared 10 be slaves Inc press graaat Ur
coming more and more corrupt, BY the lnstrHnea'y
of rewards in the shape of Offices and slnecu'eS' 10 lis
most reckless conductors. lie was not sorry 10 perceive
the course which the Administration party were taking
in this aair-Ths was the very issue which lie wished
10 make up, between the people and the Legislature
ETc wished know how far the people rlt INTERESTED III
rcwarding the Editor Of the Enquirer and whether 'hey
were willing that he should receive this oihce |" Inc
exclusion oil a ard-working mechanic. Air. ". sup
ported Mr. S. last ycar-hc pursued the course which
his conscience dictated-and not one OF his imi;rai
ale constituents had found fault with hum Tor H. Luz
all the Administration men had complained 81 hlIH; DC
he against ON kc!ls--lioI BECAUSE nc was
arainst the country-O, nothat you'd have been mat
ter IF minor importance Mr. G. could mol see no" the
House could reject Shepherd without violating Socna
republican nrincple-that tho clnolumcnt should be
piven to the man who does the labor--and they kne"
That Rtchic could not do it, But, he would ask. vile
Their the violation Of this principle would not open
the eyes of the people, What incentive would thtFc
be to honest industry, if the public work, Tor when
every good printer has right TO be com"li''r'
is to be given as reward 10 violent politician, on
party considerations alone; What they going to
say to the young mechanics who arc growing up IN inc
State? DO we not By such dtcssi"n tell ti"m ina.
poIitics is the only honorable and profitable trade, and
that it is useless Tor them perfect themselves in their
business to be made the drudgrs and day horses Of some
party man:
When Mr. G. asked gentlemen, why they were intent
upon turning out Mr. Shepherd, their was, "why
YOU did wrong in putting him in last yca-wc are very
sorry but we redress that wrong" 1t was wrong
to turn Mr.. Richie because he had been so long in
the Office and had been turned out before But Mr.
G. doubled very much, whether if MIR. Richie had
yer been candidate before and first applied tor the
Office single ran would for him. The fact Of his
being an editor and not printer would be sufficient to
prevent his obtaining vote. But having held the Office
many years, sharing The profits and performing none oil
the duties il therefore sadno argued for argyll
ment can be funded Oh such foyhal it must be given
to him again When the Farmers in the country Gene
10 view this matter its proper light, they Will form
correct opinion upon it. When they come TO that
Shepherd is discharged from the Office because he is
chanic and to make way for man who knows nothing
of the business-ihey will think that in Justice has been
donc and il will be consolation 10 them 10 be told that
parlzan editor has been rewarded But gentlemen tell
I. 9 tl ,t,.t G..
that having the power in the hands Of party, we
made an unrrcul of it to prescribe opponents
We guilty Of two mighty acts Of prescription
aad what they? Why we turned out Tom
| Richie and put in Sam Shepherd Public Printer
and we turned out one honorable gentleman, and PIT in
another as Councillor Of State. This all or pro-
scrption the head and front of our offending
But do gentlemen intend to assume that men are to hold
Offices during their natural lives i right If not
where was the prescription? Richie had held his Office
for Il great number of years, and when good reasons
were presented for giving it TO another man. he had no
| right 10 complain. But, supposng we did wrong last
| ycar-is this proccedin! 10 that wrong VIII
it redress the wrong Of last year TO do another
| this: If Shepherd hus failed in his duty-say If
there is any harm in him, let lis know it. lie was Sc
ectrd for his business talents and good character alone
and his election had politica! object!or lie was
printer and no politician. Had it been the wish Of those
who voted for Shepherd TO make Of this office for
party purposes they might have done AS has been
said BY the grntlcnan from A'hemar!e we might nave
who might have served that purpose, and 10 whom Mr..
G. presumed the salary Of tic Office would have been
| ceptablc
In every point ofvicw, Shepherd was more deserving
of this office than Richie. He had done for his
country, whether in the field or in his office. Ic knew
it in ran TO appeal to mems when the pas
.ons had the sway; but he had hoped that gentlemen
would here cooy determined to act for the best.
AS to MIR. Shepherds political sentiments hF c. did
not know them, and he doubted whether any here
could tell him what they II not question
ofmuch Importance long lie possessed the quali
cations for the Office. Mr.. G.. hoped that the House
bring imscfto believe, that they would clectan editor Of
paper. in preference to practical mechanic 20 fill the
! post Of Public Printer
ITO be continncd)