The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-16
Spirit of the prsss.

The Richmond Whig introduces series OF ex-
tracts from the Richmond Enquirer Of 1929, with
the following lust comments What the Wing OBJ
serves of the English of the senior editor comes very
apropos to his criticism of General TAYLoR's style
But we do not know that any better English than
that of the Union could be expected from the pen Of
a man who has fertilized his mind for forty years
only with the compost of newspaper libels;
The Past and the Present.
We promised the other day TO revive the memory
Of those who fast forgetting what the editor Of
the, Washington Union said in 1929. when his party
was triumphant, upon the subject of Tobias Wat
kns, the defauter, and upon that of defacations IN
general. We begin this morning 10 comply with
ths promise, and we invite particular attention TO
the extracts. Could any man, who did not know
the fact believe that the author of them is edit
ing the Washington Union?
A variety Of sensations spring from the perusal
OF these extracts. The first is one Of unmltigated
astonshment, that man who writes such execra
bic English could ever have led the public press Of
so large and so intelligent a community as that of
Virginia. The term snip-snap, applied to his hop,
skip, and Jump style many years ago, is probably
expressive of its character as any other which il
is possible to use; and yet even this gives but a
faint idea OF It's badness, its twate, its total want
OF every characteristic which should make it re-
spectacle. AT the very moment Of which we are
now writing, when the Enquirer, reeking with the
dust OF recent successful conflict, leading the
public mind of Virginia as imperativey as the sun
carries the system around with in lis course its
English was far worse than that of any other print
IN Vrgina-in the Union--probaby in the whole
Anglo-Saxon world. Its editor very frequently did
not even condescend to grammar. There was al
ways vein Of commonplace running throughout
all he wrote, so natural, unaffected, that it In
spred the highest degree Of pleasure. Nothing
a. nfa ,Aa
raise him above the dead level of this fat common
place. save when he wished to launch into the pa
theic, or explore the regions of the sublime. Then
indeed he was superior not only TO himself but to
all the human race beside. His appeal to the SEN
sbillties produced ungovernabe laughter; his flight
towards The skies always ended in exploring the
very profundliy of the palhos
II is astonishing we say, that the people of Vir-
gina, many OF whom are intelligent, wel-educated
people, acquainted with the best English authors,
and themselves in the habit of writing should have
been coniented TO retain so long as an organ paper
edited in such Getestsble English as the Enquirer
was. But this is not the most serious reflection in
duced by the perusal Of these extracts. We have
IN The picture OF one man alarming exhibition Of
the decline in public morals which has taken place
in twenty years In 1929, upon the bare rumor
that the Treasury had been pundered of s., 900 by
the unfortunate Tobias Watkins, the present editor
of the Union felt himself authorized to speak of "a
waste of the public moneys which
will as,onsh the good people of the nation" The
purchase by the Government Of the land on which
the marine hospital is built, Norfolk, for 50 900,
II limited al as another case of enormous waste.
What, we ask our friends-what must have been
the stale of public morals then, as compared with
their condition now when such trifes could have
been, by any possibility, distorted into a serious
charge against the preceding Administrations AT
the present day, after full twenty years of that
form here ppantly alluded 10, it is usual TO speak
OF the loss of SIS 600 affair of very small
moment; and the same editor who, in 1929 sneered
al the coalition prints as having fellow feeling for
DR. Watkins, and warned them of going to ex-
tremities, openly defends il The truth is, the
thing has become so common that II has ceased TO
shock US, and all has happened under the influence
of that reform here represented as about 10 COM
mence, and destined to be so benign in its ope-
ration.
The last article that upon the subject Of remo-
rails, is worth all the rest The reader will see that
the editor approved in 1929 precisely that which
he condemns now; that he refused hen TO "crucfy
A. Jackson" for the very things on account Of
which ne is now cruclfying Tor attempting TO cruel
fy) L.. Taylor; that by insnuating removal for
cause In all instances, and coupling them with the
defalcstions Of DR.. Watkins he a deep shade
of suspicion the character of every man who
lost his office: that ne takes 10 throw upon The
administration of Mr.. Adams the enormous public
loss (s3 OOO) which had just occurred; and that he
not only acknowledges the right of removal in lis
most unlimited extent, but even goes out OF his way
establish il from the decision of the first Con-
gressl General Taylor, in single word, is justified
by the senior editor Of the Union IN every thing he
has thus far done in the shape of appointments and
removals.
We would ask our friends-we would ask the
pubIIc-nay, would ask any candid Democrat,
# there occasion for suspicion IN 1879. IN con-
sequence If the character and acts" Of John Gum
cy Adams and his Cabinet, is there not far greater
now;