Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-27
RmcIktnx One,. rricmd.


is stated to have said sour sufierings is in
tolerable," and Mr.. Richie may well ex-
claim, "my friends is ungrateful." There
is certainly no man in the country who has
done more to build up and sustain the Dem
ocratic party, especially Of the South, than
Thomas RrrcHrE For forty-scven years
he has been connected with the Press, and
during large portion ofthis time, he has
not only contributed to the formation OF
his party and to the giving oft tone and
purpose, but in this State he has exercised
am almost unlimited control over its tcnets,
as he did an absolute sway over Its &C
ton. He was the great High Priest who
presided at the Confessional, and oificiated
in the sanctuary nay, he might, not map
propriately, have been called, the Demo
cratic party of Virginia. As he thought,
so thought his party; as he suggested, so
did it. The politicians took their cue from
him, and his party papers were so many
diminutive mirrors, reaccting-the Rich
mond Enquirer Of this number there
was, perhaps, none more marked for its IL
deity than the Lynchburg Republican,
and we alludc to the circumstances not ere
proachfully," but simply as historical
fact. Never WIS there more docilc pu-
pill never, more venerated master.
Butthe teacher was suddenly called from
the field of his provincial tutorship-from
the school-room Of this moral despotisn-
to take charge of the great National Dem
ocratic Academy, whose pupils, it was
thought, his tact, talents, and success in the
government of the smaller school, proved
hun to be competent to instruct and con-
troll. In this new position, he organized
his classes in the same manner; adopted
the same system of education, taught
the same doctrines, as in his lower school,
and appeared to meet with the same sue
cess. Certainly no objection to his man
agement was heard from his former pupils,
who continued to swear by his authority
as the bible of their political faith But a,
length his pupils grew to be numerous,
strong, and insolent, and manifested evil
dent signs ofrebellion against his authori-
Especially that portion of it coming
from the Northern States, which had be-
gun to look to new teachers and worship
new gods, to which they had long been in
clined, and from which they had only been
restrained, by a desire to keep up the in
stitution. The spark of discomfort was at
length blown into blaze of rebellion, and
the Free Soil portion hallooed "School-
butter - to the remainder and a general
row ensued. The teacher saw that unless
the disturbance were quelled, it would re-
suit in the DISARMAMENT of the school, and
vainly sought to recall both parties to the
rules of the establishment, to point out how
both had violated its laws, and to urge the
necessity Of reconciliation and union. But
alas in the madness of the factions, neither
heard his appeals, neither regarded his au-
thority but like the sturdy oak Of the for
est which has been stripped gifts foliage by
the wrath of Heavens thundcrbolts, he
stands the monument, at once, of the ven
geance undergraduate fboth! But letus
drop simile and appeal to facts.
Mr. Richie saw not merely the harmony
and efficiency of his party at stake, but the
Union itself threatened with dissolution /;
and with patriotism which does him cred
it, he threw himself into the breach and
fought like Trojan for the preservation
of that Union without which he too well
knew there could not only be no parties,
but no liberty, no happiness, no peace
Whatever may be his faults, and we ad-
init their name islegion,at least in our view,
he cannot be charged with disunonism !;
he is at least free from that In 1882
when, as now, disunionism threatened to
involve the country in iH1penetrable gloom
and unutterable woes, Mr.. Richie stood
forth its avowed opponent, and received
for his conduct the plaudits of his party !;
NOR he reaps its curses and excavations,
and is driven from his post by combine
ton of factions of his own friends that have
conspired to put him down. One would
suppose that the sacrifice of their Chief
tain would appease the wrath of his su-
bordinates, but not so; it pursues him
even into the grave of his political retire
ment Even the Lynchburg Republican
which, we have seen, was dutiful pupil
until it got into the "School-butter" row,
valiantly plucks up its courage and takes
kick at the PROSTATE form Of its venerable
preceptor, and thus rejoices over the hard
fateto whichit has helped to consign him:
eve are pleased that he Mr. Ritchie] has re-
tired, because we persuaded he could no lon
ger the cause Of his party or his country TO
advantage. He is just in that position now, that
makes him stumbling block to his party, and at
the same time, subjects his motives to unjust
picons. No man whose purse is held mt the mercy
of party or faction, can be independent for good
Such is the case with Mr.. Richie"
Again, the Republican proceeds
1.-THE best and wisest men have committed their
bunders-and Mr. Richie has not escaped that
common fraity Of human nature. His browning
blunder however, was his last-his support Of the
compromise Had he opposed that measure, as he
opposed its predecessor, the Missouri Compromise,
ii would have been defeated, the Missouri Compro-
mise adopted, the wounded pride and honor Of the
South saved-and The harmony Of he Democratic
party preserved. But he gave into that measure,
and order was forthwith reduced to chaos. The
organ of the National Democracy was found enlist
ed under the banner with the greatest and
deadliest enemy of that party"
1t is not for US to become Mr.. Ritchies
defender, but we cannot refrain from say
ing that this is one of the most uukind, I'M