The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-22
From the Daily Globe.
VQlodiCtOrles.

WEEKLY, w
From, the Daily Globe.
ValedictOries.
IL ia a melancholy thing to announce ones
own demise, and that of near neighbor at the
same time Alas the editorial occupations of
Richie and Rives are gone The Globe ceases
to reyolve with this number in the newspaper
orbit 1t will be- renewed ut the next session as
the vehicle of the Congressional debates, and
such other matter as may be necessary to fill its
columns, and which will not compromise its
neutral character
Mr.. Richie announces that he has sold his
newspaper concern to Major Andrew j. Donel-
son, and will abandon his editorial career in
April next. 1t is sad enough to give up this
scribbling life which keeps a body so much in
the eyes and mouths of men; but for pair of
doughty antagonists-Do Quixote and the
Knight Of the Mirrors and the Moon--to quit
the scene of their glory at the same time, not
only without one kind farewell, but with foul
reproaches is a disgrace to editorial chivalry. In
my earlier passages at arms with the Knight of
the Rueful Countenance, was really disposed
to play the part of the good friend and neigh
bor,-the Samson Carasco of Cervantes,-and
deliver him from his madness. thought him
deceived and imposed upon by others when he
wronged me in our money dealings, and for
gave him. But when a suspicion arose, upon
repetition of injuries, that there might be more
knave-errant than knight-errant in it, deter
mined to have nothing more to do with my
troublesome neighbor. In this attitude we
stood until the beginning of the last Con.
gress, when he made an attempt to extort
from it new printing contract in defiance of
law, and in derogation of the rights of bona jide
bidders. All foreign competition had been
driven off by the first colusive contract, which
he proposed to throw up when it was too late
for printers out of the city to propose for the
work, and when rivals in this city had been con-
ciiated by offering to share with them the en-
HANGED prices demanded. The Globe press UNI:
fortunately for the scheme, could not be brought
into it. It was the purpose of the committee of
Congress, into whose hands the contractor pro-
posed to surrender his right, and mend his hold,
that the Globe, among other city papers, should
be invited to offer terms. To put an end to the
plot of coercing Congress to give the contractor
a new contract, raising the prices above those
fixed by his bid, which had excluded the bona
tide bidders, and which now prevented COMPETE
ton, as Congress being in session left no time
for establishments out Of the city to come in and
execute the work then pressing.
Without the slightest interference on my part
to justify it, the movements Of the committees
in Congress brought down the assaults of the
Union upon me. was falsely charged with in
stigating the inquiries in Congress in relation to
the management which produced the difficulties
in its work. Columns of personal abuse were
poured out on me and when was drawn out
to repel the charges the accuser, from appre-
hension of its influence upon his attempt on
Congress, was induced to retract, partially and
A.. g al IL H.. r.
pressing him further. But the House of Repre-
sentatves voted down his project by majority
of about wo-thirds, and as soon as the session
was over, the chagrin of the defeated plotter was
vented on me. In my defence against Mr..
Ritchie's renewed and wanton aggressions,
much light was thrown on the iniquity covered
up in the dealings of the contractor for the Con-
gress printing This was made more and more
manifest by all his attempts at explanation
The result has been a second defeat in Congress,
loss of reputation, and retreat from the posi-
ton of the organ of the Democratic party, which
would no longer tolerate such representative
Considerations growing out Of long connection
with it, would have brought some sympathy to
cover this retreat, if the wrong-doer had not, in
the very act of closing his career, renewed the
outrages which had provoked his fate Fore
seeing the inevitable end to which the disclo-
sures in Congress must bring him, | ceased long
before the session closed to notice his repeated
filings at me; but it would argue too little re-
spect for him if | did not advert in my valedic-
tory to the pungent paragraphs which, after be-
ing passed over when put forth the first time,
he now again serves up for me as sort part
ing blessing.
This is the mode in which Mr. Richie has
thought proper TO blend me with his retirement
hic oto uofW ooh;pOfor.
"Had Congress granted the relief which we
expected, our own choice would have been left in
our own hands. Let us remind our readers OF
what we frankly laid before the public on the Oath
of last December, and which our more prudent
friends protested against our uttering
From the Union Of December 241
"a word more, and we have done with this sub
ject. Whether we "reman" at the head oftbis
press, u retire from its duties, is in the hands of
Congress and the people. We able to with
stand the labor-the unparalleled labor, we ven
ture to say-which are compelled TO undergo
Though it is amusing enough to look back to our
reply to Mr.. Tazewell in 1827-twenty-thre
years ago-yet here we are in Washington "ply-
ing our dreadful trade, as Shakespeare says of the
adventurous man who on the cliffs Of Dover was
gathering samphire. But the springs Of life can
not last forever. They will wear out under the
incessant friction which they undergo. Yet we are
Wiling W iefHuiH III the puoHc service, dltnOuRn,
II we. were to consult our own inclinations, we
would rather retire to private life. We cannot
main unless Congress grants us liberal relief
from an oppressive contract Our friend JOHN c..
RIvEs-wbo is already flushed with the public
treasures who accumulated at least $l25 900 before
we bought out his establishments who is now eve
ry day "putting money in his purse" from the
very liberal appropriation made to him by the
last Congress, without sitting his claims, or send
ing him to the ordeal of three committees, as was
our fortune to encounter; who is an cable bodied"
man. fit to dig potatoes and gather cabbages-s
attempting to defeat our relief. lfCongress should
again be mlsled by false rumors about combina-
tons which never existed, or visionary collisions
TO break down the contract system, and should
again reject our application account Of public
work, which was never az promptly more faith
fully done, why, we must submit with all the
grace in our power lfpoitical cliques or party
spirit should be disposed to crush US, the work is
easily done. We shall then be compelled to re-
tire. Or if, indulging more magnanimous spirit,
they should be willing to save us from ruin and