Washington sentinel., 1853-12-16
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER AND ITS
COURSE.

1AAOHAMOND AMI IIs
COURSE.
We extract the following paragraphs from the
leading editorial article in the Richmond En-
qtirer of yesterday, and take the liberty o.
italicising one line of it. The Enquirer says
"We observe that the election of Mr.. Tucker
OF the Sentinel, as printer to the Senate, is the
occasion of great exultation on the part of the
opposition. They affect to regard this event
as indicative of the opposition which the ad
ministration is to encounter in the Senate
And doubtless they are correct TO a certain er-
tent. In supporting Mr.. Tucker, the wings and
abolitionists did unquestionably aim blow at
the administration, but we will not believe that
any democratic Senator harbored such pur-
pose. As regards the Senators from Virginia,
we are confident that other impulses than that
OF discomfort with the administration, deter
mined their conduct in the matter They will
undoubtedly assert that independence of judg-
ment which characterizes them as men, and
BELTS them as Senators, but they will extend
to the administration support all the more
effective in being the result of attachment to
principle.
1t IS mistake, to suppose that the admin
lstaation of President Pierce does not possess
the confidence of the democracy. Whatsoever
discomfort may have prevailed, in consequence
OF the course of the administration in respect
to the New York feud, has been entirely pro-
pitiated by the development of principles and
policy made in the Message of the President,
and the reports from the departments. Demo
cratic members Of Congress will but represent
the sentiment of the democratic party of the
country, in sustaining the administration in its
efforts to carry out democratic principles in the
policy of the government. We are confident
th..t the administration will not fail to secure
| the confidence and support of a democratic
Congress, Notwithstanding those indications OF
disaffection which so delight the opposition"
We should like to know by what right and
by what authority the Enquirer, either directly
or indirectly, calls into question the course of
the Washington Sentinel. We should like to
know how it can install itself in the seat of
political criticism and censorship, and cast re-
fections on the character Of this paper. From
all the vulnerable points presented by the En-
quirer in the last two or three months, we have
averted our eyes in the spirit of fraternal friend
ship. To its marked and manifest incon-
sistencies, we have sedulously and kindly
sought TO blind ourselves. OF It's remarkable
and unparalleled ,ergiversations we have not
been ignorant-but we have been silent.
But few weeks since, and no paper sympa-
thized so deeply and so warmly with Dickinson
and the faithful one hundred thousand demo-
Gratis of New York who acted with him, as the
Enquirer. Now, no southern journal perse-
cutes them with such relentless rigor, and with
such malignant bitterness.
But few weeks since it published General
Dix as traitor to the south and traitor to
the democracy of The country. When the ac
curacy of its stated facts was questioned by
General Dix, and he authority and evidence
on which they were made was applied for, it
pledged itself either to publish the authority, to
produce the evidence, or to Withdrawals charges.
Days have passed, weeks have elapsed, months
have rolled by and not one word has it said on
the subject, although so frequently reminded of
its promise. 1t hal neither substantiated nor
retracted its charges. 1t was due to itself to do
the first or to General Dix to do the last. Let
it settle that matter with the injured man, if he
be injured. Let it be done in the open light
of honest day and at The bar of that country be-
fore which the charge was made. 1t cannot be
done otherwise. The offence was public, the
atonement cannot legitimately, be private. If
General Dix has been secretly satisfied, the
press and the country are still waiting for the
explanations due to them.
Again, but a few short weeks have passed
since the Richmond Enquirer moved with not
haste to copy, and with warm commentator
to endorse, the articles which we wrote in rela-
ton to the New York controversy. It was
wont at the same time to write like articles it.
self. 1t suddenly ceased to copy-it as sud
denly ceased to write such articles. Horse,
foot and dragons, it went over, and in the
twinkling of an eye, to the party it had been
accustomed to denounce. The country was
amazed; for it is journal of influence. Peo
pie everywhere rubbed their eyes as if to clea,
their vision. They doubted the evidence Of
their senses. They could not believe thai
such journal, could pursue such course.
But it was true, and pity It's twas true"
About all these things we were dumb. Our
modification was great, but we nursed it in
silence and in secresy. Our reward is found in
the article which we have copied Having
undertaken to call us to account we are au-
thorized to believe that its rebuke would have
been more open and more violent, but for the
company in which it found us. To rebuke us
for our course more directly, would have been
to rebuke as directly the distinguished demo
cratic senators who sustained the publisher Of
this paper for public printer. Among these
were the two democratic senators from Vir-
ginia But, says the Enquirer, " In supporting
Mr.. Tucker, the wings and aboltionists did un.
questionably aim blow at the administration,
but we will not believe that any democratic
Senator harbored such purpose" The "will
not believe" of the Enquirer is what is called
in pleading negative pregnant" 1t means,