Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-07-25

md vanity, and made :nra :,rl that !hcy w,,. i".
lntul ncimg the action Of the people. To rjr wou.
be Grcat men he w"ui co.amur!rai" intelligence
which liz wished disseminated. aud give Il. m tie
for the political gatherings. Such letters were certain
to be treasured and exhibited and he who received
chem bcilrvc that the fate OF the Republic depended
upon his individual cxerrinn.
Il was his policy to h"l c1uacils with his friends,
personal and pOcal--sumrii;nes III their huurr.,
sometimes a his own H. took pleasure in su,l con-
sultations. We lavc frequently seen him in Il room.
nearly full "f prominent democratic citizen. and
brrS of the Legislature. convened by his persona! ~:
vitniioa 10 aVi~. about snulr matter t.! deemed iu-
portan.. Il" generally cook the lead and aflrr rnj
Ing fully hi. views would call upon fist AM
then another 40 express their opinions t"cly ANA
d!dIy, md thus obtain clue Ia puu.." sentiment
among the most enlightened of the pnrtv--r '!n,.
times with great alroiiac-. rcr0ncil!ug conflicting
views. sometimes with infinite tact co!nprOmlslu-
III mere matters of cXpcdicncy md always producing
good feeling towards himself III fhos" who differed
from him by the compliment, implied in the invitation
To be present III his political consultations. lie po-
scSsed III m cnicn drsrcc the i'cn; Of gaining IN"
confidence Of his political friends aud "i H.'y@ h"",
and 1t was most generally the that while h. :rc
cd Ia lead, he in reality merely ucTuic>r;ug in
public sentiment. While lie irs; rate parry
manager, he was frank and st.aig!: forward IN rN-
pressing his uwr sentiments. Their. essen
tial Ia Il DpIumatist which hr never possessed. !.
was remarked by nl who in his confidence, tina.
while he would ocn CiO!n secrecy u!hcrr. h
could NOT keep secret himself lie would certainly
:lic Ia the subject in his editorials in such WHY
~ induce speculation aud suyin>c. until the matter
whatever il nigh, be, would be- hlazuicd /" the pub
lie gaze. He WIS crcdulous and com;idn; 20 m' "N
traurdinnry degree.
I'm the year 1896 Angus. 10Th, the share owned hy
Mr. John l.. Cook. III the Enquirer, again iraI,
t,rrc 10 Mr.. Rclir and h." became one" EIuG" sole
proprietor Hni Editor. Al his period i: under
Stood he encountered hcnvy pccunary losses. from
msmanagcmcnt the part of others III tic inanciai
department Of his pr:ntu" establishments IL" b".H..
r,,pr al p1 M ia.
10 money matters to keep supervising eye ur"n
those entrusted with its control BuI hc never Inur-
morcd u: rcp;ncd over misfortune. \, IA politics
in private, he became bu"yant from l',>>,-: wM an
elasticity o spirit ind?scrhablc hc met with
n nrulc that dccd them. Ca this OCCASION he
called upon his subscribers earnestly :" meet ihrir
,iga ,i.,cn;s True i; is hr said, 'amd confess
with becoming gratitude. that never las the f."qn
r,.r entered many subscribers il has obtain
I'D since the lst of December last nn! never has liz
circulation been equal 10 " hat /; Is at the Hl">cu;
time" 1t the universal remark "f hi- tsi,md-,
that neither the prl,cXtlrs Ot his monetary C"uccrus
nor the cares incident to editorial life, nor the annoy
,nccs ii party strife, coud disturb the serenity "! III
temper or dcran.c the ciuannity "i LIS department.
though we confess We have seen him in h!.h party
times, when the Ot the Democratic party IN
Nr giuia was somewhat doubtful, aud the result e"
the elections, (" say the least, wls hazardous, mani
Testing anxiety which rendered him rsi!css. ih'
Enquirer the next day, thoue woad have tH header.
.uriluunic,i with "SAlc- bri, ~ and brlglleuin-.
Mr.. Rchic sustained the election ui Mr. Num 3D.
rcm for the Presidency. nnd the vat" OF Nr-mii, was
in his favor In consequence" "t ih" specie rigCu
lar of Gen. jackson, nEd .hc manner IN w.!r ih" dis
trbutinn Of the surplus revenue among the s;d;rs
withdrawn from the banks, system oi Cur'a.l.
mrnt Of their loans wGs forced upon t!icm Ia suc
extent as To cause money pressure upon the comma
nifty uf umcxamplcd severity. NJ. Nnn EUr"m deter
mined to carry ont the views OF General Jackson HGd
10 establish >pcrc currency, especially in ali ;hr
financial operations oi the government. In cols,-
qucncc Of the belle! Of laany of the Republican par
sy, that the action II the -"v,rrncu. ~ these matter
wa. unnecessarily harsh and blIiug 40 m cut, rsriSr,
;,;ticulurly Of the commercial CITIES and ultimately
ut the country, md isat the acts by which ;hcs,'
things were accomplished were understandable aud
Unconstitutional, new party WIS formed. calling
themselves Cnnsrrvayr-,' and ;hruw.ng their in
iucncc nm,t weight a-di>i la, administration. The
administration took the ground bhi II was bound 10
take Ut the government funds and could not b"
expected to lcgisate wiki reference the monetary
concerns OF the banks or the people. IL recommend
ed the establishment al an independent irearuryO bn
kept by public officers, and that there should be mn
cntirc separation nj the business ard funds Of III"
government from those OF the banks. Against these
measures .hc Consury aiives and Nis opposed their
united couucils Mr. hltchie was III i'ti opposed f0
The srb.rcssucy and in favor OF drp"Siing tn pub
NJ. .',-.s. s ~ the state Banks. lleth""-ht IN vain
oss 'os "f the solvent and k"ntsH rH mSn' !" a..
ought 10 be received at the points where they hra
wanting for the public disbursements. He thought hc
"rub-;rcasury objectionable on account "i III" grenl
throw into the hands of the Executive. as wei, rs IL"
danger to which il would expose the public funds.
lie objected Ia the time of it's ntroducton he thought
the system was calculated 10 digcrct the banks ANA
their pnpcr, nnd retard the resumption "t sl'"i.
paymrnts When that great measure II effected then
ne said change the system o finance. lake the Stat"
banks ii they can be mai, - work wcl!-ii not, then
some other system which is independent o! III" stat
banks but which has none of the character ar quhil
ties of National Bank. He opposed the mcs-ag"
of Mr. Van Buren, upon this subject, but regretted IN"
unfortunate scism which was crccpn. into ih" Re
publican camp when discretion and moderation wa
80 essential. He still clung to the State Bank system
and said .'s,rpt OF lis objections and only adopt THU
sub-rrasurv Executive machinery, when the Stale
banks have been farly and fully trcd."
Mr. Rchic suid at il really amusing 10 Sc" th"
variety OF views which have been drawn forth by
the present discussion. Such division iparrs, such
cutt. in and cutting i'll the c"mtrc lance suciI
change Of partners. and such coalitions of polite
have scarcely ever been exhibited. lii" whole seen"
is us astonishing it is novel, and il il has the .alt
effect upon Others we confess il has produced up
on ourselves, il will contribute To make liz NOR" tn-
rant and foryiving-"bcar and torbcar the better
and induce to weigh reasons instead "f Imputln-
unworthy motives to each other Talk Of II R"publi-
can becoming II Wing because he cannot Z" eXaci!y
with Mr.. Van Burcu on this question A!r. Eichr
lmporcd ull "o avoid irritating controversies, /" con-
suit about some plan OF concniinn and comlnonIsr'
and rally together for the relief of tho people and tor
the wise administration of our Federal FIianccs" The
sub-reasury scheme after having been twice defeated
was at last adopted The opposition 10 the adnInt'-
trntiou strengthened, and it bccalnc plain that the
Wings and Conservatives united would prcu"ihihiie
in the next election. Mr. Ritchic finding that III"
luenslrc had become law, and acting upon tie rril-
cipc that it impossible for genuine kcp,"l'cHil
10 become Il Whig. finding il equally Impossible To 81
Iurc the Conservatives from throwing Their weight
n,aust the administrations and perccrg tlh III iaci
they had united almost Ia man with the W hISsNOiinG
and acting with them all occasions, indIn" too TIM
;he Banks had resumed specie payment, and The Coui-
;rv WIS bcc0nin. easy IN lis monetary a!niisr
gradually acqaic-ccd in the measure winch he had at
first oppOscd and as was hs habit began 10 pour hot
shot upon Conservatives and Wings without !c@ari I"
the coincidence of the opinions of tic former with hs
own previous views upon tins measure ana oi t!!c ci-
fec; it might have upon his own consistency IstIhcd'
rs he believed he was in taking lesser evil, rather
tbnp TO receive in his embrace Wings anh Wing
measures with nil their more overwhelming iil7 Bni
it is impossible to dwell upon these themes.
In the convention oi the Democratic party wnlcA
met in Nav, lSi0 Virginia was not represented, IN
consequence of the State Democratic Convention
having nominated MIR. Van Buren, III tho preceding
winter md declared il incXpedlen To s"II !eeGWcs
To- the National Convention. In the elections to ia"
General Assembly which took place III NIrg!ma JUS
before tho meeting Of this Conventional small lnaoT
" of Wings and conservatives had been elected I?
the Legislature and il began To be extremely donbt!"
how the State would her vote in the Prcsldcntih
election in the fall. MIR. Ritche, who wcs ever scIS-
tive upon the loss Of tie State upon National que
tious throughout this entire year czcrtcd himself "i'
all his energies.
At the instance Of the Democratic State Convention
he established weekly paper called "lhe CrIsI' 10
collect information aud eubody facts 10 serve ar i"
buum for the Democratic orators ana |" co'i ''''.
and counternct the interninnbc and h"fce ~ ~ ~
his opponents During the canvuss one 81 'hc con
scrva,ive orators l.ad styled the CRISP "a H'ii'
black pirutcal schooner running into all tn Tsc csvSNs 3
and ntets," misrcprescntins and nissntS '"cin ni,
gurbliug the records TO suit party =" "'
r,or,v ~ ~ Commissioned by the Republican party 10
rcarch Of .mugser dGss,i"rs m and Fssnar,
| oIe % VI " ~ r.nJv 70 rive q Rowland for an Oliver.
~ Mr. R;tclcs instance, the Democratic purity in
p;nnnd hnd been TOR some time organized into an
:,r ~ this ns .ocatioD he was the lii. and