The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-05-10
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

The Whig alludes to the joy expressed by the
Democratic Journals of this vicinity at the Presi
dents veto OF the Insane bill Is not surprised al
their laudations, since this Is the first time he hai
done anything to please them particularly since he
has been in Office; but win be pleased to hear wha,
they will say in the event that the President gives
his sanction to bill for free farms to Tom, Dick
and Harry; and all bills, as he says himself. for
grants of lands to Western Railroad Companies
The Enquirer, having reached the fftieth wear o,
its existence, takes a retrospective view. We
copy the following leaf from the history of the
past:
On Wednesday. the 9th of MAY, 1904. the frst
number of a small semi weekly sheet with the
above title, (the Enqurer was issued in this city
oy hifcnie q Worsley, the proprietors The name
of the Editor was modestly withheld but curiosity
was not long in finding it out and common fame
soon spread 1t abroad. The then unknown Thos.
Rtchie, In brief but carefully written address.
commended his enterprise to the favor of the pub
iic not by anv parade of lofty pretension but BY
simple statement of his purposes After half cen.
fury OF responsible connection with the Press the
venerable man may exultingly recall the noble as
plration which he uttered when. in the ardor of
youth, he concluded his first editorial article with
these words "He fondly hopes that whenever ne.
cesslty or inclination shall induce him to abandon
his present pursuit. he may be able to lay his hand
upon his heart and indulge the consoatory refec-
hon that he has not injured the interests of his
country, and that he has not dishonored the high
OF the Press or his own personal char.
acter" :
The Penny Post gives a resume of recent events
regarding Cuba, and concludes with this remark =
For our own part we prefer acar acith all Europe
to the differentiation of Cuba! If there is to be
war about 1t, now is the time"
The Examiner has long and carefully written
| review of the Presidents message vetoing the In
sane bill The veto itself it heartily approves and
likewise the able augmentation of the message by
which the power of Congress to bestow lands In
eleemosynary donations is denied and disproved.
But (says the Examiner we are sorry to say that,
while admiring the action of the President and the
strictly conservative tone and spirit of the messages
30 far asst add resses itself to the main subject mat
ter in hand 1--WE cannot subscribe to or approve that
portion which asserts the doctrine that Congress
has power over the public lands as a proprietor
and may exercise the discretion of a proprietor
| IN donating them away, for purposes other than
charitable-thati is to say for purposes of specula
ton and thrit-as in granting alternate sections to
railroads in order to realize enhanced profits fiom
reserved sections. The Examiner contends that
Congress is not proprietor of public lands but trus
tee.
The Mail, in an article on the movements rela
tive to the acquisition of Cuba expresses the be
lief that the present exitement has been gotten ur
prop the declining fortunes of the Pierce admin
istration.'