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

THOMAS RlTCllIE.
I;is not for us To pronounce the mcri;ed culogv on
the character Of Thomas Klclie but we may, 9irh-
on, any improper Intrusion e" personal feeling, trans
i,r to The columns OF the E"q"rcr the tribute his
private virtues and hi, public scryccs, whicl, the
public press delights 10 render, without distinction oi
lFrun n" Washington Sentinel
DEATH OF THOMAS RITCllIE.
The uuu;nl duty dvn!vco lI~ today ~ unnaunrr
the death uf one whose nhdr l. as lhinn. {" the
American people that al any "i the .rca; m'n "i
The r,lubiic-Tl"nns R.;cr. For lnnm;a
pn-t H., nus been growing gradually NOR" feeble" and
iir inmy and trirnI. have watched with painful Sn
lciiic liz s.cal'hy approaches {" i!Ir n-idouS de-
s,rovcr.
Nj. kitcle died y,,'"rria.. hr,wr"n :hr hour. E"
rSr,vr amt one ctnrh. III til" IhiiI ~ hi. :i"
Ne died i'll the busom Of his tam;iy. H. died hr
had lived Il Good man! an honest MAJ; II grra! maf.
Few men in hi. rnGgrv luvC lived I" more purVr~.
,hnm Mr.. Ri,hir. II" appeared "m the Great STAG" ii
public affairs at most important aGd interesting Pc
rind ui oar history. II Was when many of the most
rininrnt ~. .cr and patriots Ui the revolution, after
flndinE erc,,, republic. w"ra about retiring; /" The
rcpuSr I'll prvai" lIir--a rcr">r which il"y 50 wei
tlrtc,l but which rl'v had been - lrmg ,,rnir'i.-
From them he iulbbcl his earliest political IrssoI--
from them hc drew a the inspirations "f patriotism.
rhn-, lessons were, >,,;n, thai ua,r:ni.~u was ng.lui
commence c, his AZ that happy period WHEN fac
ton was ajhurrrd ANA love al country ch"ri>hrd
lie hrlnng,, Ia that class q. politics known ihr
STATE r- sr!nmin srli""l who's" t"nc:s, ii rightly
and faithfully carried ont. would al IL" same ;iuIr
preserve ;!" States I! the l!.r III il!r integrity.
We rnrw MIR. RitciIc wr--utnnl.,lv well. For
many wear, hc has instructed and Guided H.. We
have, !nunrl ny .u EIm ;ts toward nn" capable ni di
r,.ctn- ih" Young generations. No impure tii"nght
ever found resting pircc III that old man heart
81. al,
the world did not know him. Mr.. ltiich" wr~ q plain
FREE spoken nar, witt! Intense persona! attachments
and. believe, without Gu luminosity toward iiv
ug man. For fifty Years he has been an active com.
baIrn;. He iiaS gone down t" III" tomb without III
enemy. S"iIr may question the wisdom III his cnursr
but y.t ,h.. hr kicr wi.ch hc has born" in many .
fierce cnrount,g-brC-"da and battered IL it Euy be
has no iarnlslI OH is surface.
Mr. E,lic WIS born anG reared III Virginia, ani
nuh,!,ss did no more in influence and direct the Dies
TIMES uf atyruerabic Commonwealth than any pub
liz. muu of his dav. \. III" founder and conductor,
for nearly half ccutury. ui the Richmond Enquirer.
he cNcrtc Influence over the politics OF NT-sua
that WI. almost miraculous Such was the confidence
both ui the lra,Iim. politicians and oi The mH7scs III
hi- sagGriv his genius, hs integrity, and his patriot
ism thar the word of Ih"ma. Ritc!lc WIS almost Ill"
law To- the Virginia democracy. To the highest n'-
uuircIncuts q" the -cu!nr, ic united the prGt"und"st
iitainnnt- OF the politician. His Judgment "i mci
was well ngh uncrrsn.. He united III" ryh,iy and
courage of early uami.uol To The calm discretion AMI
ripe Cxpcrinc" "f malUrr Years Ii" loved HIS fam
w. his friends, his State aud his Country. When h!-
many noble qualities "f heart aud mrId ar" coii"nt'r
~. !, ,iurs no; wonderful That h" should nave
cy,r;,ds" powerful IN influence" over III" snum;!i n'l
iron comm uw"al:h at NIr.;iI'in.
IiI" "yi"ni"d r"puinit"m that Mr. RE"hi" hal nc
gur."i III the editorial conduct "i the Enquirer,
,iucrd President Polk invite hi'n from his pruviu-
r.i theatre 20 Tho lare': arena ii metropolitan prii
tics and when Mr. Polk was iuau-urHr,l President,
Mr.. R;cl:c established III" Washington Ini9n. which
oi Mr.. Folks lITuiamr ;minici;fiH0oh.
In Washington a. in Virginia. Mr.. Ritchics cor
dial manners and generous qualities drew around hi'n
Il circle OF sincere and am;r'mg friends. The mos;
eminent statesmen siHr'd 10 Hc"!I"h'r h!" 'i'"H-
ship.
M. Ri,cle nny appropriately be cail.d the father
rl the American Press. He wa-, we cdmn" d"nbf.
the oldest American editor. lie p"-.cs-cd all the Gle.
mcu,S aui qualities necessary I" the "rr"ili'shri
and successful journalist He bold. fearless and
truthful. To Il quick perception, great lcarnIn-,
solid imIlrut ;id remarkable discretion. he United
an Industry that Wis uvl"iaghbic
We wiilno: presume. IN tc-r hHsty remarks. "a a;-
tempt u sketch ri tho distinguished deceased. We
will nvc that Tor another OCCASION. Several "i our
eminent men have died "n Tie i!l "t jay, ~ II Pro-
violence, designed Ia sluw 10 Imperfect man that II"
dnv however bright -lul pus> oil without; cloud
or however proud shall end without hum!!lty. Bii'
few hours more aud Mr.. Ritchic would hive died rs
did Jefferson, Adams and Monroe "i tlIc anniversary
OF American independence
Asa tribute to the distinguish lIcd aud h"norcd dead
we clu;hc our paper III mourning ana rcspc'uuHy
tender 10 those whom Ii" most loved the oinccrc gym
l.uthy nj our hearts.
From ,ic Washington Union
], is with no ordinary pain thai We aIc called upon
10 announce III" death in this city. Yesterday ~ h".
mas Ritchc. II" had been gradRav declining ana
iuku, for several months, until Yesterday, nj ni"";
+! "clck, Ills lii WAS Trough; 10 peaceful close
We shall not underiak" nj pT"scnt I" siIhH "i i'te
character of the deceased liis "il- and h"m"."hlc
career of public service requires more extended mo-
iice than wc can now make. Few men nave cA:rte"
n rrcu-rr influence upon III" public mind thnn hlr.
Rlichic and none have cit behind more so''cS'
private and public reputation.
from the Washington Strr.
With ~rcot,r min :han we can express, have TO
gay ,u the earthly career "f this venerable, cstnna-
lie, and 30 widely beloved G"n",nn il now rall"ly
Irawino, I, Il rlos, Yesterday, the faculty "f speech
l, linn. we hrar and to-day he ceased t" bc able I"
recognise the sympa'his'M- ir.rnHr VINO >Mr;"' M
he'd. We should hare informed ihc public "i the
stp,r nf hi. hcui regularly, Z" ai', hu "r the fact
Tint il WAS ont uf nlr pO;"r - lead To hopes al h~
ultimate recovery, and we were ind>pnacd Ia puh-
l.L for his own rcang, sad pr"gn'sIc!ti"Ii' Of his
approaching dissolution:
:, within n few dnyS pns:, he has bee" al lie to
ronj almost with hi. former wCknuwn intense avi-
dir ,r n.ks and News yap"r and I" WIZ" mil, h. L5
well ns 1, converse wi:!i TIE g" Trends N''"li MS
,,hy.inn has permitted I" have access I" linn! His
nrfuno,,n,.,,s for The -Hd coming event hHyc been
,n,i. : =. .,,nr ti,... during which pcriGl he has
In,kcd forward 10 the ."iig out :" hiS taper "i ir,
with the ncrtnrt calnnrss. resignation ana thr!sthi
hope. which should r2h;:iIlr mark The 'M "i mnii
80 pnrc and upright ~ Thomas kI;cihc-.wh"s' inm'l
and hrnrt ~ all who knew him intimately will tcsti-
fv wrrr trn the BEGINNING the end nI his long ci-
rr ne n ruIIir man iyr1}oLr "t entertaining a -
raster thUarhi or ScH''W'W.
p sWr learn, on sending up n few moments be.
fore oiu tn vrcss that he died nj about hni-pa-t II
NJ, tn-dsy.
Iprou ,Lc Baltimore !.m"richn, Wig
The venerable Thon,ns Rt"hie expired at 'weiTr
o'clock Yesterday, nj hsh'h@''h c''v' III me az ..
noar iur srnrc wears He was, W" believe. the oldest
J,or il, tho nitrd States, and continued tn possess
i thc yi,nr nf youthful thought and dic;iun 10 the
last efforts y; his pen. !lE death VIII hr heard WIN
rcrrrt cvcrywhcrc-ior he was universally esteemed
as an honest and upright nla'''
rFrou the Richmond D-rmSi,l
The veteran q; the Press :" Virginia rests from bis
lol,rrs Al half.ptst l2o'cI"ck Yesterday, lh"HslS
Rtchic, Sr full ol years ana u W !"n"rs d'pat'rI
mi, Tie. OF him truly it may be Saii he '<i from
L;s LJs G,- hi. existence an rNistcnc" "i lnb"r
s, h enrrry would never lct lin rest til rcp"oc
w,s forrcd unon him III the sluMhcrs OF h.s grav".
Hereafter we may speak Of In"nas RitchIc moro
at large He wos nh,Ht VI - '@Ti:! d" ,''''
Slate and had attained, at The period OF his dccc"'e
a ,.c,,roI,n noe. He commence! the publication .!
the Richmond Enquirer III th!s cIiv nn ne 9i.l g;
ic W. rsnI anl rnnucG to wicd the editorial pen OF
thn; ,anor in lSii-;5 when he Welt 10 "asEi::-!y9
', ''' r" cI,nrrc Of the Washington ;nr. uidrr TIC
",' t""s Of James X. Folk. IL thus, trr
a"aH y Year, e5Hoecd with M :1s r rG:, % nn4 H. r.
WINS tLr wi-rs Of party leaders "igMl"o! ans! in'Hr
. a, NV a., ,;tnr vet lcr.cvrrin- an mdomitabc.
FII Ia y va" ~, a man Of incredible emery lie seemed
,ni,',o, rarnshcl and animated hy lab"rs which
1ynuIJ hayc exhausted and ovcrmatchcd most men,
lie one time me- s s cSf an% % DID S%'a ampc pE hnS5 to-
% d.. .;n ~ ho.h editorial chairs. As man, he was
fun H " OF kindly and generous impulses he wHs c9Tre
g ns sn more ,h"n Thomas ites And who 70, laboES a
M ntse; 1sS Dsd"@ '"@ S %dcpSnIenSc pS @ hs
y: ", s @ ,,,nJ il. wav 10 erwurd. II his dying
rWc m pT bSs looked upon STATES csangcd and the stars
l-.- 49, nal thrIat atL-