Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-05-09
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n. w.,,.s1ox the 9th Of May, 'S'i, helFT' h"'"-
her of n small scmi-wcckN Shrr.' :" VI. ,ho
Va ,r,, issucd in this city by Rltel'e y ""Sie: u
A' 1ho nomc of the Editor was lnodcstlS
EE:nIa,, b,t curiosity was not long III hnn!is IL ""''
md common fame soon spread II "or"""' NV"
n,nLr,wn Thomas Richie, in a bret nt cafe'"'s
eviction address, commended his enterprise 10 the Ia,
xor Of the public, not by any parade OF lofty pre'en'
s;,n lnt hv a simple statement; of his purposes M
for n half century of responsible connection WIN tue
Press, the venerable man may cNultlhsiy rec"N INC
noble aspiration which he uttered, when, Ill inc "'""i
of voutb. he concluded his first editorial article WIFI
these words: ale fondly hopes that whenever ne
cass;tv mr. inclination shall induce him to abandon HIS
nresen, purs,,it. he may be able TO lay his mana
-,,or bs hoar. and indulge the collsoln;"ry re-
+sc,;o, tbat he has not injured the interests OF ms
.o,,.r,. md that he has not dishonored the
bish urerocatives of the Press or his own personal
character Mr.. Jefferson was then iresldeht' anu
no .he E,yujrer was established partly under his AUS
pices. the first number contains IN evidence oi Ills
confidence and regard, i'll the publication OF theia"s oi
the United States. The tact, industry ana talent WIFI
which the new journal was conducted, Justified ms
mark of confidence und soon gave it Il name and an
influence in the country. It's circulation rapidly cN'
1snded. and il became the ~ssorgan'' Of the Virginia
Democracy. Men III the highest positions and OF tht
greatest ability contributed 20 its columns ana court
ed its favor. Henccfor,l, until 1915 when the orisi'
nal editor removed to another sphere, the reputation
of the Enquircr was equal and perhaps superior
to that of any other journal i'll the country
Its power was immense, and was greater per-
haps the day Mr.. Richie left it than ut any pre-
yious period. He husbanded its influence with pru
dent ecoromy-neve ilnpairing it by indisrrction nor
frittering it away for unworthy ends. For forty
wears no measure of public policy was proposed
which the Enyuirer did not discuss with freedom and
power-there was no event of interest which ii did
not record. Nowhere else, perhaps, can such abun-
dant materials for the history Of the country, and eS-
pecially of Virginia, during that period, he found as
are embalmed in the files Of the Enquirer.
The ENQUIRER has not escaped the Charge of i'll
consistency in its criticisms on public men and mca-
sures, and. indeed, it would be strange, If, during
the long period of its existence the opinion OF one
epoch did not seem occasionally 10 contradict the
opinion of another. But this we may safely affirm
that in no single instance has it betrayed the essential
principles of the Democratic party. The doctrines OF
the States Rights school, which it was established to
expound and defend under the administration OF Mr..
Jefferson. it still cherishes under the administration Of
Mr.. Pierce-and, we may add, will continue to cherish
and support SO long rs it remains under the control Of
its present conductors.
On this, the fftieth anniversary since its establish
ment, the Enquircr grcets its readers in Il new and
agreeable type-mcaning thereby TO show that age
abstes nothing of its energy or is determination to
keep pace with the progress and improvements Of
fha day.