The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-03-29
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

The Enquirer states that Il learns on good au.
thority, that on Saturday evening last eighty
bers withdrew from the Know Nothing lodge q,
Iisrper's Ferry, and openly expressed their deter
ntnaton to vote for the entire Democratic ticket
and at the same time seventy.fve more members
stated that they would withdraw from the Order at
the next meeting OF the lodge. The Enquirer ale
eges that 1t Is the same all over the State and thus
continues:
The history Of Jonah's gourd will be the history
OF hoow Hothineism. 1t sprung up Ia night: Il
Will wither and disappear Ia . day II is the devils
work, and will leave behind mighty smell of sul..
phur. Miserable the man to whom in after years
the infamy OF Know nottingham will attach. Time
Will not obllterate the stain.
The Penny Post has an editorial leader headed
Perjury" la which the writer contends that men
have been found In the Old Domnion-the State
so distinguished for Its rich production of those
highest attributes of the human soul which make
up that noblest work Of the creator, and most
finished specimen of his race-tAe pirginia gen.
tie'aen-men have been found who were willing.
for the purpose of buying an eternity of infamous
notoriety and of lending what they esteemed, sup.
port to the waning fortunes Of a certain party
leader, to throw away the priceless jewel which is
far better than rubies, and perjure their immortsl
souls. The Post argues tina, though the oath a
man has taken may be ertra judicial the blot upon
his soul sjust the same If it had been taken In
the highest court of justice, and from the most
august fuactionsry that sits In our land. Ia an
other article, the Post alludes to the speech Of
Judge Douglas as one characteristic of the dema
gogue;' says that although on rising he announced
that he in bad health, 'nether his countenance
yvhiP yrp rod ona ctoI ,nL, I'D
que, gave any evidence of bad health, except that
appearance which Is usually presented by men
who have drank too much bad whiskey." The
Post further calls on the freemen OF Virginia to
remember that "this Ia the first attempt In the pre-
sent canvass to interfere with their rights and con-
troll their votes, by imported foreign speakers"
The Hhig refreshes its readers by a recurrence
to the complimentary terms In which Mr.. Wise
and his present supporters spoke of each other in
the days OF "lang syne;" and for the instruction
OF all meD, and /" old line Democrats IN psrticu.
lar, reproduces q short extract from the Richmond
Enquirer of 1897, when under the control of Mr..
Ritchie-thus:
"He (Mr. Baylie Peyton) is considered decidedly
superior TO Mr.. Wise, who, 1t is easy see 10 one
of those ambitious orators whom much putting by
his wing partZans has blown up Into no little con-
ceit OF his own powers. He was too often on the
floor during the two last days of the session, and is
| rapidly speaking himself out"
And as one good turn deserves another, the
Whig publishes an extract from a speech of Mr..
Wise In the same year, in which Mr.. Richie is
called granny Rischie." The writer, In comment
Ing upon these extracts. says If the old line De-
mocracy lean support man who has thus, upon
the floor of Congress, and in the presence of the
whole country, scoffed at and insulted them, we
may teplore their taste and lament their spanie-
like dociiity, but we will not object"