Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-01
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SAM IN VIR-
GINIA--By a FiRCISIAN.

Richmond \. Norris 1856.
We are not surprised at the various character OF
comments and criticisms this work has elIclted-
that Oh the one hand should have met with almost
unbounded praise and, the other, with uni ust and
undeserved censure. And While We cannot pretend
10 bs altogether disrobed of political preferences in
the conclusions we have reached, Wa have yet at.
tempted to throw of all the prtiudces of the party
man. in order to do the work even handed luslicr-
We have read and been pleased with it. Its style,
for the most part is pure and unexceptionabe. it,
writer has displayed no party Spleen aud seems from
the beginning to the end of his work. to have Desired
to give fair picture Of what he believed Know-No.
thngsm to be. Ii he has exaggerated ANY OF its de-
fects or has failed notice its excclences 2f which
our readers will doubtless say there We're precious
few,) he has done 30, are assured, with no design
to msrepreseut or dlsurt. His style, his manner, his
language all convince us that the man is in earnest.
and that, in very truth, he believes from the bottom
of soul every thing that he has here set down sgust
the party, which, through brief period, agtaed thu
political waters Of this State.
Sam is sdead-unques,ionably Dead and a street
Of charity might prompt Us TO throw the veil over
his defects. But is it quite right TO do sol Are
not at liberty-is it no, our boundsn duty to marshal
lin dread array his enormities, that other, may be
deferred from following his exampe7 We give the fol-
lowers Of the so-called American party-r,any of
them, at least-cedit for sincerity OF purpose, for
honesty of ain but, saying this, we do not mean to
sanction their gross departure from what we deem
to be the first principles of pure government prir
cipes upon which, We believed, depended es-
se,tiay the permanently of our institutions and
the welfare Of our cosntry. But we have no
desire to enter again into the discussion OF tie
principles Of this party. Its career has passed into
the domain of history and Ection, and we do not
wonder that both historian and novelist have been
found to chronicle and picture on the canvass the
and final struggle of this party in Virginia The de-
tails of that struggle-its machinery-the confident
boaotings of the Know Nothing party-sre all fresh
in our memory, aud probably the day is not far dis
tsnt when the Ssnites of Virginia shall fail to be re-
cugnsed and known as the supporters Of the moH
aJonaa6c political hereSies that ever Infested free
people.
The writer of this work has shown up that history
in it's amusing features. His characters are all well
drawn--and though we think he has not done full
Justice to some of the worthest elements OF the party
he has surely done injustice to the very large sec
ton of it, who were most noisy at the period Of the
election day and therefore most likely to attract at
tention.
Our readers will be grat6ed to learn that the book
contains an exciting love story interviewed and in
tertwiued among the details of politics. 1t is so.-
And We have read the work with infinite gusto on
this account. The amusing blunders Of old Mrs.
Iaubinyer her unreasonable terror and discourse
the poiut of the Know. .Nothingsm of Mr.. Uriah
Hawks, the anxiety she displays in conversation with
that worthy, are all excellent points, we'll brought
ont and cannot fail to excite smile in the most stold
and dull of all stolid creatures Hawks story, too,
CT the sapsucker is amusing and at the same time in
structiye. It shows, at the least wholesome dread
ON the par. OF Know Nothings in encounterng the
valiant old banner counties Of the Tenth Legion,
and is unouestionably true to fact.
Nor is the experience Of Mr. Ike Davis without its
moral. The doctrine Of "mindng ones own bus-
ness" is here set down in ineligible language. But
space would fail US to remark upon the noticeable
points of the work Our readers must get it, and read it
70 themselves. If they read through the first five
pages which, the author will allow us to say, are dull,
and the only dull pagcs in the book they will not stop
until they &c. through, and will feel that they
had not before learned all or read all that might
be said or written Of interest and amusement, about
the recent canvass in Virginia.
u