Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-09-22
TINE H ENQUIRER,

TINE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
IN RITCHIE & DUNNAyANT:
TUESDAY,, sEpTEMBEK 81. 1857.
,,rrsv
THE SOUTH" ON EDITORIAL
AND POLITICAL CONSISTENCY
Occuuatiou with matters requiring our l"'heo'''
attention has hitherto prevented our besto~lns eSpe'
. ,sc;s, notice On the article in 1.-The South OF Inc i|th
instant. But as that article coh'a'ns 'ono .'"el'
and inuendoes against the Enquirer pm"
cipal editor, we will now dlscuss tnese suoyee'' u
10 some extent the matter composing subsequent MI"
dred articles put forth by "Tho South
II might b. inferred from the tone OF line sou'n
that the editor of that paper left Richmond eome
weeks since, under the impression hat the" enquirer
intended to discontinue the controversy tnen con'
ducted between the two papers. Now we can assert
nosi,iyely that the editor of 1.-The South was appri'
s.d before his departure of an exactly opposite
Dissemination ON our part. This can be proved by
more than one witness, and it even appears upon
the face of the 'spersonal correspondence" to which
We refer. As to the "exceptionabie charges men'
toned, We deny that We have ever made even u nc
article which is said 10 have led to the personal cor
respondence,'' any charges whatever which can pro-
perly be called personally Objectionable.
.Tbe South" reads "a a very grave lecture on the
subject of "editorisl courtesy" in which we are told
,bst orr own reference to a certain common rumor
cons,;,utes a gross violation of editorial decency.-
Tb;a 10 not the first time that The South" has resort
Oh n a pronupciamento er cathedra on the subject
Of editorial courtesy. We plead to the Jurisdiction OF
this selfcous,ituted court Of courtesy. A journal
a cotonpnrarv with ouch 6Dltlete
az hese:-"possessed with the rage OF a Viper"-"in'
discriminate malice"-"insane attacks '-"oecaying
euergies"-and proceeds to refer all this weakness ano
wicksdnsss to the groundless supposltion OF a"io's Oh
subscribers" such an accusing journal 10 hardiy h'tea
to be the most competetent judge on a question OF
professional courtesy" We will not retahate by call
ing hard names nor do we admit that We have commit
ted any breach of confidence or courtesy IN referring
10 a common report, the which, if true, ought OF right
TO be exposed to public observation.
"Tbe South is entirely mistaken when 1t repre-
sents the Enquirer as the "sponsor" OF this report.
We did no more than call attention to the report, and
inquire as to it's truth or untruth. If untrue, it rested
with "The South to furnish a complete reiutation.-
If true, it ought to be made known through the pub
lie press. The report was to this amount: That GER
tain politicians in Virginia did unite by subscription
to raise some thousands Of dollars for the estao'
lishment, or the support, or both, Of The South
that these politicians are the warm personal partlzah'
of Mr.. Hunter; that Mr.. Keitt, of South Carolina
aided this subscription to the amount Of some hun
dreds of dollars.
"The South" denies that NJ Keitt or Mr.. Any
body.else has giren a farthing to the establishment or
support of The South"
This denial is sufficient, 80 far as it goes. But has
Mr.. Keitt advanced, as a loan or otherwise, any con
siderable amount of money to the establishment or
support of "The South?' Have not certain personal
partizans of Mr.. Hunter. in Virginia, united to fur
nish similar aid for the same purpose or purposes7 Ii
the affirmative be true, then it is certainly possible
that these gentlemen expected by the use OF such
means, to advance some cause other than the good
Of the Democratic party, or the private interests of
the editor Of 1.-THE South" If we suppose that they
did thus furnish aid to 1.-THE South" under the i'm.
uressicn that they xsEs. saogs0gytalnGGa taauTslfficcan:. As to
the report that such movement, if made at all, was
intended to aid in advancing the Presidential pros.
poets Of Mr.. Hunter, at the expense Of the populari.
ty OF the President aud the Governor of Virgioia--
we do not stand as ''sponsor" for that either. We
leave it to be confirmed or refuted by those whom it
Immediately concerns.
THE South" makes another mistake-a very grie.
gous mistake, in assuming that our Jealous support
of Gov. WISE" can be opposed by an exposure Of
our private interests" Our private interests are en-.
tirely independent Of Gov. Wise, and of every other
man unconnected with our paper.
1.-THE South" makes another mistake in imputinc
TO US a 'fanatical attachment to the fortunes of his
EYeI1lsnryh I - yrna chat ro lo-~ Al
Governor against the assaults of THE South, the
Mercury" the "Delta," sc But we are ready 10
perform the same good Office for any other good and
true Democrat. 1.-THE South" bears the Governor no
good will, and therefore is naturally angry when an.
other journal speaks in his behalf; but 1.-THE South
ought to restrain it's anger within the limits of "edi.
:osaSl courtesy" which certainly does not permit the
application of such epithets as " f~anatical attach.
tRest" and "supple subserviency," to the conduct of
the edi,ors Of the enquirer" We are "The South's'
acknowledged pedsgogue, and as such, we take the
liberty to correc, these little improprie,ies.
If public rumor does assert, as 1.-THE South init.
snstes, that the chief editor Of the enquirer has
BEEN boughtove with the expectation of a diplomat.
ic appointment, we will not follow the example of .'rhe
South" aad say that common rumor lies;'' for that
would be violent, and in our case there is no necessity
for violence. In the absence of our chief editor, we
need only refer to his known integrity, to confu,e
this charge. for which 1.-THE South" ia not willing to
become the sponsor" If our chief editor does
aspire to such an honor, he has a right to do so, and
suck! aspiration is in the strict line of editorial pro-
priety and precedent, as can be proved in the case Of
the present editor of The South"
As to the consistency of the editor Of "The South"
the fact is notorious, that in the beginning of Kansas
troubles, many natives of Missouri did vote in Kan.
ssA with no other qualification than that of actual
presence and the animus manendi7 Abolition news.
papers called this an outrage, but the action of the 10.
called Border Rufians" was fully justified by the
Southern press. We are still under the impression
that the present editor Of ''The South" Joined in tbi.
Justification. Such is our candid Interpretation of
his action a, the time. We will not attempt TO deny
that his motives and intentions pointed otherwise, bu.
We are aware Of no such %intimation until within the
ast lew months. Moreover, the fact that the virgi.
nians, whom the editor sssisted to send to Kansas,
voted there with no better qualification than did ths
natives OF Missouri, has elioited no word of com.
plant or disapproval on the part of the editor of
THE South" We must decline the search througb
our own columns, which the editor proposes. Such ]
a se,rch would consume too much of our time. and il
is also possible that the editor of THE South, NAV
De somewhat mistaken, insomuch that the inves,i. J
CATION might prove "a tedious and unavaiing as that
search for "a needle in a haystack," the recital Of
which was won. to enliven our nursery days. The
editor of The South" is himself interested in the
matter andi he will undertake the proposed search.
we will willingly reproduce the articles to which he
Again. 1t will be remembered that we have held
Inc position, that the Convention of Kansas is bound,
IN obedience to the act of Congress organizing the
to submit the Constitution to the popular
vote. On the other hand, 1.-THE South" insisted
that Ge Convention was so utterly powerle., that i,
could not, ~ithout the authorization Of the Lsv;sl..