Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-11-20
THE LATE COURSE OF THE ENQUIRER.

For several months past, we have been engaged in
the performance of disagreeable duty. Demo.
cratic President in favor of whose election the South
ern people were almost unanimous, had barely enter.
ed upon the Administrations Of the government, before
there were indications visible and audible of opposi
ton to him from faction in the South, composed
partly of Democrats who have heretofore been true,
and partly Of those erratc individuals who have ne
yer professed anything than sort of honorary
membership of any party. butbsve been in the habit
Of fighting under the Democratic flag, in contests for
the Presidency and afterwards withdrawing into an in.
dependent clique Of unqualified disunionists. Such
demonstrations, and especially at so early q stage,
were omens of evil and hsrbingers Of trouble to the
Administration, to the Democratic party and to the
country. A prepedidatsd hostility TO the Admins.
trstion stared us In the face. And it was useless
to shut eyes upon it, and endeavor to believe 1t
illusion. 1t was still there; growing more and more
distinct every day. Our confidence in Mr.. Buchanan
had not been impaired in the least. We had seen
nothing to provoke the censure Of his enemies, or
the remonsrances of bis friends. What then was
the duty of the Richmond " Enquirer'" Was It to
remain silent while the threats Of this opposition
laundering in its ears7 Was 1t, like an amateur
looker.on enjoying the scene, to watch with com.
placsncy the maneuvres of the little squad Of fac.
tonists as it attacked the Administration now from
one point and anon from another; to-day Indirectly
and with the trsacherous stetto; to. morrow openly
and boldly, with vrulsnt dsnunciaton Were we
to stand by quietly, while blows thick and heavy were
aimed at q Democratic Chief Magistrate and not in.
erpose to protect himl Our own sense of duty told
as not.
We drew the sword, and fought the opposition
hand TO hand for week after week and month after
month. Our position was taken in no moment OF
impulse or passion; but after grave deliberaon, and
with a full sense Of the difficulties and importance
attaching to 1t. We were sure were right; and we
meant to 20 ahead. The Enquirer was taunted,
abused eIeorated and oalumniated by the opposition
PRESS But still our batteries poured hot shot into
their ranks. The mutiny began at one time to wear
the sembance Of an extensive rebellion but we were
"unterrfed' as the Democracy We were defendnRI
and day after day we not only returned the fire OF
those that were most active and open in the attack,
but occasionally gave "little more grape" to the
bush.6ghters detected them In the act OF level.
ling their pieces either at at the Administrations
The contest was animated for some time. But 1t
gradually grew less and less 80, the factionsts
were driven from position one after another, their
guns spiked and their batteries sienced one by one;
until now there is only solitary shot al long inter-
vsls from some, while others are still industriousy
but indirectly engaged in endeavoring to bring dis.
credit upon the Administration.
Whatever agency the Enquirer" may have had
in putting down this emeute we leave it to the Demo
craoy to determine. We only claim to have done
our duty.
We are not unaware that our course has been cen.
sured by those who differed from it has provoked
remonsrance from some of the "Enquirer's" friends,
and brought out in bold relief the nurtured animosl'
ty of it's enemies. The former will soon 6nd If upon
a more mature deliberaton they are not already
convinced that our course necessary for the pre-
servation Of the party. And the latter will be
taught by little experience, that their assaults on
us avail them as little their attacks on the Admin
istration We are proud Of tbs part the Enquirer"
has played. And "a often as the "porcupine" oppos
tlon develops itself, we shall lose not moment in
giving to those who support it renewed assurances
of our distinguished consideration" 1t is painful
task, but when the pupils unruly, the rod must
be used.
We congratulate "The South upon the termina
ton of discussion about the Senatorial election,
which was calculated to disturb the harmony Of the
Virginia Democracy, and which also prevented US
from devoting the whole Of our energies to the expo
cure of the plots and schemes Of the extremists" Of
the "Delta" and Mercury" faction. As long as that
dangerous clique continues its assaults upon the Ad-
ministratiou, and seeks to disturb the reocings OF
the Virginia Democracy and the victories won by the
National Democracy over the Black Republicans, by
ts seuseless claor We do not desire peace, and shall
| seek no repose.
"The South" has not yet rsinqushed its defence Of
the "e1tremsts," as the following extract from it's
review of Gov. Wise's letter will show:
"Neher do we consider it at all necessary to ami.
madver upon those other positions in bis EKcelency
| letter which may be thought obnoxious to criticism
In his arraiunment of the extremists, under which
| denomination nine tsnths OF the State.klghts De-
mocracy have been rebuked for their Jealous defence
of the rights of the South, as we'll as in his allegation
of preconcerted opposition to the Administration. we
find much to provoke retor but for our part we pre-
fer to suspend controversy which result In no
advantage to the interests Of the Democracy
"The South" still confounds the extremists" oi
| the "Delta" and Mercury" clique with the Estate
Rights Democracy Of the South and gravely asserts
that when a patriotic Southern statesman assals a
little band of dsorgsnisers and fsc.ioniss, he a.
sails great party which does not affiliate With, and
has nothing in common with such trumpets OF sedi'
tion as the Mercury and Delta" The moment
the Mercury" and the "Delta" recognised as the
organs of the State Rights party, it ceases to be
great party with such men as Wise, Thompson
Foyd and Douglas as it's leaders, and becomes pet.
ty faction, like that which spplauded all the assaults
which the "Del,a" and the Mercury" hesped upon
Mr. Buchanan and the Democratic party. The most
dangerous enemies of the State Rights party are those
who. whenever dsunoniss, destructionists ana fac'
tionsts are assailed, set up perfect bowl over tne
violated rights of the State Rights party. Ine Vr'
gina Democracy is a State Rights Democracy ou
does any Virginia Democrat openly sympalhize will
faction whose organs have declared Old Virgniab
be "fsllen," degraded" as unworthy OF being
entrusted with the honor of the South" and as hav
ing been "debauched by the Federal Government =
Do the State Rights Democracy Of Virginia wish to
have their fair and splendid fame clouded by sssocia
ton with faction, one Of whose organs not three
months since stigmatizsd Mr.. Buchanan as "cow
ard" ia traitor" an "abolitionist," aud as the
Black Republican "Baal of Wheatland 2"
Every body but "Tbe South" must know. from the
whole tenor of Gov Wise's letter, that when be de-
nounced the .'extremists," be denounced those who
have insulted the proud old Commonwealth OF which
be- is the Governor and sought to degrade her in the
ewes of her Southern sisters BY groundesa and dis
reputable chsrges. Nor is it strange that Gov. Wise
having been instrumental in procuring Mr.. Buchan.
ans nomination in 1856, should have denounced
faction whose organs have bespattered the noble old
patriot with coarse personal abuse. The Democracy
of yireinis will unite with the Democracy Of the
whole Union in thanking him for the noble bio"
which be has struck for the Union and the Nstiona
Democracy.
Governor Wise, in bis letter, denounoes those oon,
..i.ator. and fantinnafa Who Yillifed tlrKnld on0