Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-12-18

assign tnre6 reasons, ana II n6 udu
last no other would have been necessary. lhe 't"
sons given reminded him Of all aI.cdote oil d genio
man in Washington who was inVittd 10 d caFu P'"y
ing party. lie declined the lnVha''oh iol '"e..s
reasons, and when asked TO ennmerate tnem oesal
by saving that abe had no money" The gentleman
he una addressing, Interrupted him with the remarR
that no further excuse WAS requisite. SO, If the genne
man from Stafford had given hs last resson FIRST thert
would have b.en no necessity for assigning turtnr'
reasons. His last reason, when reduced to pam En-
elisb, meant that he was personally opposed 10 lns
| re election Of the present incumbent.
Mr.. SELDOM utterly disclaimsd any PERSONA issue
nr anything in regard to the Senatorial ifsue. rol
the present Public Printer lie entertained the h'sues
respect. g..
Mr.. CLArBRooK, resuming. acquitted Mr.. SEDDo'
of the imputatjou of personal hostility 10 Mr.. hlchle
and proceeded to comment upon hs professions OF al
~l"giance To to-. Democratic party. Is ne Tue on0
Democrat in the Hou.e7 Are there not oimers a.
faithful in their allegiance as he IL ne ~Iilns !.
take the responsibility OF canvass, apd 'n %bo n !, not |;
Mr.. {. claimed to be as true in his aiieg'ance 10 lhs
Democratic party as the gentleman from otan0ro
He might not be- a. old q soldier, or a Dei'er one, ou
he did claim 10 be as true az any man. But "nal nut
allegiance 10 tho Democratic party to DO win 'h'
election Of Public Printer Is the Legislature tt
proceed to the election upon Democratic principles
He utterly ignored such feelings withln MS owl
breast. 1t was a rule of action win nun inaln TX
found a man in Office who bad faithfully ana satisiac
tOrily discharged his duties, ne houiu 81 Hh
whether he be Wing or Democrat. lie woula no
expal him. nor vote for his expulsion unlese there war
sufficient evidence that he showed all absence Oh nj
ness and ability. u..u.
The gentleman makes another mistake; ne say
that the office il to be conferred upon q Democratic
newspaper. He tMr. & did not wish to draw any III
vidion, distinctions, snd did not mean to be involved
in any controversy, which would cause MN 10 aVoH
his preference for either The South the "Enaul'
rer,f' or The "Examiner.' He recognized tnem al az
- r Al. D.pooarafiR naDaQ. and WOrtnH oil
the confidence and support Of the party. III there
have been minor differences OF opinion between tnem
be reioiced at il az 4 proud Illustration OF thal lnue
psndencs of thought and action wRicn characterized
yirgiuians. He admired the promptings OF patrlo'
lam which had led them to different concluslops.-
Amidat the conflict Of opinion, and the trouoie and
agitation thus brought about, we are enabled 10 per
GIVE the beacon light of safety, which will enable US
10 carry the old Democratic ship through Inc preaK'
crs, iuio a harbor Of safety. Mr.. ", alter compn'
,nsntary alIusions to the Democratic press OF Rich
mopd. said that with regard TO the merits OF Inc con
troversy in which the Richmond editors had engaged,
hs had no opinion TO express. lie nao reau oniy
some half dozen of the articles which had appeared IN
The south" and the Enquirer and was willing that
the two gentlemen should fight ii out. he hoPed 'hat
with the view of avoiding everything like a personal
collision, the Democrats would unite with MIN IN
covering ND the embers OF an exhausted fre.
Another reason assigned by MIR. SEpDoS, perhaps
,bs most material of all, was that Mr.. Richie has q
near prospect of being sent to Naples as charge dLy'
Ea;r,a. or minister. This implies, certainly, that Mr..
Ritcbie has the confidence of the Administration
Are you true TO tne Auiu'his'rn'lon Mi. y. VIC.
claimed being Mr.. K g organ. He knew nothing OF
bis present prospects or We've, but be did know him
10 be a gentleman Of the highest honor, and worthy
of the confidence Of the people OF Virginia. And, il
he il to 20 to Naples after he accepts the ot1oe Of
Printer, he would resign that office. This much he
would say for him on his own responsibility. VIM. +.
Richie is not the man to hold a sinecure.
Mr.. CRANE of Tucker county, next took the floor.
He said that he stood alone in apparent oppos ition to
Mr.. Hunter, at the recent Senatorial election, and
stated in explanation OF his poeitlon, al tnat Tune,
that be had not conferred with his constituents, and
did not know what their sentiments were IN regard 10
the Senatorial contest. He knew that they were
Hunter men some four or five weeks before he left
home. MIR. Hunter had been uncourteously treated
by Democratic editors, who were probably actuated
by a desire TO make capital for themselves. They
had called upon him, which they should not have
done, to define bis position. He tMr. C,l defended
the silence which Mr.. Hunter for come time main
tanned, but the moment he put his hand to paper he
thought TO have shown that he left nothing uncover
ed. Has he answered one question propounded 10
him by the Rockingham meetingi III MIR. hitchle
has been guilty Of bad faith TO his party, produce the
evidences, and let US see if II cannot be settled &C.
cording TO the principles of Democracy. II convict
ed of disloyal,y to bis party, he would not vote for
him for the Office of Printer. Mr.. {. was aware that
The political waters were muddy, and there appeared
10 be no ripples on the waves. IT a dissolution OF
the Democratic party is TO come, who wants 10 put
off the day2 He claimed TO have devoted ten or
iwelve years Of HE life 10 an investigation OF what
Democracy is--was here, if not informed of all the
e his party, to learn them. Above his
party pi reflections he knew no higher duty. He
hoped that, in general, offices would BIZ given to
those who we're faithful and worthy, but ha asked to
BIZ shown the man who would not vote for his friends
first. Are you prepared, said Mr.. C., to sacrifce and
repudiate the organ which has sustained the party in
its severe conflicts with Know. Nothingism and all
other isns7 Mr.. Crane continued 10 defend the "En.
quirer'' and Mr.. Ritchie, and in conclusion said if
Mr.. X. ehould 20 10 Naples, land he was opposed to
his going he would leave u practical printer behind,
and if HI did not, Governor Wise would appoint one.
Mr.. RAYMOND said he did not propose To enter into
the contest. When a freshet occurs 10 James river,
the " ater becomes muddy" it seems 10 be sup.
posed BY some that The waters throughout the State
become muddy, as a matter of course, but
they are mistaken. If there be differences among the
of Richmond, that il no reason that the same
differences should exist in the country Many Of the
delegates present had come hero with q coircie'i'iou'
intention of discharging their duty, and among otner
Iutlrs, liru election of va, ivus officers was devolv6d
upon them. He SAW that committees were appointed
to examine the Auditors office, and other offices, but
there was no committee to examine into the manner
in which the Public Printing was done, and the charges
for same. For Mr.. Richie he had the highest respect,
but was informed by q printer that the public printing
could be done for 25 per cent. less than 1t ID now done
for. The people were now suffering from the effects OF
the revulsion. and il was tho duty OF the Legislature to
make every possible reform that il could make
Who are to be candidates for the Public Printing 7
Who has investigated the subject with n view to re-
trenchment7 He had been told that's the profits of
the office ars $l0,O0D each session. The Printer ought
to be satisfied with s.. 900. II may appear expedient,
upon investigation, to let the Public Printing to the
bidder, with the requirement Of a bond for
the faithful execution of the work. 1t may appear
that the cost now paid is excessive, and ought TO be
Mr.. II. had learned that other members
were exactly in the same position that he occupied.
1t could not be expected that they should instructive
" know everybody or everything. For Mr.. Richie,
as he said before, he had the highest respect, but the
credit Of the State is now below that Of any prompt
man in the Commonwealth, and there was no money
TO be spared az a bounty for party services. When
this fact WAS considered, it wes the duty of the LIE.
~gislature TO look to economy. Mr.. II had observed
that the tendency CT legislation in late years, was not
only towards the creation Of new offices, but TO an
increase of salaries. This was becoming too general,
and in some instances the applicants for increased
salaries made themselves disagreeable. Theae views
about Kansas-whether the Constitution should be
submitted to the people or nOt-are not now TO be con-
sidered. Like the gentleman from Stafford, lMr.
Seldom he WAS of opinion that IN regard to the Pub
lie Printing, the editors of The country should have o
chance with those in the city. We have too much
Public Printing. He had already received more
documents than he could read the entire session, il he
applied himself to the tack night and day. There are
too many useless documents printed. Among them
Ill lHtTt WINS uuIe 10 huu dDy IgUt upon IL SUI
ject If Public Prin:ing-not a single line that gave
any information on that subject. The time is coming
when the party in power will be held responsible for
the administration Of The government, and lot US,
therefore, have a little time 10 consider. The election
of all those officers mentioned in the resolution should
be postponed, ~ he, for one, did not wish TO 60 blind.
fold into the election. MIR. II. in conclusion, moved
that the joint order be postponed until Monday next.
Mr.. seldom accepted this proposition, as a substi.
tuts for his own.
NJ. tIo,ppr,, nf IIol;rax ,-o. onno,ad - ,o,
postponement, AZ he understood that the movement
was an attack upon Mr.. Richie.
MIR. Seldom interrupted Mr.. HowERToN to dis.
claim any design to attack Mr.. Richie.
Dir. HowERTos, reeuming, said that he had under.
stood from private conversation, almost publicly ex
pressed. that the proposition TO postpone had been
construed as an attack upon Mr.. Richie, who had
performed his duty as Public Printer faithfully. But
il was suggested that he printed too many documents.
This was not the fault Of the Public Printer.
Mr.. HAYMoSD interrupted Mr.. HowERToS to say
that he did not attach blame to the printer for the
heavy amount Of printing. He remarked, when up.