St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-01-06
Obituary.

rad ~ this, which announces the death OF
RoHERr NJ. RIDDLE. Sketches oi his
lite will be written in abundance, for he
had many warm, personal friends; and was
long and widely known as Pittsburs's
nn~t polished and able political editor.
70 us, therefore, it is left to speak Of
him simply as he appeared to us in the re-
lations, OF publisher, printer, business
partner O: employer for twelve years.
just prior to the getting up OF the Mex
lean war. We were writing series OF let
tcrs on N'orIan's Wrongs. They were
published in Tie Spirit Of Lide,ty, an
able little Anti-Slavcry weekly, published
and cditc by REEcE c. FLEEsoS, one Of
the present editors, OF the P;:t;sbury Dis
patch.
The ru*! OF patriotism which carried our
nation into the Mexican war, submerged
the Spirit, which went down gallantly,
maintaining the principle Of Liberty or
Death. !>ittsburg was thus left without
one paper TO utter o word against the Pc
cuI!ar Institution; and her citizens, even
nruly Of those who had been prominent
Anti-Slavcry men, appeared to be drunk
with the glorious prospect Of whipping
that miserable old cripple, Mexico, for the
benefit OF our pct institution. Any one
who breathed word against the war was
giving aid and comfort to the enemy, OBJ
tanned the brand Of traitor and, if politi-
clan, sisned his own political death war
rant
1t was not customary ti!cn for American
women to write about anything "but moon
shine, spring flowers and the art of cook
ing and when VIC resolved. if we could
lain medium Of communication with the
public, to throw ourselves directly across
the current of public sentiment, we were
etrcnS tiicned for thc task by the reflection
that We had no children to safer by the
disgrace, and public scorn into which we
were about to plunge.
There was no editor we knew even by
eye sight; but old Judge RIDDLES wife
was member in our church; and one of
her sons owned and edited the PlUsIurg
Commercial Jour"o1, a leading Wing pa
per, and i'll its columns our letters had
lcen tavourably noticed
The Journal was fully committed to
the war policy; but our faith in female in
huenccs led us to think shat the son of
such mother must have a strong internal
sense Of natural justice and would not re-
fuse hearing to the other side.
10 him we sent our communications;
and while he protested against our senti-
ncnts he gave us such prompt and re-
spcctful hearing as commanded the re-
spect Of his readers; and enabled US to
produce all and more than all the effect we
had hoped for.
This required considerable editorial in
dcndencc: for VIC went upon the principle
OF wasting no powder, spending no time
battling the air Or talking CT abstract lions;
but adopted the old Revolutionary tactics
OF taking aim and shooting the enemies
officers
In carrying out this plan VIC made d.
rect, personal nay: almost objectionable at
tacks upon many Of the most influential
citlzens, including Hon GABRIEL ADAMS
who is an elder in the ch urch which
brought lis up in the Hatred Of Slavery,
who was then Mayor Of the city, and is
no~ Judge Of district Court; and on
Hon CHARLES Si1Ah%n, ;lr. R;DDLE's
brother-in-!aw, FROM whose house VIC now
learn he has departed to the Better Land.
There il ne place in the Union where
less pride is felt in the fcats of that das-
tacdly war than in Pittsburs, and for the
correctness of sentiment her Anti-Slaycry
cit:zcns are indebted to tho courage and
fairness Of ROBERT NJ RIDDLE, who
kept his columns open fer discussion, and
published many articles from able writer's
who took the side Of peace.
| We followed our war articles with q &C.
rcs of letters on the legal expressions to
which women were subjected: He gave
these such respectful attention, so far en-
slorsed our structures on Pennsylvania law,
a;d The Journ~l stood so high in politi-
cal circles, that, in the attention Of our
LEGISLATORS vas called to the nattor. aud