The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-21

slvely he writings o: Randolph Macon
College students
The publication : IN The form q; an an
nuai. and Mr. John +. Branch bcar~ The
expenses thereof. whils Professor William
r. Dodd i the learned and loving editor.
The field thus opened ~ : one - I'm
portauee. and cultivated a. i : gong ;o
b. cannot FAIL IL interest oar .~agle 10
the lives 81 Virginia. great ~us tbou;
some II these men little i known. except
an q scattering way not . ftw who werc
| worthy u hive IA books and magazine
have dropped out 81 PRINT almost entirely
There Papers viii rescue many q: these
worthy names. and while encouraging the
development; 81 young winters. wIIl do jus
tice 10 the dead. and FURNISH instruction
and entertainment Tor the living
IN the number just l~~u~l there are
papers on Thomas RltthIe. Us & T limit.
a. y. Abel Parker Upshur, ~ r +.
McCabe. and John Lewis FOUNDER ol Au
gu~ta county,. by = II F1eldlug al-o )
like sketch OF Captain Elehapi Irby by
Bishop J &. CRANBERRY That on Father
Ritchie has q particular interest for u.
The subject was II this town. and oi our
profession. Many years 81 hs hfe ~ere
ItA tAN ~ y 3 4 L. ii 49, go
a roomy structure oil frame. stood on the
northeast corner az Franklin and ThtrI
streets. lie was born in Tappahannock.
November ;. ITS. and died here July 3.
1854, and his body lies in Hollywood. For
over forty years he was editor of the I'm
quirer, and his work may be found IN
nearly all departments OF that paper. lie
had studied law, then medicine. and then
became a school teacher. And then h.
ran a book store. With that preparation.
with that wide range OF instruction and
observation, he entered journalism BY be
coming editor OF the paper Judge Spencer
Roane established IN Richmond, the En-.
} qulrer.
I our author defends Mr.. Ritchie from The
I charge OF excessive Feasibility. Many q
' the quarrels We're forced upon Mr.. Richie
c he says. While he dealt fierce blow,
upon his enemies, he always fought fairly
) for he was the soul Of honor, and naturally
! felt contempt for the coward.
Notwithstanding the bitterness which
at times marked his conduct OF pohtlca
e battles. let it not be supposed that Mi
Richie had no tender traits"
II SO, too, we are told that Mr.. Richie
description of the burning OF the Rich
mond Theatre was a remarkable produC
- tlOn. tie poured foItn ms sympathy 10
the grief stricken people IN a style 5
9 plaintive. 50 pathetic, that II beggars de
scriDtlon.
We are also informed that Fathe
i Ritchie was a clear and earnest, at time
:" eloquent speaker. He was dubbed b
/" the Wings" n Sweat House Orator !
~ those day the Democratic band III Rlcl
ie rond was small, and it was not necessal
y to hire a big hall in which to hold the
- meetings.; a vacant room III 4 tobacC
10 factory was often made to serve the
~ purpose-hence the term sweat house
- orator, applied derisively to one who ";
" in the habit Of speaking at those assen
g blages of ''unterrified Democrats
y Mir. Richie Is described by DR.. Thru
u as tall and lean. He IS said to have hi
i9 a brilliant eye, prominent chm and nos
OIL He chung with great fondness to the o
us style of dress, including low shoes al
~ stockings. His last days were spent
~ the quiet of his family. '%reviving h
nc studies, reading the Scriptures, culllng Il
~ gems of poetry and song and contempla
u. ~ ing the beauties of rural scenery In II
rs seventy-sixth year of his age he died wit
out any of the premonitory symptoms
decay, 1.-The ablest editor the South h
~ yet produced"