The Washington herald., 1913-11-16
THOMAS RITcHIE, ONE OF
wASHINGToEs FAMOUS EDITORS

OF the many editors who appeared in
Washington in the first half Of the last
I century as the spokesmen of national
/ political parties, Thomas Richie was
among the ablest. most influential. and
picturesque. His services in the Prssi-
Dental campaign OF 1874 and his
proved abilities as conciliator and q
lcompromiser had attracted wide attsn-
tion, and President Polk called him
from Richmond to Washington TO be-
come the spokesman of his admInistra-
tion. In this capacity Ritchie founded
the Washington Union, thus displac-
ing the Globe. which had, under ths'
editorship of Francis P. Blair, long
been the recognized organ of the Dem
ocratic party.
When he came to Washington in
IS45 Father Ritchie," as he had long
been called. was in his sixty-seventh
year. He was well versed in the yari-
Gus features OF the tarin controversy,
the States rights doctrines, and the
problems connected with State and ma
tional banking. AS such he was rec
ognized as the leading editor of the
South. But a new problem now con-
fronted the country, that of the exten-
sion of negro slavery into the Terri
tories. The annexation of Texas and
the Mexican conquests had brought a
Under the changed conditions Ritchie
could please neither the North nor the
South. Consequently, he became the
political football in the contest then
raging between the rival sections. His
States rights doctrines came to be
spurned as mere provincialisms. While
Northern leaders were trying to dis
place him by an editor who would be
more in sympathy with their interests.
time, in having him denied the press
privileges of the floor of the Senate. OF
his trials at this time. Ritchie himself
said: Never did my poor bark weather
so fearful a tempest" Had it-not been
for the constant support Of President
Polk Ritchie would have fallen a vic
tim of political factions. Nevertheless.
he continued to edit the Union until
1851, when he retired. to die three years
later, lamented by the President. mem
bers of Congress. and numerous friends
in all parts OF the Union
It was as the editor of the Richmond
Enquirer. which he founded in 1904 and
continued to edit until 1S45, that
Ritchie won his fame Beginning as
the local spokesman OF Thomas Jeffer-
son he continued in turn to speak for
Madison. Monroe, Jackson. and Van
Buren,. In this capacity he did as much
as any other one individual TO Keep
both Henry Clay and John c. Calhoun
from the Presidency and to elevate Van
Buren, and Polk to that high ONCE.
Well might Hugh Blair Grigsby. Vir-
ginia's most gifted biographer. say of
him: He taught Virginians to think
his own thoughts. to speak his own
words, to weep when he wept. to
wreathe their faces in his smiles. and.
above all, to vote as he voted" It was
as the spokesman OF the Virginia in
fiuenceT that Father Ritchie" became
the recognized Napoleon Of the press"
composing as he did. with Francis P.
Blair OF the Washington Globe, and
Edwin CrosweIl. of the Albany Argus,
the Democratic triumvirate" OF edi-
tors. 1t was then that he was the CEN
ter OF the social life of Richmond and
the autocrst OF the General Assemblies
which met there
In his Thomas Ritchie: A Study in
Virginia Politics." Prof. Charles H.
Amber, of Randolph-Macon College.
Ashland. Va, has made a real contrfbu-
tion to the history of the United States
and given a deserved. though tardy.
recognition to one of her great editors.
This biography is published by the Bell
Book and Stationery Company. Rich
mond. Va. Price, $1-s2, postage pre-
maid