American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-03-26
From the New York Tribune.
DEATHS OF EDITO RS. !.

Three Of the ablest and most eminent of the
American Editors of the last half century have
died within few days-John S. Skinner at
Baltimore, Isaac Hill in Washington, and Nor
decai NJ Noah in this city. Mr.. Hill has been
for some years in bad health, but Colonel Skin
ner is cut off by deplorable casualty, while
Major Noahs death was also sudden, caused
by palsy. Each Of them had been connected
with the Press from period antedating our re-
collection; all were of the Democratic school of
Jefferson and Madison; but Colonel Skinner,
from early life an ardent devotee of Agricutu-
raj improvement and an advocate of protection
to home industry as conducive to such improve
ment by creating ample and diversified home
markets, and as facilitating the return to the
soil of those elements of production which the
export of its bulky products tends inevitably to
exhaust, has for many years acted efficiently
and voted with the Wing party. Major Noah
has also been a Wing most of the time since
1884. He was for years the most popular edi-
tor in our State, and was once Sheriff Of this
city and county, as he had previously been a
United States Consul in Barbary.
Mr.. Hill was farmers son, who early
learned the trade of Printer, and, while yet
quite young, established the first Democratic
paper at Concord, N. H., which had just be-
come, or was destined soon to become, the cap
ital of the Granite State. He had talent tact,
and rare industry, and gradually acquired an
unriyaled influence in his State, which (previ-
ously of adverse or doubtful bias) he fastened
firmly to the car of his party, and thus became
the Warwick of the State. But, in 1924, he
took ground ardently for the Caucus Candidate
for President, William H. Crawford but could
carry no considerable party with him-the
great mass of both parties uniting in the sup
port of John Quincy Adams. Mr.. Adams was
chosen, and "The Patriot" became the leading
Opposition journal in New England, but did not
succeed in carrying New Hampshire for Jackson
in 1928. Next Spring, however-Jackson hav-
ing been elected-the State swung around, and
from that time Mr.. Hill was for years the most
powerful man in the State, elected and re-
elected Governor, chosen to the u S. Senate,
&c. At length his star waned-perhaps from
his own fault perhaps because younger men
grew tired of waiting-and he was for some
years under a cloud, having parted with his
paper, lost his political influence, and (it was
said) became poor. He never recovered his
former standing, but always adhered to "the
party" and, though industrious and frugal
through life, we think he died poor, or at all
events not rich. He had for some years edited
q Farmer" of considerable merit. Mr.. Hill
has seemed to us to infuse needless amount
of ascerbity-we used to consider it malignity-
lHIO pOlllCul COHLtSbS, TcUueTlDp UDem IDe OCCH-
sion of personal feuds, so that it has seemed to
us that there is more of rancor and bitterness
mingled with the politics of New Hampshire
than with those Of any other State, and that he
was the cause of it. But he is dead, and we
trust our prepossessions did him injustice. We
never doubted that he loved and labored to
serve his country.
Colonel Skinner was n man who made per-
sonal friends faster than Governor Hill-a
generous, open-hearted, hiGh-spirited patriot.
He started and long conducted "The American
Farmer" the first agricultural paper published
in America, and perhaps in the world. He was
for years postmaster at Baltimore, and ought
to have saved a fortune, but saving was not his
best point He was afterward for some years
an Assistant Postmaster General, until turned
out by Polk He then came to New York, and
for some years edited the Farmers Maga-
zine," which we published We finally gave it
up, and he removed it to Philadelphia, changed
its name to "The Plough, Loom, and Anvil"
and we believe was gradually working it up to
paying circulation when death SO suddenly
arrested his labors. lie leaves a widow and
several grown-up children.
Mordecai Manasseh Noah was born in Phil
adelphia on the 10th of July, 1884, and was
consequently nearly sixty seven years old at the
time of his death. He was the son of Manuel
Noah, who married Zipporah Phillips, of that
city. At the age of FIVE years he was left to
the care of his maternal grandfather, Jonas
Phillips. But few weeks since we heard him
speak of walking the streets of Philadelphia
with this relative, who pointed out to him Dr.
Franklin and his wife. On another occasion
he visited the opening Congress, and boheld
Washington, distinct recollection of whose
person he always retained. He received par
T,lsn
and at an early age was apprenticed to car