The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-26
Sudden Death of an Estimable Man.


The Washington Correspondent of the Bal
timore Clipper, under date the 10Th inst. COM
muncates the following intelligence:
MIR. Robert Latham, of Virginia, a clerk in
the Treasurer's office, was this morning found
dead in his bed. He was taken sick only
yesterday afternoon with pneumonia, land it vas
supposed that he was not in dangerous con-
diiion. Thus in the midst of life we are in
death"
We read this announcement with sorrow
because we knew Mr.. LATHAM well, and es
teemed him much for his noble qualities. The
Washington papers also contain notices of his
death; but they are simple, and put away in
the obituary department, without word or COM
ment. Had man of less merit and more
pretension shufled off this mortal coil, eulogy
after eulogy would have been uttered over
him, and the whole community would have
been made TO deplore his loss. Yet few men
in Washington were the equals of Robert La
than in genius, and none could surpass him
in nobleness of soul.
Mr.. LATHAM was a native of Culpeper, and
could not have been far from the middle age OF
life when he died. He commenced life we be.
leve in Lynchburg as lawyer. When we
first knew him he edited the Jeffersonian''
| there during the presidential campaign, which
ended in the first election of General Jackson
| to the Presidency. He then attracted a great
| deal of notice by the vigor and point of his
| editorial essays. They were copied and com.
| mended in all directions, and were among the
best of their class of literature of the day
| When his connection with that paper ceased
| he seemed rather to shrink from than cour,
public notice. He withdrew, after time, to
| the quiet life of Southwestern Virginia
town. There he practsed law, and, for q
while, edited paper. His retiring DISPOSE.
ton kept him very much out of the world
| but those who knew him, knew the power OF
his mind. The Senior Mr.. RICHIE had an
exalted opinion Of his abilities, and paid him
one OF the highest compliments we ever saw
passed by one editor upon another. He was f..
nally induced by Mr. RlrcHlE to leave his Sc
| cluded life and go with him to Washington in
| 1874, as an assistant editor of the Union. In
this capacity he continued for some time, giving
| that paper the benefit of his abilities. When
| circumstances led TO his retirement from it, he
took a clerkship in the Treasury office, which
he held TO The time of his death.
MIR. LATHAM was a proud hearted man, of
| an independent spirit, and most perfect gen.
tleman. He was man OF honor, without stain
aud without reproach. Posses. ed of fine
and commanding person, he was fitted by ca
paciiy and education for distinguished career
but his unbending spirit and his delicate sense
OF propriety, in a measure, disqualified him
| for that struggle which must be encountered
for popularity. Aud thus il is with the world:
he passes away clerk in a public Office.
| while men not having 1.-THE of his mental and
personal merit, fill high posts Of honor aud re,
sponsibiiify before the nation. In him death
has noble victim, and the grave closes over
as generous and true hearted gentleman as
ever Eyed. May he rest in peace