The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-05-18
Death of John A. Stuart. ESQ.

We unite with our brethren of the Or ess,
in offering All obituary tribute to the memo.
ry of this brilliant genius and gifted writer,
MIR. Steuart, we learn, died at Beaufort, in
this State, the place of his nativity, on the
Sd inst, in the SD year of his age. While
quite youth he entered the South Carolina
college, where he gave many evidences and
left many "reminiscences of those high gifts
which afterwards distinguished him. Sub
sequently, he was transferred to Princeton
College, where he graduated with distinction
Returning home he studied and commmcn-
ced the practice of law, soon Abandoned that
toilsome profession for the editorial field,
one far more cOngenial to his habits and
tastes. He first conducted paper, in Beau
fort, called, we believe, the Beaufort Gazette,
and made himself so favorably known, by
his essays as q literary and political writer,
that during the nullitication controversy, he
was invited to edit The Evening Post, a new
journal, then originated and established, in
! this city, by the State Rights Party, TO de-
fend and propagate their political tenets.-
In January 1888, he became proprietor and
editor of the Charleston Mercury, the lead
ing organ of his party in this State. and for
many years conducted it with great ability,
and adorned its columns with tho varied crca-
tons of his genius. His literary stores were
great and almost inexhaustible, his power of
sarcasm and ridicule fearful and scathing,
his imagination full of beautiful things, and
his humor exquisite and infinite; and often,
too, would his fancy plume itself with wings
and gracefully scale the heights Of Parnas-
sus. As a writer, he held pen of rare pow-
ers and eloquence, and his conversation was
literally studded with gems of humor and
wit Intellectually endowed as he was,with
proper culture of his gifts, there was scarce
iy any emncnce, literary or political, to
which he might not have aspired but being
In addition, a man of kindly nature and com
panlonable qualities, his very gifts and virtu-
es proved n snare, which leaves the memory
of wasted powers and blighted life associ-
ated with bright cluster of more pleasant
"reminiscences. TO the very close of his ca
rcer, however, we learn, that his mind con-
tinued to attest its original lustre by occa-
sional CLEANS and flashes, like some ancient
temple betraying in its wreck the original
magniticcuce and beauty of its architecture.
The death of gallant son, who had covered
himself with laurels in the Mexican war.
which took place some year or two since, ex-
ercised, we are informed, salutary influence
on his mourning parent, leading to happy
change and to preparation for that one and
final event which is common to us all. 1t
was our lot, as editors, to be in rivalry and
conflict with the deceased, in the very heat
and tempest Of the political excitements, now
happily regarded as a legend of the past,
which oEce convulsed out State, but we ev-
er rendered justice to his gifts of mind and
heart; and it is pleasing reflection that we
exchanged the wampum and smoked the cal
umct, long ere the Great Spirit had called
him to His bosom.-C, Courier.