The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-17

sSafQlHS IL as Deneath the dlgnltY OF a
true Southern man. to follow the
Northern delegates, who were deter
nine to nominate Douglas, across the
Potomac. .<..
Tbct be looked upon the process of
pfecipitating first the cotton and then
the border States into the revolution,
with pride and joy, is certain; and
when it became clear that there might
be an exchange of hostile shots in
Charleston Harbor, he hastened there,
to beg"that the battle might begin. in
order to drag Virginia after the way
ward sisters already gone, and to get
the glory Of firing the first gun. He
could not literally fire the first shot Of
the war, for that had been done by the
cadets Of Charleston, aimed at the
steamer Star OF the West. He did,
however, fire the first gun at Fort
Sumter, and the Charleston papers
were enthusiastic in describing the
picturesque old man who had made
long journey to claim, as reward for
long life spent in the cause Of South
e1n independence, the immortal honor
OF firing the first gun in the struggle
that was to redeem his country. They
saw peculiar, singular and beautiful
propriety in the opening Of the drama
by the venerable Virginian, and when
the siege was over, the old man had an
ovation in Charleston that rivalled the
triumph Of Beauregard. The termi,
nation of the career of the old traitor
has not been wanting in tragic interest,
and, perhaps, we may add. poetic pro-
prlety. The Richmond Republic, of
Tuesday, says:
'On Saturday last Mr.. Edmund
Ruffin, very distinguished agricultur-
ist of Virginia, committed suicide at
his residence, near Mattoax Depot, on
the Richmond and Danvile Railroad.
lie retired to his chamber at an early
hour in the morning, and, taking a
seat il chair, took a gun loaded with
shot and slugs, and placing the muzzlc
to his mouth, discharged the piece by
pushing the trigger with a stick. The
upper portion Of his head was entirely
blown of. In diary Of his was
found a memorandum, stating that he
could never live under the United
States Government, and took death in
preference. In the~ame memorandum
he said that he would have committed
the deed on the 9th Of April, Che day
Gsn. Lee surrendered) but was pre-
vented by the presence of visitors in
his house. Mr.. Ruffin was we'll known
in Virginia by his efforts in behalf of
agriculture in the State, and was once
editor, we believe, Of the Southern
Planter. He was we'll known through
out the country during the first Of the
war, from the ardor with which he
embraced the Confederate cause, and
particularly from the fact that he was
the man who fired the first gun at
Fort Sumter, when Gen. Beauregard
bombar6ed that work in 1861. He
was over seventy years Of age"
The WAig says:
cit is now stated that Mr.. Ruffin's
mind had been very perceptbly affect
ed since the evacuation Of Richmond
and the surrender Of the Confederate
armies. For q weak previous to ter
minating his life, Mr.. Ruffin kept his
chamber, busily employed in writing
what subsequently turned out to be
history Of his political life. lie also
wrote letters, and in one Of them he
left directions as to the disposal of his
body. He bathed himself, put on
clean under and outer clothing, and