Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-07

MnAELa - 70 MAa AAnAt N1hEn away r
IMAM what he leaves behind"
Deaths arrows have sped fast and fa-
tally in the ranks Of the APPEAL. ButF
a few months ago, oneof its founders and
su-stainers went to his account; and now
again, its surviving prop and supporter
W mightssy with propriety, itspreserver
snd regenerator-is with the dead. To
US who survive him, TO be the chronicler
Of his many virtues, the event is n of
peculiar sadness. Succeeding him Is the
principal working editor Of the Memphis;
Enquirer in eighteen hundred and
thirtv-eight, an acquaintance and
friendship then commenced, which, with.
OUT interruption, continued through all
the subsequent eventfuI years, and on
our Bart survives the tomb. We knew
him intimately and well-as well in the
first flush OF adventurous young mani
hood, a. in the maturer period Of his later:
and rper experience Of hfe-and what we.
shall say Of him viii be alike the tribute.
Of intelligent friendship, and the tesui-I
mouy of truth sifted by the trials and vi
Cissitudes Of years
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Dill was born
July fifth, eighteen hundred and four
teen, in Augusta, Ga, where he received
the first rudiments Of education, and an
forwards went through the usual colle-I
glate course Of study, at the State URi-
verslty Of Athens. His classmates were
HERsCHEL V. JOHNSON, the late Dr.
TATE, Of Pamela, Miss, while several
other gentlemen who have sincoattained
high distinction were his fellow students
in that institution. Returning 10 Au-
gusta, be went through a course OF law
studies with Judge GOULD, and migrated
70 Memphis in eighteen hundred ana
thirty-seven, where he obtained license
70 practice law rs an attorney. HIS nj
cIinsrions. however, as well as his hte-s
rarv qualifications, seduced him into thes
career of a writer for the newspaper
press; End many Of the articles which
gave to the Memphis Enquirer OF thats
dav 2 prestige and reputation which has
seldom been surpassed by later journals
owed their paternity to his iaclie q
scholarly pen. He was 8 neat, pungent,
and elegant writer, Selling the strong
points Of q subject, and presenting them
in q STYLE at C dignifed and attrac-
tive. His was never, even in his freshest
and most impUlsive years, the "siasAiRg
stvIe Of discussion; but was ever marked
hv that courtesy Of the innate gentle
man. which mingles with and imparts s
suavity u dignity even to the most an
imated controversy.
In eighteen hundred ard thirty-eight, Z
the year in which the writer Of this frsts
became identified with Memphis, Col.
Dill removed to the then growing and
attractive town Of fernando, Miss.
where be was induced 10 accept the Cash
fership Of n OF the numerous Banks or-s
-auizeI at that time in Mississippi, ill
ing Al the same time the position of
Attorney for the Bank. In eighteens
hundred and forty-one he was married tos
the only daughter NJ the late FELIX H.
WALKER. a lawyer Of eminence ins
North Mississippi, and in eighteen hun-s
=
dred and forty-0ne removed to St Louis
10 practice law in partnership with that
gentleman. The death Of his father-in-s
Law. in eighteen hundred and forty-two,
induced Col Dill to return 70 Missis-s
sippi, 10 settle and adjust the affairs of
the estate. which embraced a large and.
valuable landed interest. His first resi-s
dence on his return, was at Commerce s
from whence he removed in eighteen
hundred and f0rty-three 10 fernando
IN eighteen hundred aud ferty-four, at
the solicitation Of the leading members Of
The Democratic party, he removed To-
oxford, and established the Organizer, {
which he continued 10 edit with ability
and success, until eighteen hundred and
nfty-fOur, when he returned 10 Memphis
70 become a co-proprietor in the APPEAL, S
with MCCLASAHAN, HUTToN and
TRoUsDALE. Since that period, he has
not been an active or constant writer fors
the press-his talent and experience be-
ing more usefu,ly employed in the gen-s
eral management Of the affairs Of tbeE
establishment, for which he possessed
unusual qualities OF tact and good judg-E
meHt.
HIS subsequent career as a journalist Z
the unseIhsh devotion TO the cause be-
had espoused, the undsgging energy, zeais
and perseverance with which he main-5
tanned his journal, overcoming diticul-
ties under which a less ~resolute spirit
would have succumbed-is incorporated
in the world-known journeyings Of the
Memphis APPEAL, thrOughthe trials aud
vicissitudes OF the late Civil War, ands
need not now be more specially adverted 8
70. IF those associated with him in the
writing department Of the paper, were
the clarion voices which made they
APPEAL welcome in the camp Of the Cons
federates a. a never-faitering word OF
good cheer, he was the sagaciOus and
forecasting proyider Of the "siuews of
war"-the never-tiring, never-failing,
never-desponding spirit which animated
and gave life and energy 70 tie whole.
Nor was there about hin. any Of the
f1ssiness Of energy. Il was raJher Of that
quiet kind which has lie vitality in we'll
laid plans, worked out with cool aud
steady Judgment, 70 unyarying success.
In his personal manner and habit there
nothing Of the vivacity Of energy
hut he was full Of what IS better-E
noiseIcss substance, commanding practl-
cal success. HePossessed administrative
and executive abilities Of the highest or
der, and, except when his heart betrayed
him, never made d mistake In the cholcet
81 his instrumentalities.
In his personal, private relations Of
friendship or attachment, be was not AZ
dcmpnstrativs man. He was chary Of
professions Of liking, aud very rarely
made them. Il was only il substantial
acts Of friendship. when the occasions
arose 20 call them forth, that even those
most intimate with him knew thc@
warmth ard extent Of his friendship ford
them. WeGo not believe he ever had q
bitter o. re~vengeful 8aimosity towards
any one. His friendships, and regards r
men, founded upon s-certsined and e.
tablished qualities Of character, were
rooted. and oflife long endurance.
His modes;y and unpretendingness
while by no means partaking Of tina
ehyuess and diffdence which is inconsis
tent with the bearing Of conscious self
respect was. nevertheless, Of so marked .
description as 70 conceal the real extent
~ his Intellectual ability. While very@
happily expert in that play Of mind
which IS both shield aud sword, he wa
so utterly averse 70 display, that only
Intimate scqgsiutancos knew how deftIvz
he could thrust a. well as parry. in the
keen ~enoounte=s' Of mind. There wa.
no rancor or venom in his intellectual
and we can recall many an instance
in which discussions, that with another
might have degenerated into bitterness.
were turned into a current Of good hu-
NOR by the ready repartee Of mental fun,
50 10 speak, which seemed to spring
spontaneous from his mind. u
During his later residence in Memphis
Col DILL, though neve an aspirant fol
-a,ea lint ON the contrary shrinking frOmE