Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-05-16

ed pfdCtlcal printer, DQt a HE scholar and q
terse, vigorous and nervous writer, and some
times, in the heat of personal or political en-
counter with his opponents, scathing and sar-
castle in the highest degree. AS descriptive
writer he had but few snperiors and not many
equals. Many of our readers doubtless still
remember his elegant productions entitled
s.Lettcrs from the Hawksbili; - the ..Lone-for-
gotten Trip TO Pages" his inimitable article,
relative to the candidates for the Legislature
in 1885, under the head of THE Spring Races"
and his nerciless raid upon a number Of un-
fedged poetasters and plagiarists who were
| filing his columns with their productions
| ] he writer was Appended to MIR. D., in 1888,
| to learn .sthe art preservatiye of arts" and he
can say truly hat he never knew man, in all
! the relations Of public and private life, of
more noble, generous impulses than adorned
! the character Of JAMES II. DARLINGTON. He
was kind hearted, sincere in his attac hment to
| impulsve in his resentment of pers oaal iniu-
ries or wrongs. Soon after purchasing the Of
! fee. he enlarged the paper, under the title of
"THe Sentinel Of the VaUey," and it was one
| Of the handsomest sheets iii the State Ills la
bors were not appreciated by he citizens Of
the county, as is too often the case with such
laudable enterprises, and he consequently be-
came SO much embarrassed, pecuniarily, that
he was compo(fvd to reduce his paper to its
! forrnxTtaumbie dimensions And unfortunate-
| ly,f Air abo., ~. -, h.
volved In most bitter alteration with some
of the most influential citizens in the county.
| who used their influence disastrously against
! him. 1t is not deemed either proper or prof.
! table to refer more particularly to these I'M
welcome and sad "reminiscences in this connec-
| ton. Suffice it TO say that, after struggling
unsuccessfully against accommodating embar-
easements, he was compelled finally to surren
der the office for the benefit Of his CREDITORS
| Mr. D. moved to the State Of Missouri in 1887,
and established the ''CHt:cothe Chront~is,' in
the town of Chilcothe, not far from Buns
| wick, which he continued to publish until '43
or "A, when he died OF cholera which he had
contracted while visiting ST. Louis on business
connected with his Office.
In the spring Of 1885, ROBERT F. FERGUSON,
Jun, eides son Of the late Rev. r. L. FERGU-
soN,-well known to many Of our old citizens
as Jealous and popular preacher of the de-
nomination known as ''Christian B tptists, -
became the proprietor, and changed the title
to IFoodstocE Sentinel" Mr.. T. was a thor
ough scholar and polished and chaste writer,
and edited the paper with considerable ability.
He maintained, zealousy and ably, the doc
trines of the Democratic party as taus 1t by its
leaders under the administrations Of Gen JACK
SON and Mr.. VAN buren,. He frequently en-
rched he columns OF his paper with literary
contributions, in prose and verse, some Of
which compared fayorably with the productions
0t some Of our most popular authors. He ed
tied the paper about year. when he Office
was sold for th4 benefit of former creditors-
MIR. f went to Kentucky soon after retiring
from the editorial chair. where he married
accomplished lady. a Miss BARKER, for
merly Of this State, and subsequently moved
to Tennessee where we believe h. still lives
In May, 1898, our former fellow townsman
Capt SAMUEL c. WILLIAMS purchased the
material and books of the office and became
the editor and proprietor. Mr.. w. had not
only received very thorough literary train
ing. but he was acknowledged 10 he one of the
best informed politicians in the State. He was
therefore eminentfy qualified to perform the
responsible duties of editor. As political de-
hatn ho ha1 h,,f y
known to be defeated in q political discussion.
even with the ablest Of his opponents. He
served his county ably in the Legislature, and
was also member Of the last State Conven-
ton to amend the Constitution, and by which
the Ordinance of Secession was adopted He
also frequently represented the Democratic
party in its most important National and State
Conventions, and was honored with the re
sponsble position OF Presidential Elector for
his D strict, and also performed the arduous
duties Of Assistant Elcctor during several pre-
| sidential campaigns. Having the confidence.
not only of his party, but Of the community
generally, it is useless to say that he gave
| tisfaction to the patrons Of the paper. But it
was not alone as a politician that Capt VIII
LJAMs enjoyed the esteem and confidence Of
his fellow citizens. Like his yenerah BILE father,
who had performed The duties of clerk of the
county satisfactorily for half 8 century he
was kind and obliging in his official intercourse
with ALI. however humble, and ever prompt
and willing to give advice relative to any matter
about which information was sought. But the
chief excellency Of his character was exhibited
in his high social qualities. amiable and obi
ging disposition and christian department, as
citizen and neighbour. If the more ,t1com-
promising of his political opponents, who were
made to feel, in the heat of debate, the power
and cogency Of his arguments, sometimes gave
utterance to unkind feeling such resent
ments were laid aside in the social circle, and
none impugned his character rs a citizen. lie
relinquished The editorial conduct of The pa
per in 1889 and after The death of lis father,
was elected clerk of the comfy, which Office
he held until the com nencement Of the war III