Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-30
MllilPIEiS APPEAL
SATURDAY MORNING. IAN. 80. 1853
DEATH OF ]. II. MCMAHON.

It Is with profound sorrow that We
chronicle the death OF Col. JOHN b. Nc
MAHON, 80 widely known throughout the
Mississippi Valley In connection with the
press Of Tennessee. he expired last
evening at the Peabody Hotel, about 8
O'Clock, surrounded by bis family and
friends, his last moments soothed by the
consultations OF q church to which we
know he had given the most implicit
obedience and whose faith be relied on
as the medium OF bis salvation. HIS
sickness was brief, and whatever the de-
votion Of bis wife and daughter and =
host Of loving friends could do to sllevi-
yiste his suferings wss cheerfully and
unremittingly rendered. After wellnigh
fifty-nine years of life, life varied by
many changes of the eventful periods
through which be lived, and Genes in
which he participated, be rests in peace.
Fifty-nine years ago, when Tennessee
was yet In her infancy and the great
men who gilded her history were yet in
the germ OF their career, In the pretty
little town of Franklin, ever then g eOsy
spot noted for its culture and a~fiuence,
JOHN a. MCMAHON was ushered
into 8 life that was destined to be
one Of constant struggles with for
tune. He took what he could receive Of
education, was a close student, an
earnest reader and deep thinker. OPP
portunity offering, he awaited himself Of
that alma mater Of so many noble
workers, and graduated with honors
from s printing Office. Thrown upon
the world, without fortuAs but with his
own good will and steady nerve, he was
not long in making q place for himself
He early attracted the attention OF the
public men Of his time by his smooth, in
cisive, practical and vigorous style as
writer, qualities that distinguished min
through life, and that von for him mer-
tied distinction smOng his brethren Of
the press, his neighbors and countrymen.
He served with credit as Lieutenant in
the Indian wars in Florida, in 1912, and,
upon being mustered out Of service, re-
turned 10 the practice Of his profession in
Tennessee. He was connected with the
West eRnesses WHig, with the EagleGRd
Enquirer OF this city, and other papers
Of the State and ia 1855 commenced
the publication Of the Daily Bulletin, 8
paper Of which be was justly proud, and
upon which he expended q rare ability,
bringing to the performance Of his labor,
as chief editor, 8 just sense of his re-
sponsibility 20 the public, q great degree
OF tact and q nice discrimination
OF the line across which not
even the press may go with
VI trenching upon private ground,
and invading the reserved rights Of the
citizen. He carefully and scTupulously
guarded the public interests, visited with
unsparing scorn and contempt what he
used to denOminate the 4" cheats" Of So
cisty, but never trenehed upon the do
main where men find refuge and e
hsrbOr from the world. How much
he accomplished for Memphis, every
existing public work within her
limits and contiguous thereto,
bears witness. Progress and advance
ment were his tavorite themes, and he
loved to dwell upon the possibilities Of
the great valley where 90 long be had
found 8 home. Every legitimate enter
prise, that could In any degree advance
this city, found in him q vigorous and
untiring advocate. A strong WhIg, he
bsttled no less peTslstently fer his party,
and when the late wal was imminent,
and those who stood beside him through
all his political life wavered and were
swallowed up in the sectional excite
ment of the time, he stood manfully for
the Union, for which he had fought, and
In which the State and the South had
realized an unexsmpled prosperity. But
the hate OF Northern fanaticism was too
much for him and after q struggle, brief
but brave, during which he achieved
the admiration Of his opponents, be
yielded TO what he came TO re-
gard a manifest destiny, east bis
with the South and remained
with her until the last Confederate sword
was sheathsd when, with the few from
Memphis who survived the great strug-
gle, he returned, advanced In years,
broken Ia fortune, bat possessed Of an
elasticity, a vigor and hope younger {
than half his years, and that sustained !
him for many months OF after
trial and additional misfortune. Upon
the revival Of the APPEAL he was
by the surviving proprie-
tor (COl. DILL to I'LL the posi-.
ton Of editor-in-ehlef. How well he i,
performed his task, It is not necessary .
for US here and now to pa~Tticularize. {
il that he fairly reached the full /
measure Of ability which long before had 7
been assigned him, and at which he :
Cor years. He lsbored success t
fully TO restore the APPEAL to its status t
n the leading paper Of the State, and -
while be occupied the chief seat in its q
room, presided with dignity t.
distinction. After, perhaps, 8 year
II this connection, q more profitable
isld inviting, he left and forever babe
'dieu to the cares and anxieties Of a pro-
essi0n TO which he had grown from q
9oyhOod, and to illustrate the usefulness Il
IF which he had done SO much. 10 the Il
brief space assigned Us we will not ven o
so analysis OF the character Of =
our friend. We knew him well-in
tmAteiy' With him we COM s
Inenced our editorial career in Men, q
PMS, and to him are indebted for y
much Of valuable suggestion and advice. ii
recuilarities he had, but they were Of the di
character that grow out of the ahsorbjn0 Al
Of editOrial life. Tender and kind' u
hearted n possessed of a deep well Of
sentiment, when occasion invited. no II
,1uld equal the sweetest and most touch. to
ng writers Of his time by q pathos and p'
ceiling that never f~ilsdtO bring from bis "