The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-07
WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS.
i TRIBUTE FROM BIRSWELL
COUNTY.

i TRIBUTE FROM BIRSWELL
COUNTY.
In the Court OF Common Pleas and Gem
eral Sessions, Barnwen, January
Term, 1871.
At the January term of the Court Of Common
Pleas and General Sessions for Barnwelf Coun-
", his Honor Judge Platt, presiding, the iol-
lowing tribute of respect to the memory of the
late William Gilmore Simms was pronounced
by the Hon. a. P. Aldrlch:
May it please yo,tr Honor-This being the
first court held since the death OF our dlstln-
guished fe!low-citizen, Mr.. William Gilmore
Simms, my brothers Of the bar nave requested
me to make the official announcement. ana
pay tribute to the memory OF the deceased;
In performing this mournfnly pleasant duty
feel sensibly that will fall far short OF what IS
due to the ii!ustrious dead. and my own estl-
mate OF his grand and anectlonate aasu. aS;
When / first came TO the bar it was my good
fortune to attract the attention OF mr.. Slmms
and Governor Hammond. who were rapidly
rising to eminence and claiming large share
OF public attentlon-the one as q popular
author, the other as q wise statesman. Botn
were nv seniors, and from that time to their
deaths. I am happy to say, our friendship In
creased, and never an unktnd word, tAat re-
colleft, was exchanged between US.
These men were ioined in the closest lntl-
macy. and loved each other In the sincerest
friendship. They were entirely disslmllsr IN
character. Simms was enthusiastic, aroent,
gushing. Hammond calm, dehoerate anu
Somewhat reserved. Botn were sincere, earr-
est men. Both loved the State with Intense
patriotism, which each proved In his own WeS
Simms Illustrated her history, stimulated The
ardor and ambition Of her young men, ana
lost no opportunity to elevate the standard Of
honor, purity and chaste thought. Hammond
was the able and eloquent defenoer OF ner
political and social policy, developed her agri-
cultural and manufacturing capacity, and, on
all proper occasions, impaired wise and pru-
dent cornsels. Hammond preceded Slmms
only a little while to that spirit iand Wnlcn
they go loved to talk about and In which taey
are now united, realizing and proving tnelr
grand conceptions Of the hereafter ABOUT
which they used to speculate WIN sucn IN
tense and absorbing interest. il one OF their
theories he true, among the thrOng who well
coined the spirit of the illustrfous man we
mourn, on that far-oG shore OF eternity, was
the friend OF his youth and manhood, VINO,
only few months before, mounted 10 nlgn-
er and purer intellectual sphere, to continue
the preparation to a nearer and yet more near
light and glory OF the Eternal God. :. -.
Mr.. Slmns was bern In Charleston, whe re
he went to scheol only long enough to learn
to read and write. He was emphaticalty.a
selC-educated man. His own ardent, 1nquiring
nature was his schoolmaster, and forced MIN
to deyour books in spite of all obstacles. have
often heard him tell how ne used to deceive
his old grandmother ito whose care his youth
was entrusted, his mother having died IN his
infancy,) by reading at night from light con-
cealed in his dry goeGs box. While youth
he contributed poetry and prose articles 10 tne
literary journals OF the day. AS soon as pc at-
tanned the are of manhood he was admitted to
the bar. having studied law uuder the direc-
ton of his friend, Mr. Charles r. Carroll, few
years his senior, who Is now alive, and was
his lifelong friend. The practice of the pro-
fession was not congenial to man OF ms en-
thusIasn; he was too impatient to wait Tor the
tardy rewards OF the untiring, continuous.
study and thought demanded by this exacting
mistress. His thoughts burned within MIN
and lonced for utterance. The struggle over
came him, and he seized the first opportunity
that presented itself. The City Gazette, q
daily newspaper in Charleston, was offered lot
sale; he became the purchaser and editor, and
commenced his career by opposing the Suilin- IN
cation movement, then SUPPORTED 6y the
State Rights school Of politicians under the
lead Of Mr. Calhoun.
Of course, man OF his temperament was
very pronounced. He expressed himself al
ways warmly, often imprudently, (he was tnen
o very young man, and naturally excited the
bitter opposition Of the ardent men OF the Null
lification party. But Simms was of brave and
self-reliant nature, could not be intimidated,
believed what he said and said what he belleT-
ed, without the fear Of consequences. re-
member one night, when was law student
in Charleston, passing his printing office IN n
procession on It's way TO serenade the success
- ,lx tof.. Di,rhf
city election. The City Gazette office was
brightly lighted, and Mr.. Simms was standing
in the front door, alone. He was KNOWN to
most OF the men in the procession, some OF
whom took offence at his defiant attitude, as
they regarded 1t, and hissed. He looked
scornfully at the triumphant crowd, ana NUT,
tered towards" Those near heard him, and
became excited. A rush was made at the
office. Simms stood his ground, and defed
them. I verify believe he would have died on
his doorstep that night, rather than have
Welded an inch. The crowd, flushed with VIC
tory, were In good humor, admired the cour-
age and audacity ofthe man, and were easily
persuaded by the more prudent TO pass oy,
with a cheer for the successful Larty.
At the termination of that eventful political
contest, which was long felt in the State, ne
paper went down and involved our friend IN
pecuniary loss, who then made literature his
profession, and soon acquired fame that ex-
LeQ0SQ over LILO uuiuCl Ouo WOAno
were rapidly issued and eagerly read. He soon
became one of the most popular authors OF the
day, and the name OF Simms was household
word from Maine to Texas. Here again was
the ardent State pride, the affectionate, In.
tense interest, which our departed friend had
for the land Of his birth, constantly exhl0lted.
South Carolina history wss his favorlte subject,
and every part of her eventful revolutionary
story has been lovingly and truthfully iliustra.
ted. How he loved this State, no man knows
better than myself; her mlsfortunes, her sui
ferings, her trials, her humiliation, broke his
great heart. After the war he worked and
struggled on. His was not nature to sue
culnb; but we who knew and loved him, saw
that his wound was mortal: TO the last MS
utterances were brave, Inspiring and encour,,
aging; but his grand spirit was crushed, and
he waited impaliently for death to open his
prison door and let him escape to rest and
freedom. He had bus one clog, but one tie, to
bind him to earth-his children and his little
circle of friends. How he loved these, none
may know but those who experienced and re-
joiced In that ardent, absorbing affection.
His home at Woodlands was the seat OF q
- ltswx . L. hfknN