Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-08-12
THE RADICAL CANDIDATE.
A Sketch of the Gentleman who
will not be our Next Governor.
From the Richmond Dispatch


Powhatan county, and is descen-
dant of one of the pioneer families
of the colony of Virginia. His grand
father, David Hughes, was captain
in the war of Independence, while
his father, Jesse Hughes, was cap
tain IN the war of 1912. His mother
was a Morton, of Prince Edward
county. Through her the subject of
this sketch inherits the blood of the
Buguenot families of Watkins, Mosely,
Mosby, Daniel, and others. A great
great uncle. Jesse Hughes. was q
pioneer hunter and Indian fighter in
West Virginia. from whom Hughes
river fowl g nto the Kanawha, took
its name.
Having lost both parents in infan-
cy, the subject of this sketch was
reared 20 the age oftwelve by Colonel
Edward G. Darlington, of Halifax.
He was then sent to the carpenters
trade, in Princeton. n. j., and there
worked for four years. He then re.
turned to Virginia, and having de-
termined to obtain an education.
went to the Caldwell Institute,
Greensboro, n. C, for eighteen
months. We next find him teach>
er of mathematics in the Bingham
High School, Hillsboro', where he
grounded himself in a classical ed,
| ucation but, contrary to the general
impression, he never went to college.
In 1914 Col. Hughes studied law
in Fincastle, Va, and in 1916 settled
in Richmond, where he lived until
1857. During nearly all this time he
was a constant contributor to the
Richmond Examiner, and indepen-
dent Democratic paper of consider
able celebrity and great influence in
the South. When the editor of that
journal John NJ. Daniel, Esq. went
abroad as United States Minister to
Sardinia in 1858, Col. Hughes as
sumed editorial charge of it. He
continued in this position until the
accession of Mr.. Buchanan to the
Presidency in 1857, when, on invita-
ton of the President, he accepted
the position of principal editorial
writer for the Washington Union, the
national organ, it will be remem-
bered, of the Democratic parity
| This position he filled with marked
ability until the summer of 1853.
when he retired from politics to a
farm which he had purchased IN
| Washington county. in Southwestern
Virginia, where he has since contin-
ued to reside. though during and
since the war he has spent most OF
his time in Richmond.
The hostility of Mr.. Buchanan to
Judge Douglas was one of the reasons
which induced the withdrawal of Col.
Hughes from the Washington Union.
He attended the Democratic Con-
vention which convened in Charleston
in April, 1860, as Jealous advocate
of Judge Douglas but owing to his
personal relations with the Buchanan
administration he took no part in the
presidential contest of that year.
After the secession of Virginia,
Col. Hughes became an ardent sup
porter of the cause of Confederate In
dependence, and at the earnest So
licitation ofh friend John NJ. Dan
| iel, spent the principal part of his
time during the war N Richmond as
an editorial writer for the columns oil
the Examiaef, The influence and
celebrity of this journal during that
memorable period are well known -
The paper was conducted in opposit'
ion to the Davis Administration, but
made encouragement of the Confed-
crate soldiers and armies its leading
s,udy and effort. Contrary to the
popular impression. Col. Hughes was
not on the staff of the Examiner du
ring the wear Of 1860. nor until alter
the fall of Fort Sumter; but after
that he was one of its most indus
trious contributors Jealous deien'
der Of Southern institutions and aims
and a bitter opponent of the Fedora
Government. He left the paper
about eight months before the evac-
uation of Richmond.
Immediately after the Federal &C
cupation of this city Union paper
called the Republic. was established
and Col. Hughes, to the great sur
prise of his old Democratic and Con
federate friends became its editor
This paper, though for while sue
cessful. was short.lived, for it had nc
hold whatever upon the sympathie:
of the disappointed and broken hear
ted people among whom it was CIR
culated and from whom its patronage
if any, was to be derived. When II
suspended, Col. Hughes resumed the
practice of law and resided on bis
farm in Southwest Virginia.
| On the removal of the State Jour
nal from Alexandria to Richmond he
took editorial charge OF that paper
combining his attention at first almost
entirely to railroad questions. lie
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