The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-08-22
The News and Courier,

We will publish next week from the
-1ugustn Chronicle 0ni Sentinel a letter
from the Rev. \. Tuomcr Porter, giving
4 littlc sketch of Capt. i. W. Dawson,
and the part which he took in the late
war. We publish it for two reasons
First, for the information which it on
tains in reference to one of the publishers
Of onc of the very best newspapers print
cd in tho South. Second, rs an offset to
some very unkind articles which have
recently been published by those who
would injurc his fame. Whatever may
have been Mr.. Dawson's faults We arc
not of that class who are disposed to
magnify his shortcomings and forget his
virtues. We never join a procession
which would make 4 wanton attack upon
any one. While the Reverend brother
relates some interesting facts in reference
to Mr.. Dawson, we would have been glad
if the writer had written it in somewhat O
different style. During tho reading Of
this narrative We were constantly re-
minded Of the average nauseating story Of
some Sunday School scholar, who was
systematically good, and who died OF
fever after lingering nino wccks-just
before he was thirteen years old. All tho
way through we looked for a funeral pro-
cession with weeping barefoot Sunday
school scholars following the corpse to the
grave.
This, however, is an interesting little
scrap of personal history and we
are pleased that so distinguished a divine
as tho Rev. Mr.. Porter, of Charleston,
accords to Mr.. Dawson a military record
so good. Whilo the publisher Of the
Ne'ps and Courier has mado some mis-
takes, land who has not made them p
all admit his ability, energy and success
i'll making for the people of South Caro-
lima, a most excellent newspaper. We
think we can speak imrartially, for VIC
have never met the editor Of the News
ond Courier, and have never thought the
Press and Banner was a special favorito
Of that paper. The Ncws and Courier
also copied tho article of which we speak,
and made, as VIC believe 4 needless apollo
gy for SO doing. AS 4 rule we think
newspaper men should not assume such
extreme modestv. They o o learn to
hear with equanimity any little words OF
kindness spoken by others. Editorially
the Augusta Chronicle and Constitutional
ut says:
CAPTAIN r. w. DAwSoN.-We pub
lish this morning in the Chronicle and
r6nstfuhonnHst n letter from Rev. A.
Toomer Porter relating the account re-
contly given by Commodore Pcgram OF
tbn Gallant service rendered h South
dn,;nm tbo war by Captain +. w. Dawson
now onc Of the editors and proprietors of
tLc rHnr1csfon Ncms Hnd Courier. Com
modorc pccram was a distinguished Off
cc, or tho confederate States Navy, and
COMMITMENTS from such n source must
mood bc gratifying to any man. re aoes
not stint his praise sPeaklnS OF INC ca
rcnr of Capt. Dawson. put pears uhsolicl,
+oa to~ct;,nonv IN the zeal, the devotion and
tI,o consn;cmous rallantry displayed by
tI,o ,o,,nr Enrlishman in the cause of
constltntionaL Cant. no",son 10 bcst
known. and his services in that field have
been of the greatest value to his adopted
State and. section. He has strivcn long
and untirinrly to raise South Carolina to
her proper place in the American Union.
and has advocated. with all the ardor Of
his nature. every measure calculated 70
promote hor material or political pros
norftv. The splendid work done by Capt.
Dawson and his colleague Of the Nrms
and Courier in the crcat Hamnton cam
paign Of last ycar--work which never
ceased until crowned with victorv-is still
fresh in tho minds of Carolinians and
Georrians. IT affords us ereat n%lcasurc tn
publish the letter Of the DISTINGUISHED
divine who gives the words Of Commo-
dore Pcgram when speaking to Carolini-
ans If ono who has done SO much for
Carolina.