The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-09-12
/. The Editors Convention.
litof Ordnge6u7g Dcm0crdt:

Editor Orangeduy Democrat:
Respectfully dedicated to D.; whose
soul is in sympathy with The iiaityrs
Who have to plod Through wcarying
columns Of wc(a)ekly contributions,
consisting principally OF "sta!c picnic
literature"
In the latter part of the twentieth
tcentufyi there once lived Il great ai,d
learned cosmologist, who was inucr,,
the marvel bf his age. His generous
heart wasIbflen wrung with woe
while pondcring on the ignorance Of
his fellow-crcaturcs. lie thought their
narrow world too small by far, and
longcd TO burst upon their larkcned
mental vision like some brilliant
comet, which traversns tho universe,
startlcs worlds with its lurid blaze !;
and by the intellectual light cmana-
ting from his own mind, by the radi-
ant .scintillations Of his glowing gen
ins, forever dispel the gloom that
lowered there, and rillumc their minds
with the broad light Of reason.
How best to accomplish this, he
pondcrcd long while sitting in his
laboratory, for, in the pursuit of
aknowledge, he had not adhered to a
Splitary beaten track, and was not
ohly deep in the lore of past ages, but
knew the secrets Of physical laws and
phenomena, besides being convcrsant
with all polite literature. Twilight
shades were falling fast as lie still
sat buriedSin Thought. go, pitiful,
benIghtcd creatures !" hc lamcntcd,
show can l rend the heavy veil be-
tween us?. Shall l appeal to you ?
shall wear ont my life cndcavoring
to walk in your paths, trying TO reach
you,by the orators cloqucncc? I'm
possible; all could or would not hear,
vain, vain I sig gh for the victor's
mccd. My soul rccoils, suffers, dc
spairs at thought Of your blindness
yet what can | do?"
He bowed his noble form IN speech
less sorrow, kecnly feeling the con-
sclousness Of powers to do, and moth
ing to be done, yearning to overleap
the blank wall that stared him in the
face. Suddenly there came, quick as
the lightning flash over the electric
wire, theirapitF transit OF sound along
the telephone, or the swift incision by
the photographic hand, an idea which
caused him to spring up with face
aglow. ,.,..
81 viii write!" he exclaimed, 81
will educate-I will reach the masses
II will edit newspaper which shall
be in reach of ALL"
The longer he pondcred, the more
deslrablc and feasible seemed the
scheme, yet it pcrplcxcd him to think
how could lie perform the work of a
Journalist and continue the pleasing
labors he was unwilling 10 sacrifice.
Sin order 10 instruct others, l must
study myself, and while expect to
contribute great deal to this hcncl-
cent undertaking, those who will be
the recipients of my favors, must be
co-workcrs in the field"
Accordingly, the pre'iminarics hav-
ing .been thoughtfully arranged, as
su'., s most cffectual way of bringing
al important subject under the
~ = Sideration Of the public, he called
cVonvcntion. AT that advanced pc
ROD Of the worlds history, the cause
OF education and enlightenment did
not languish as it had done in times
more remote, end now proved suGi-
@ent to attract large number pos
scsscd of bnt ordinary intellect as we'll
rs the literati Of the land, who crowd
ed the large temple Of learning in
their attendance upon the Editors
convention, as it was termed in the
"Hourly News" published by Messrs.
ii. Il. Arsay & Co., in the city where
he resided.
with anxious hearts, the assembled
multitude rested their eager gaze
upon the high stage where lowered.
the majestic brow Of the learned auto
crat, who now arose and in n deep
toned voice, unfolded in an eloquent
Grafton, his grand scheme, and solic-
'teo, nay demanded their co-opcra-
Ilon. lie announced that "The Great
Constellation" wopll s,o,, ;I