The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-23

Tr,butc Of the Virginia Press.
Gull. OF YEARS AND PULL or HoNoRs."
IRlchmoDd state.I

4
| Richmond stale.I
| Orr morning contemporary the ms
match has sustained n severe loss I'll thf
death Of this venerable gentleman, who
v,s NOT only is founder. but TO period
within four wears its chief and active edi.
TOR. But his surviving children and Other
relatives and many intimate connections
arc the greater sufferers by his death; FOL
what are all the business bonds that may
chain ms 70 the earth in comparison with
thc sacred ties OF kindred and friendship
| Therefore 10 these latter, and not to his
surviving partners, or 70 The patrons OF ms
paper, with whom he had been so long az
sociated or held converse. do we tender
our kindest sympathies and profer olIr
sincere condolements in the loss they have
sustained.
Mr.. C0wardwin belonged to race OF
editors which Is now fast fading away,
drifting into the grave one by one, like
him. full of wears and full OF hOnors-tO
the Grceleys, the Weeds, the Camerons,
tbe Forneys, the Greens, and a host OF
Others who are gone or going. They are
fho men who served as the connecting
links between the slow and substantial era
of the past and the rapid but eyancsccnt
|
the men who worked their way up from
the Cease" TO command, from before the
mast to the quarterback, and who know
every rope and timber OF the ship. from
keel 10 main truck. They did not come in
through the cabin-window, but served
| their full apprenticeship.
Men Of the old Ramagc press days who
entered the country printing-oilice at ten
or twelve. learned to "set type and "pul
press" and afterwards, like Greeley, and
Forney, and Cowardin. spread their pin
ions for flight cityward, where, by their
energy and force OF character. they soon
made themselves known and felt, and inn
pressed the spirit Of the age 10y the yigoI
OF their genius. The race i not yet eX-
tinct, but we fear ere long will he. There
are sill few links left in the chain that
connects the present with the past, but
soon these must fall out, and the old
printer-edit0r will be- but tradition, to be
recalled with the stage-coach. the country
tavern. and the old-tImc schoolmaStcr.
Mr.. Cowardin was one OF this class, and
one, too. who had lived through the life
and times IT represented. 4 contemporary
of Horace Greeley. they rcSembled cacl
other in many respects, but in none more
than their personal history. Both were
country boys who had grown up in small
printing-oflice. and received the greater
Dart OF their education therein, for 10 tn,
| diligcnt, ambition. boy there il no school
college, or university equal to the printer:
case. Both reached cities ut about tn,
same time OF life and began thci
struggles together. and both won rcputa
lionand fame, and were alike beloved in The
places they had chosen, The one more for
tunate only than the other in the large
field he had selected. Both attained wealth
and in this respect they were not divided
in their fortune, a. the closing days o
their brilliant careers drew nigh; bu
Cowardin, happier than Greeley, had n,
complaint OF ingratltude to make again.
any TO cmbitter hi, last days or cloud hi
clear brain. He was spared this, though
suffering many private calamlticS. all 0
which he bore not only with the rc>lgna
ton of a Christian, but with the light
hearted gaiety OF philosopher.
As an editor he was especially devoted t
the city Of Richmond, and we believe Ia
written more than any other man ever die
with the sole aim and object in view OF Tia
development OF this city; and how graft
fving to his feelings it must have been. ant
with what conscious pride he must hav
looked upon the evidences Of growth ant
improvement in Richmond, as during hi
long invalidation he occasionally rode OH
through the new streets and suburbs an'
beheld on all sides so many bright promise
Of her future grandeur and greatness
knowing that he had contributed his ,har
to the work of her development and cX
tension, and had never faltcrcd in his grca
faith in her fntnro.
But the time came when the busy braii
could work no more, or the paralyZeC
hand guide it, thoughts. The trenchan
pen falling from the grasp that had held i
so firmly and directed it so truly wa,
taken not up again; and the story OF ;
busy life all unfinished was left for other,
TO round off and complete
And so has passed from earth and from
all its pomps and vanitic> one OF the rarc>
men Richmond has ever known: a guile
less and pure man. endowed with all th,
nOble>t attributes Of our race: one whC
has left the world better by having lived il
! it, and who. with equal mselti>hnc>S an,
devotion loved his family. h~ friends. hi
count = and his God. May he rest il
I peace.
a LIFE WELL srEtr."
TRichmond Whig.l
/ Though the many friends OF Mr.. towar
din knew that his disease would sooner o
later carry him away from earth. his Geatl
camc somewhat unexpected, and the an