Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-25


CURED st $50 o'clock last evening,
1t his residence in this city, after 8
lingering and painful fllness-borne by
3 him with the most heroic forhtude and
zChristian resignation-of nearly three
4 months.
1t is not enough to say Of Colonel
Thompson that he had worn the mantle
sof journalism with credit TO himself and
honor to the fraternity for a longer
aperiod, continuously, than any Of his con-
stemporaries. for the fame he has won is
sof far more enduring character. Neither
lis it sufficient to state that he achieved a
reputation as journalist and author
which is not confined to the limits of
<Georgia, but extends throughout the
length and breadth Of the land. for q
far higher mead Of praise is his. True
s 1T is that during a period of yearly half
a century Of well nigh constant devotion
to his chosen profession, he not only &C
fquired an envisble reputation asathought-
ful and prudent, yet fearless, writer, but
what is infinitely more to be desired,
she was universally recognized as
"a man thoroughly honest and
sincere, and Of the most stainless in
stegrity. True to his convictions, he never
zhesitated ardently to advocate what he
sbelieved to be right, though in so do.
ding he, with characteristic regard for the
feelings of those with whom he differed,
Fever combined gentleness with frmness.
sDuring the whole of his heightened
scareer, no man, be he friend or foe-if
sof the latter he has one in the world
Ecan point to a single act or deed of his
tainted with the faintest suspicion Of
fdishonor. In word, it can be said Of
fhim with ali the truth it was ever said
sof the immortal Bayard, he was literally
ia man without fear and without re-
! proach."
3 Colonel Thompson was born al
sRsvenna, Ohio, on the Dist of August.
s1S12, he being the first white child born
Z in what is now known as the Western
Reserve" of that State His father vas
Ia Virginian and his mother a native Of
dublin, Ireland, who came TO this
zcountry with her father, an exile
5from his home because of having made
himself conspicuous in resisting what be
believed to be the tyranny of the British
zGovernment during the revolution Of
Eos. While yet but eleven years of age,
sColoneI Thompson suffered the irrepara-
) BILE loss Of this psrent, and she must in
fdeed have been g most estimsble lady.
sCertain it is she instilled into her son
steacbings aud principles of truth and
shonor which have always formed the
marked characteristic Of his life. and to
which he remained faithful even unto
sdeath.
Soon after the loss of his mother, he
Sreturned with his father to Philadelphia,
sand not long after reaching that city
zthat parent also died. Thrown thus a.
Jan early sge upon his own resources,
{ he entered the Office Of the Philadelphia
! CHr0nicle, and here he laid the founda-
stion OF the enviable fame which he sf-
zterRards acquired. He did not at that
zstinra. however, make up his mind to
zpuTsue rla profession of journalism, but
Having received an appointment as pri-
zvate secretary to Hon. James D. Yves
cOtt, then Territorial Governor of Flori
zda, he removed South, and with that
! gentleman began the study Of law. Ir
3 1s35 he left Florida and removed &c
S augusta, Georgia, where he became as
ksociated with Judge J. B. LoDgstreet
the author of the well known Georgia
) Scenes" and who was at that time edi
tor Of the States Rights Sentinel. Here
S Colonel Thompson, while assisting
s Judge Longstreet with his paper,
continued the prosecution of his legal
studies, but his destiny was not to
sachieve fame as a lawyer. The Semi
s mole war broke out in Florida at this
period, and he volunteered his services to
sthe government, and, joining the Rich
Smond Blues of Augusta, served through
sout the campaign of 1856. His fond
1ness for literary pursuits, however, was
Irresistible, and never deserted him, and
lsson his return from Florida he resolved
sto give up his legal studies, and in the
fall of 1886 he established the Augusta
3 Mirror, the first purely literary paper ever
Spublished in Georgia. It was at this
.sstime that he married Miss Caroline a.
sCarrie, daughter of Mr. Joseph Carrie,
s.of Augusta, who still survives him, and
swho, by her lifelong, unselfsh devotion
Gas wife and mother, has shown herself
.S:to be ia every respect worthy the beau
8tiful tribute which he himself has paid
= her when, in dedicating to her his world
#reuowned work, major Jones Court
aship," lie touchingly alluded to her as
"having blessed the morn, cheered the
2noon and frightened the evening of my
slife."
"a The Bryoy tbouoh nopular as a iour