The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-05-27
Greensboro (0a.) Home JouanaL)
Th~ nnAAaf UOmPmmlfots

The recent retirement Of Mr.. c. w. Hancock
from the Sumter Republicans revives the ques-
ton as to who 10 now the Senior OF the fourth
estate 10 Georgia The venerable aud worthy
senior oil the Madisoniaa, DR.. ]. G. Blackburn,
who Is by no means Juvenile later mentioning
Mr.. Martin, of the Rome Courier, and Mr..
Burke, of the Wesleyan Christie" Adoooase) As
among the aged and illustrious knights OF the
pen and scissors, names Mr.. Joshua Knowles
who now assists in conducting the Sunday De-
partment of the Georgia Home Journal, as the
Oldest editor in Georgia, it not in the South
though not perhaps continuously so long associ-
ated with journalism as Mr. Hancock.
We were shown the other day substantially
bound volume of the Florida Watchmda pub
lished in Tallahassee, Florida. at the opening OF
the Seminole war; In its issue of November 10,
1886, we find within its large and handsomely
printed pages the following transcript of Mr.
Knowles salutatory
1--WE lay before the public this week the first
number of the Florida Watchmdn. In assuming
the management of public journal we are not
altogether unapprised of the weight of respon
sbty we assume and the difficulties that
lie before u.s. We enter, however, cheerfully
upon our task and hope by an honest adherence
to sound principles aud faithful and dispasslon-
ate advocacy of important measures to render the
Waterman worthy the esteem and patronage OF
an enlightend public and We are led to believe
from the liberal spirit already evinced that our
paper will be blest with long and useful lite
ave would here remark, that the Waterman
belongs to no political party or religious denom-
nation but to the individual whose name APP
pears rs editor II is to be devoted to the inter
ests of the leOps-a vehicle of general intelll-
gence; giving faithful record of passing even IS,
and informing the public upon all subjects in
volving their interests.
ats columns will always be open to such es,
says and discussions may interest and instruct;
of course reserving TO ourselves the prerogative
of publishing or withholding, we may think
best All controversial communications on re-
lgious topics will he Unfortunately ex-
cluded"
In after wears Mr. Knowles became the editor
and proprietor OF the Rome Courier then, upon
the retirement of Hon. Miller Grieve as editor OF
the Southern Recorder, the central organ OF the
Wing party in Georgia, he became c"propretor
and editor of that popular journal, and subse-
quently of the Georgia Journal and Messenger, at
Macon, which position he occupied until near
the close OF the war. Last, though not least in
1872, he established the Georgm Home JournA
in Greensboro, now owned and man lged by his
son, Mr.. w. Addison Knowles
We must not omit to remind the reader, also,
that Mr. Knowles was editor of the "Ei,cationM
Repository md Family Monthly" the organ of the
Southern Teachers Institute, and issued in At
lanta under the auspices Of publishing board
OF which Rev. DR.. Means, of Oxford, was
President, and Greene B. Haygood, Esq, father
of Rev DR.. Atticus Haygood, WAS Secretary
and Treasurer. This periodical had gifted
corps OF contributors, and during its brief exis-
tence made fine reputation at home and abroad,
but, like many other good things, it persisted in
the first year of the late war.
Mr. Knowles was Chief Secretary of the Con-
vention which formed the first Constitution of
Florida, in 1888 9, also Il member OF the Legsla-
ture of l843.
It is notable that the same sentiments and rule
of editorial conduct enunciated by Mr.. Knowles
in the first number of the Florida Waterman,
half century ago should be the guiding star of
the pet of his son, which, by a pleasant coinci-
dence has for it. motto.
Devoted to the general welfare of the People"