The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-20
Wednesday, March 20, 1889.


nifty of the crime which was committed In
his taking of.
Believing, as we DO, that he was physically
MS courageous as any man living on the face
OF the earth, and knowing we do, by Il
thousand declarations of his paper, that he
was opposed to violence, we do not believe
that ne made personal assault on his slayer.
The whole history OF the man, and the
whole record of his paper from his earliest
connection with 1t, would go to prove that he
was q p.uce,.hle aw'ahihing citizen.
The .1Cag:e IactS 0! his ,:''ti in tht ho'.S"'
which joined that of his own happy home, Is
enough to move O heart Of stone and to shock
the sensibilities Of the most callous.
Think OF 1t. He lying dead for three hours
in speaking distance Of the wife and family
who were waiting his coming. The slayer
and his victim locked in the room together,
nutil the police were ready to break the door !!
Captain Dawson, at the time of his death
was, perhaps, the best known and the most
influential citizen Of the State OF South Caro-
lima.
Laying down his arms at Appomattox, he
came to the city Of Charleston, at the close OF
the war, where he entered the field Of jour-
nalism, and was Immediately recognized rs n
man OF the highest intellect and the most
scholarly attainments.
Welding from the earliest period OF his
Journalistic career an influence which was
never excelled by any man or any newspaper
In South Carolina, he was an important FAC
tor in the financial, political, executive ana
legislative departments OF the State.
Morally and physically courageous. full OF
OF
right, as he saw 1t, his personal magnet
Ism, his great intellect, and his splendid com
mand OF the purest and best English, made
him q power in South Carolina, second to that
OF no man who has ever lived within her bor-
ders.
From the mountains to the sea, the hum
blest citizen no less than the highest official
In Church or State, recognized his wonderful
power and influence, and all wished his
friendly aid and feared his potent and un-
yielding opposition.
Morally bold and fearless, he ever fought for
the maintenance of the highest honor and
greatest good to his adopted city.
Charleston never had a more Jealous son or
more effective worker.
While Captain Dawson was true to South
Carolina, the city Of Charleston was his first
love
His heart was for Charleston first. last and
all the time.
Charleston in turn deeply mourns today
for the death of her greatest and most loyal
son
In view OF all that he has done for Charles
ton, 1t is not possible that there is single
heart In the City by the Sea that does not
IL 81 lncp it,t tkNn
death Of Captain F. w. Dawson.
In view Of his lifeless form, and In recollec-
ton OF his splendid manhood, while not for
getting his fearless work for the cause of his
convictions, and for the good Of the city Of
his adoption, we must think that many eyes
In Charles ton were filed with tears, and that
many q heart was moved to grief at the snd
den and unnecessary death Of so faithful and
30 gallant neighbor.
Although Captain Dawson was pre-eminent-
ly a leader In politics, yet he never forgot his
high and imperious nature.
He always sought to draw the great mass of
the people to his own high standard of per-
sonal morality and political excellence.
Never in single instance in the twenty
years, OF which he was central figure in the
State, did he act the demagogue, or prove
false 10 those who were true to him.
AS citizen of the common wealth, and as q
Journalist, his influence was unbounded
The high standard Of his editorials, and the
purity OF his English, together with the un-
Inistakable clearness OF the declarations of his
principles. furnished examples from which
the press may we'll take lessons.
On all moral questions Captain Dawson
ever espoused the cause of right, and to him,
more thnn 10 sny other single man, may be
attributed the present limitations to the traf-
tic in whiskey.
To his courage may be attributed the law
against duelling.
To the influence OF his paper, in q large
measure. may be attributed the effort OF the
National Government to open the harbor OF
Charleston.
TO his influence moro than to any other
single Individual, may be attributed tho credit
Of repsaling the Objectionable divorce law
which the Radicals had placed on our statute
books.
To the NeuS and Courier moro than to any
other influence, may be attributed the finan-
cirl policy of the State, including the settle
msnt OF the public debt.
1t was largely through his influence with
President Cleveland, that South Carolina re.
ceived 30 large q share of the government pa
tronage at Washington.
1t was greatly through his influence that the
south Carolina College was re-opcncd ut a
time when the opposition was fierce and Wig
orous.
1t is equally certain that 1t was through his
efforts that the Citadel was re-opencd, when
the opposition to that Institution was bitter
and far extended.
But 1t would be useless to recall the mum.
ber OF his works. In whatever pertains To
the interests of South Carolina, Captain Daw-
son took leading part, and whatever he OPP
posed was seldom accomplished.
In the management OF his newspaper he
possessed the tact, the courage, the good judg-
ment. and that knowledge Of men which
characterzes great general or q great leader.
Mise In the selection oil able, competent
and energetic workers, he brought around
him that fidelity and ability which enabled
him TO achieve hundred fold greater success
than has attended the efforts of any other
man, who has ever entered the printing busi-
ness In South Carolina.