The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-28

leck, and before tho ship reached port be-
vas a general faVorite. and had attained tll
position Of captains c.er, On his arrival,
through the good graca5 Of Capt fegram.
no secured appointment as masters mate.
and served right wei Cor number OF
months Not satisfied however, with his IN
active Office he managed 10 effect a trans
fer 20 the army, and beclmo a high private
in Purcells battery 81 A. T. HIS division
flfs was ia June. ieUa I'm the battle
around Richmond no was soreiy wounded
while standing alone and single handed 100
his gun, firing the last shot before bee fell
Thus attracting public notice, 81 was not
difficult for such "A bf-ht, bravo young TEL
low 10 obtain "A commission. and The strap oi o.
Lieutenant Of artillery WAS awarded him, with
orders to report 10 the ordnance department
Of the Army Of Virginia Step by step. ROT
In rank, but in honor. Dee rose 30 a position
that brought him close 10 tine person OF Gen
F.ongstreet. Here he again distinguish ea
himself One day, IN tho heat OF battle, b.
saw "A regiment break and start for tho roar
at a critical moment Without saying q
word 10 those who were around him, Doe pa
spurs 70 his horse, dashed down omou- the
demoralized men, AMI with his shriil, ringing
voice, and in the stirring words bo knew ~
well how 10 command, rallied and lefl them
tack, re-esfablshed the broken line, charged
egain and captured portion Of n battery.
When the war ended Capt Dawson 81
turned to Richmond penniless and with only
the clothes in which he stood, but Boz soon
succeeded in finding "A place as a reporter
under John Cowardsl, the veteran editor %,
The Richmond Dispatch. After a whuo ho
driited to Charleston, 5. c., and became az
associate editor on The Charleston Mercury
bis chief being bert Rheit, who wa, -ulse
quently killed in duel The two other live
papers of the city at this time were The
South Carolnisu, the official journal Of the
state, owned and edited 10y T. q. dc Foutalue
and The Charleston News which had been es
tabished year or two before bY Hon. Ben
Wood, Of New York, and was edited by Gr
George Cathcart, now "A member of the liln
Of Ivison, Phinney q Brakeman, tho New
York publishers The Charleston Courier
on which james Gordon Bennett the elder
worked as a jOurneyman printer when h.
came to America, was for the moment dead
IL nearly so.
Learning that The Charleston News WI.
also in a life and death struggle for existence
Capt Dawson saw his opportunity 10 pur
chase the plant, aud taking as a copartnei
Mr. B. r. Riordan, who with William Gl
more Simms, the southern novelist, was then
an associate editor on The South Carolinian
he came 10 New York, conferred with Mr.
Wood, aud though without a dollar in the
world obtained possession Of the paper. Sub
sequently the young firm purchased al
auction the venerable Charleston Courier.
tho names were combined and an enterprise
developed that opened the eyes Of tine people
OF the state 70 the facs that new leader ol
public opinion was among them.
Capt. Dawson quickly became a power
throughout the south Ito vas not merely
abreast but in front Of the times While ina
mediately after the war he wrote ana worked
amid the passionate thought of the day, and
it seemed hard 10 accept tho situation
two or three years later found him lead
Ing public sentiment up 70 a rcc0gni
ton OF the practical results that had
been achieved and tne importance OF de
yeiopnIg tho vast material resources OF the
section. lilo was among the first % advocate
the education u the negroes and theestablish
ment OF public schools for them. lie foresaw
chat the intelligent cCiOred men OF the south
ieying similar opportunities, would stand
boulder 10 shoulder with their old masters
md friends He encouraged the young men
o engage more encrgetically IN political
.ffairs and get out Of the old sectional ruts
ie saw the south mighty in possibilities, but
moving slowly To results. and therefore
Spoused the spirit Of progress with all the
enthusiasm Of masterful nature. He had
he moral courage, alone and single handed,
o encounter prejudice ana obloquy under
conditions that required bravery to bo sub
ime In order TO withstand the sneers ot his
friends and neighbors Refusing challenge
% mortal combat te defied the traditions Of
century Yet, IN the end, the people stood
BY him, and the law upon the statute book
Il South Carolina making dueling criminal
,ffense is "A monument to his msHory more
enduring than marble. The sturdy men u
South Carolina learned at last that he was
pleading for right, for reconciliation. fer
progress, patriotism and the upbuildlng n the
,outh As part Of a great homogeneous coun-
try.
Capt. Dawson, during the last eight years
preceding his Heath. was member OF the
National Der ocratic executive committee,
with which pdblie office he was content, al
though the ripeness Of his intellect, the energy
If his work and the magnetism Of bis nature,
10 say nothing Of his commanding influence
Is citizen, would have insured 10 him any
gift he might have asked from the people. II
will DO long time before his place Is iilled
AL temsle complaints cured by Mrs
Persons remedy.