The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-20
BRILLIANT LIGHTS.
"REMINISCENCES OF FOUR RICH
MOND JOURNALISTS.

John VI. Daniel. Patrick Henry Aylett,
Robert ". Hughes. and Roger 4. Pryor.
Their stamp Jpon the Community Can
not be Removed.
LYNcunrRG. Va. April 49, Special r.
The article Of yourcorrespondent Burton, =
In the Sunday TnIEs of last week. on the
press and newspaper men Of thirty years
ago, was extremely interesting, especially
10 readers ol OLD memory. But be omitted
in bis mention Of names four 81 The most
noted and brilliant editors that were ever
connected with the newspapers Of Virginia
Tor of the country. I allude 10 John NJ.
Daniel, Patrick Henry Ayloit, Robert W.
Hughes and Roger A. Pryor.
JOHN NJ. DANIEL.
John VI. Daniel was the owner and editor
of the Richmond Examiner 90 tie close Of
flo war; and really It's founder: for while
the pancr was originally started in 1877 by
Bennett VI. De Wit and George II. Wright.
0f This city. DO was the spirit and genius ol
Daniel that gave IL life and made 10 the
leading and most famous Journal Of its time.
ln TACT, 30 soon acquired "a power among the
people. aud exercised an influence in Viz
ginia greater than that ever exercised by
The old Richmond Enquirer when under the
ktchies, or 0i the old Richmond Wing when
edited hy John l!ampdon Peasants. whose
brilliant genius went ont in bis famous duel
with young Thomas Richie. ON the Man
chester side of tte river. in 1886.
GREAT TALENT.
Daniel was not only "a powerful and bril-
liant writer himself. bot De had the talent
of calling around him the assistance Of the
ahlc-t pens that ability and money could
command After being appointed 90 "a for
eign mission boz SOB. under President Pierce.
he called % bis editorial stan some Of tine
abicst writers in The state fmOst ur0mi-
ncnt among whom was kObt. W. HuehesJ
90 conduct the Examiner in his absence.
Mr.. Hughes performed bis task with distin.
-ui-lld ability. as be does everything that
Doe touches with bis fertile pen. and the
Examiner was among tho leading Demo
cratic papers in The country i'm the
Buchanan campaign OF 1886. When Daniel
returned from Europe and took fresh charge
of bis paper. DO lecame more noted and pow
erul than ever. I'm 1861, while the Virginia
State Convention was in session. The Exam
iner made itself extremely aggressive ln liz
attacks on all opposed 90 secession, and Dee
came terror tO many Of the conyontiOnists.
by ihe fiercencss and bitterness of its as
saults ON individual attending members.
The most memorable Of these attacks was
an editorial that appeared March 18Th. 1861.
and which shook the sensibiltics Of the
convention 90 los center. and produced the
greatest sensation and amusement I'm the
-ify ard states. II was headed. "GlI Ami
mali Parlcnii, beng the Examiners trans
q asI ID.
fhc battle of the "Beasts and the Birds" Oi
the convention, and embraced nearly every
leading member Of that very able and his
f0rica body of big men.
Oi course at this day the remarkable SEN
-ati0n which this editorial produced through
0ut the state cannot Doe fully c0mprehended
0r described. Many members of thc con-
ieni'0n f.lt themselves grossly iusultcd
and some -1relY outraged, and that morn
ing some ofthcm went around cap pie Ca
hunt ihe author and resent toe insult
Among these We remember were Captain
Thomas Branch then one of the delegates
from Petersburg. and Marmaduko Johnson.
delegate from Richmond. They We're both
men Oi mark. brave. and true; they hap
peucd t0 meet On the street. boo front Of the
pOst0lIco. about twelve O'clOck.On their hunt.
After comparing notes and pistols they
wisely concluded that they had better do a.
thc other "heasis and birds of the c0nyen-
ton bad done ".et the scurrill0u- editorial
drop or what ~ was WORTHY because Dan
nic Was q lighting man On the duelisflc or
der and fearless tO the extreme. as bad bee.
i0r. been clearly shown in his duel with
scott ~ p0Whatan. 40 Blaiensburg. and the
natural blood that courscd boz hi, Veins, made
30 SD. u was with him challenge and
FIGHT ZOO ihe drop of the bat, "and pistols and
coffee i0r two