Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-07-29
TRIBUTE To W. SEYMOUR WHITE.
Late President Of the Virginia Press
Association.


The Virginia Press Association de-
sires to place this tribute and testi-
monial to the memory of William
Seymour White, who departed this
life in Fredericksburg, Virginia. on
November 26th 1897, in the 4lth
year ofhls age.
Seymour White, as he was famili-
arly and affectionately known, was a
gifted man in its broadest and best
sense. When the war had done It's
work of devastation and had finished
its course, he was a mere boy, "the
only son of his mother and she was
widow" He commenced life under
very in-auspicious circumstances and
conditions, which had any thing else
in them but inspiration for successful
endeavor. Added to these, serious
affection befell him in his youth,
but with undismayed front and in.
domitable will he devoted his early
life, saddeneb by sickness, to diligent
and untiring study. From this or
deal he emerged well equipped for in
tellectual work with special adapta-
bility for the labors of journalist,
which calling lie entered first with
the Free Lance and afterward in the
editorial management Of The Frede-
ricksbdrg Star, where he was doing
faithful and efficient duty when death
claimed him.
His editorials were marked by well
constructed sentences in pure, incl
sive, vigorous anglo-saxon, ornament
ed and illustrated by apt quotations,
strong in presentation, convincing in
logic, powerful in invective, and at
times touching in tenderness and
pathos
When the "insatiate archer" hurri-
ed him away, he was rapidly forging
himself to the front as one of Nlr-
ginia's prominent menin journalism.
He was an able and successful lawyer
and at the time ofhis death was presi-
dent of the National Battlefield Parl g,
Commission, a project to which he
gave much of his time and talents
AMI which promises eventually to be
of great benefit to Fredericksburg
and vicinity.
He so impressed himself on his
brethren of the Press that when he
died he bore our highest honor, being
president of the Association.
We miss him in our councils, miss
4 genial, frank, honest gentleman
miss a brother of the craft of whom
ne were justly proud and whose
memory we shall ever keep fresh and
green. The lesson of such a life as
this should not be forgotten, but
rather kept ever in remembrance "tor
those who come after" 1t is this,
that no matter how inauspicious the
conditions or adverse the circum-
stances which may confront one, labor,
study, patience, united with high
purpose and pure character, will Woo
and win success, for his life, though
short, illustrated this.
He stood when he was called away
on the very threshold of life that
seemed about to bear him to trump
through much trial. But he who doeth
all things well, decreed that his days
should be no more
While We bow to the will of Him
who smites through love and causes
suffering that the Eternal city may be
reached, We meet here in annual ses-
sion for the first rime since his death
and direct this our testimonial to be
recorded to his memory. We deplore
the death and mourn the loss of a
friend and brother editor. We send
our words of sorrow and sympathy
to his wife and family in their bereave-
ment. We bid the people Of Frede-
ricksburg, where he was born and of
which city he was mayor when he
died, to perpetuate the memory of
one of its foremost men.
While we stand with uncovered
heads in the presence of the memory
of such man and editor as Seymour
White, we cannot understand why,
when life with him was at its best, he
should be untimely called "to pass
over to the other side" but He
knoweth what is best. To us he will
ever live and even it is so, for
"There is no death, what seems so is tran
sition
This life of mortal breath
Is but suburb OF the lifeElysian,
Whose portal we call DEATH
ROWE, JR., Cham'n,
CHAS. d. DENT,