The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-11

we spend our days ana years, DC lney
few or many, as u tale that is told, but
the Psalmist was right in this picture or
life, and he knew and felt the ilccting
character Of human existence. Men
spring into the arena and for u time
their actions absorb the attention of
their fellows, who admire and cXtol
their brilliancy or gaze with a critics
eye upon their performances, great or
small, and az they ascend tho ladder of
fame it is to meet the stern, inlCXiblc
judgment Of their peers. The Journalist
is pt culiarly cnvironcd in this respect,
for he is constantly under the search.
ligh', and his failings arc prone to be
seen and appreciated Unlike the man
Of speech, the orator, the lawyer or
even tho preacher, he comes more often
before tho public view and always with
out the sympathetic sound Of the voice,
or the glamour OF intonation and de-
livery, To deepen the impress Of his ut
tcrances and give potency to his ideas.
The columns OF 4 newspaper arc ncccs.
sarily cphcmcral in character, and what
ever genius is scintillating there it IS
only for the passing moment, with
merely glance from the worlds tower
of observation and then it b'idcs out OF
sigh! forever This applies TO the WORK
OF even the foremost Of journalists,
WhOae names may pcrchancc bc ptr
pctuatcd, but whose writings are literally
unknown to succeeding generations, and
those who come after arc altogether
strangers to their skill and ability in
Iii,
Greeley is more widely remembered as
Presidential candidate than as a jour
nalist by the ma ajorlty of Americans -
day, and tho pathos Of his political d.
feat, rs the representative Of party
with which he was never affiliated, has
completely hidden from sight the early
struggles and trials of the youthful
journalist, who was to forge his way to
the front by the weight of his own
genius, and who was to go out into the
great beyond with q heart broken by
disappointment which he would have
once dCspiscd.
The elder Bennett is chiefly known VS.
man who amasscd money in the publ
cation Of the first great newspaper in
this country, laying the emphasis on the
first syllable. lie was great in this re-
spcct only, and made friends Of the
mam'uon Of righteousness. His
y,
yet he held q conspicuous place rs the
journalistic rival of Greeley. Then
there was Thomas Richcy, the pioneer
Of that class who deal largely with the
politicians, but he is forgotten long
ago! The Richmond Enquirer and the
National lntcligcnccr arc truly "back
numbers" in journalism, and yet they
were once power in the land. We
spend our years as a tale that is told"
This Association has never cXcrtCd
itself as it ought to preserve the history
of Journalists in South CarOliua Plans
have been carved out, but tho fruiton is
not abundant. We arc TOO much con-
ccrncd with the things Of tho present or
too anxious about the possibilities of the
future, and II retrospect of the past is
lightly esteemed in many quarters. 1t
is wise if not encouraging to keep
plodding in this direction, for we owe
it to our comrades Of "thc quill and
scissors that their names and achieve
ments shall not perish out of the view
of mankind. In complying with the re
quest Of the executive committee to pre-.
pare paper for this occasion, ! have
chosen for my theme the life and times
OF ono who came here as q stranger
from across the water, but whose pass.
port to the citizens Of South Carolina
was an honorable record as q Coufcd-
crate soldier, who had voluntarily borne
his full share Of hardships and dangers
i'll behalf of people with whom he was
not allied In fortune or person The
brave young Englshmau who came in
the ardor Of his youth to cspousc q
cause that commended itself to him on
the score of patriotism is surely worthy,
after the passing Of these years, to have
his name recalled in an organization
which he aided in forming and placing
upon foundation that was strong and
durable.
Francis Warrington Dawson was no
ordinary man. Gifted, brilliant mag
nctic, he WAS entitled to the place he
won among his fellow mon. Living the
years of his manhood in association with
those whom he had joined in u desperate
and unequal struggle, and actuatcd by
sincere sympathy for the cause they
alone rcprcs; ntcd in the vide world, 1t
lo not strange or mysterious that his
cOmra los in arms introduced him to the
inner ciru % of the homes he haA helped
to defend V it'll the price Of his blood and
at the risk e his life lie came to this
country for he express purpose Of aid
Ing the South 'rn people in their struggle
ior lndepent cncc, to use his own
language with reference to this decisive
hour of his cvcntful career. IIo was
not seeking fame, for he came in u most
humble capacity, and with no cxpccta-
ton that the service he proposed to
render was likely to DO protractcd. lie
expected no reward and wanted none.
and had no intention whatever of re.
naming permanently in the Southern
Statcs." There is a halo Of romance
about the young Englishman as he
sought an opportunity for putting into
DIrnnQn w oh
formed across the seas, bat which was
difficult and seemingly unattainablc,
The world was regarding with wonder
the mighty struggle which had already
cnsucd between the North and tho
South, the former strengthening itself
ovciy day for an ultimate victory and
the latter ,arrcd out from intercourse
with other nations. The Mason and
Slidell controversy had arisen, and Eng