The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-15
uEnpu1LL,s FoRERuNNERs.
The Deacon Leaves and Comes to Land
OF Onc.rimc Editorial Giants.

Among the noted editorial fore
runners of Major Henlphill was Richard
Yeadon, the bosom friend of William
Gilmore simms. lie wrote with
ton which won admiration. while the
force of his arguments and the clear
ness Of his utterances carried inlme..
date conviction to the reader. lie dled
Just forty years ago ana ms name nam.
editors die and leave no copy. In
the centennial edition mentioned, Mr..
Yates Snowden, then news editor, SAID:
"As to fame, how many IN charleston
know what q power for good Richard
munity? And outside of the State
Mr.. George II. Q'.J Alellen, of Tennes,
see. has written the only published
tribute to his memory
The Immediate predecessor Of Major
Hemphill was Captain Francis w.
Dawson. n native Englishman. Nearly
twenty-one years ago he fell victim
to the pistol-toting habit, having been
slain in the Office of Charleston doc
/ tor. 1t seemed a strange fate for the
man who, through the columns OF his
| paper, had contributed most to the
passage of dueling law in South
| Carolina. Dawson'S great work was
done in Reconstruction days, when he
| fought with ungloved hands and ter
| rible effect the vicious carpetDag gov
ernments that controlled the State.
In Richmond journalism there is to
| be found wealth of noble traditions
ard proud history. In the ante-bellum
days The Richmond Enquirer, edited by
| Thomas Richie; the Richmond Whig
| by John Hampden Peasants, and the
Richmond Examiner. by John NJ
Daniel. were powerful organs OF pub,
.llio opinion. Their influence was not
limited to Virginia, but permeated the
entire South. Joseph G. Baldwin IL:
Illustrates the part the Enquirer ant
| the Wing played in the lives of Vir
gininns who emigrated to the fal
Southwest. In his book, "rhe Flusl
Times of Alabama and MissisSippi. NJ
t gives that rollicking account OF tn
/, Nirgtnians out Of their native habitat
Q He says: They read the same paper
S, here they read in Virginia--the Rich
, mond Enquirer and the Richmon'
. Wing. The Democrat stoutly asser
4 verates a fact, and gives the Enquire
as his authority with an air that mean
to say. that settles it; while the VIII
;. quoted Hampdcn Plcasants With tn
same confidence. But the faculty 9
: ceeding social turn Of the Virginia
a gives him rarely allowed n referenc
y to the paper, but made him refer
J. the editor. as Ritchie said so ana S
q or Hampton Pleasants SAID THIS
that"
4, JoHI MOuCulc 1IAhISi Sdihc vi u -
1t tie later with the Examiner. He Ia
/, a genius for editorial work. He We
- more pronounced type of the indt
y pendent Journalist of his times. i
4 politics was Democratic, advocating
the main Democratic principles; BIZ
y, party measures and men he often fai
J. ed TO support, The measures had
appeal to him as essentially Just an
conserving good government. Men. sin
ply because they We're party nominee
did not command his support BAG
OF them had to be substantial merit
g and unQuestiored confidence. He WE
faithful to the journalistic spirit
IS his day, and INDUCED In bitter d.
l., nunc!ation and scathinG personnlitie
:. During the A.vil War he was sol
II thorn in the side Of. President Jcffe
son Davis. frankly and openly con
! batting the policies he deemed wror
y or futile. SINCE the war two OF Il
y best known figures in Richmond jou
~ nalism have been Richard Beirne al
70 Joseph Bryan both of whom ha'
L. passed away sincerely lamented. n
years MI, Bryan was tho moving for
!. ! In the management of The Times-Di
y. patch
e. Certainly Major Hemphill will car
ed with him to his new field the ardc
!, friendship and best wishes OF the G
Il tire press of the country, The Sou
en- is proud to claim him us one Of h
g.. foremost Journalists, and the Nor
~ joins in the recognition OF his superb
ri merits, as the invitation not long sin
~ to deliver the Isaac Bromley lect,
on journalism at Yale University {