USA > South Carolina > Charleston County > Charleston > The newspaper press of Charleston, S.C.; a chronological and biographical history, embracing a period of one hundred and forty years > Part 5
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CHAPTER VI.
DAVID R. WILLIAMS, E. S. THOMAS AND OTHER EDITORS- THE CITY GAZETTE AND DAILY ADVERTISER-THE DAILY EVENING POST-THE FIFTH DISASTROUS FIRE, OCTOBER, 1810-EARTHQUAKES-SKINNER AND WHILDEN-CRIME RAMPANT-MR. AND MRS. FISHER-THEIR ARREST AND EXECUTION-THE SIXTH DISASTROUS FIRE, FEBRUARY, 1835-THE GAZETTE AND ITS EDITORS, FROM 1822 TO 1832-WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS-THE SEVENTH DISAS- TROUS FIRE, JUNE, 1835-ABSORPTION OF THE GAZETTE BY THE COURIER.
DAVID R. WILLIAMS afterwards published the Gazette and Advertiser, and remained proprietor until September, 1809. At the expiration of that year, FRENAU & WILL- IAMS became the proprietors, and issued the Gazette and Advertiser from the central house of the buildings on East Bay, now known as "Prioleau's Range."* This range
* Opposite to this range of buildings is the office of the Charleston Daily News, which site was, previous to 1800, known as "Harris' Tavern." Sub- sequent to Harris' time, a wholesale crockery importing store was kept there, by one Mr. Allen. After the premises had been closed some years, they were re-opened as a tavern, and conducted by Lawrence Durse; then by Orren Byrd, up to 1823; then by Horatio Street, who became manager of the Planters' Hotel. Louis Eude succeeded Horatio Street It was after- wards successively conducted as the French Coffee House, by R. Mignot, A. Ligniez, Wm. Greer, and P. J. Coogan. This tavern, entered as it was from the street by steps, was a resort on Sunday, between 12 M. and 1 P. M., for merchants and influential men of that period. It was Mr. Ligniez who, about the year 1835, substituted for the old front the one more modern in appearance.
In a small brick building next North of the French Coffee House, George Lyon, watch-maker and jeweler, was atrociously and mysteriously murder- ed, on the night of June 11, 1844.
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of buildings was, in 1806, known as the "Corner of Com- merce," and was constructed by BENJAMIN PAUL WILL- IAMS, at a cost of 4,000 guineas, for the storage of produce.
DAVID ROGERSON WILLIAMS, one of the proprietors of the Gazette, and who was born 10th March, 1776, was a brother-in-law of the editor, JOHN MCIVER. He was not a man of yesterday, but a genuine exemplar of Carolina honor, firmness and candor. In politics, a tried democrat of the old school-opposed to Federal usurpations-well disciplined in the politics of JEFFERSON and of MADISON. He was a Brigadier General in the regular army, and re- signed his commission to take a seat in the United States Congress of 1811 and '12. He retained to the day of his death, the name of " thunder and lightning WILLIAMS," a sobriquet obtained after a speech, delivered with all the vehemence of animated rhetoric, in that Congress, against the government of Great Britain.
A letter from Washington, which appeared in the Cou- rier, dated January 7, 1812, says :
" Mr. WILLIAMS of your State, spoke above an hour, and " acquitted himself in a manner far beyond my expecta- "tion." Another letter, written by the reporter of the Baltimore Democratic American, in alluding to Mr. WILL- IAMS' speech, said : "No man can conceive the impressive " manner in which it was delivered, nor the Roman energy " and overwhelming vehemence of the speaker's elocution. " You have seen and heard COOPER. The voice of Mr. " WILLIAMS is more vigorous, more powerful, more com- " manding than that of this celebrated Tragedian."
Mr. WILLIAMS was, in the year 1814, called to the Gubernatorial chair of this State. ,The courier who was charged with the delivery of the letter which made known to General WILLIAMS his election to a position, in those days acquired without bribery and corruption, met the
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General in his wagon on the high road, while he was returning to his house, near Society Hill, from Fulwyder's foundry, on Cowder's Creek, in North Carolina, with ma- chinery for his plantation.
Governor WILLIAMS met with a fatal accident on the afternoon of the 15th of November, 1830, by the falling of a beam, while superintending the building of a bridge over Lynch's Creek. On being relieved from his distress- ing situation, it was found that both legs were broken be- low the knee. This caused his death on the following morning at 4 o'clock. He was buried in the cemetery of the family, four miles below Society Hill.
" Even in his ashes live his wonted fires."
In January, 1811, PETER FRENAU & Co., became the proprietors and publishers of the Gazette and Daily Ad- vertiser, and held possession until the 1st January, 1812. From that time until January, 1814, Mr. FRENAU'S co- partners, SAMUEL J. ELLIOTT and SAMUEL RICHARDS, two very practical typographers, conducted the paper.
PETER FRENAU was a graduate of Princeton College ; was versed in the ancient and modern languages, and possessed a wide range of general knowledge. He was the brother of PHILLIP FRENAU, who was the poet of the revo- lution, and the author of political satires on Royalists- " The House of Night," " The Beauties of Santa Cruz," etc. The latter perished in a snow-storm, near Freehold, New Jersey, in the 80th year of his age, December 18, 1832. Copies of his works have been preserved by that bibliothecal institution, the " Charleston Library Society.'
The City Gazette and Daily Advertiser was, on the 1st of July, 1815, with the patronage of several successful years, transferred to E. S. THOMAS, a bookseller, and pub- lished by him at 234 East Bay. Mr. THOMAS was by
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birth a New Englander, the son of the author, FREDERICK WILLIAM THOMAS, and nephew of ISAIAH THOMAS, LL. D. After severing his connection with the press here, he went to Baltimore, where he became prominent in Maryland State politics; thence to Providence, Rhode Island, and he was finally known as the proprietor and editor of The Daily Evening Post, which was published at Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. E. S. THOMAS was the author of sketches of his own life and times, published in 1840. He died in Cin- cinnati, on the 22nd of October, 1845, aged 71 years.
The fire of the 9th of October, 1810, fourteen years after that of 1796, was the next of consequence. The newspapers graphically noticed it. The Gazette's report, on account of its brevity, is selected :
" The fire broke out in a small house in Church Street, " between St. Philips' Church and Anson Street. It ex- " tended as far North as Motte Street. Its course South " was to Queen Street ; through that down to Union Street, " then into Broad Street. The destruction of the house " occupied by Mr. CHUPEIN, just West of Union Street, was "the means of preventing the further extension of the " flames. The loss of property is supposed to be about " half a million of dollars. In this fire, one hundred and " ninety four houses have been destroyed."
The months of December, January, and February, 1811, and 1812, were remarkable for earthquakes in Charleston, and were the subject of much comment on the part of the press. Six distinct shocks were felt 16th December, 1811. The first, was five minutes before 3 o'clock, A. M., and set the bells of St. Philips' Church ringing. The second occur- red while the Town clock was striking three ; this was slight- er than the first, and continued about twenty-two seconds. The third, was felt at three minutes before 8, A. M., and the fourth, at ten minutes after 8 o'clock ; the vibratory
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motion was East and West; wind North-north-east. Two more shocks were experienced the same night; one at 11 o'clock, and the other at twenty minutes after 12 o'clock- being six in two days. On the 24th January, 1812, another of these agitations occurred ; and again on the 4th Feb- ruary. On the 7th of the same month, there were two more shocks-one just before 9, and the other about 11 o'clock, P. M. The first of these was of half a minute du- ration ; the second, two minutes. Another slight shock was felt on the 10th February. February 21st, 1812, was set apart by Council, as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, at the request of the Reverend Clergy of all de- nominations, and the citizens were requested to humble themselves on that day before the Most High, imploring that He would avert from this land the evils which threatened it, from the frequent awful visitations which they had of late experienced.
Charleston was not again visited by earthquakes until 7th February, 1843. A few minutes before 10, A. M. on that day, two distinct shocks were felt. They were very slight, though many persons in different sections of the City felt them sensibly. Another, and the last of these visitations occurred December 19, 1857. It was described by Professor L. R. GIBBES, as being more of an agitation of the earth, as no decided shock or blow was perceived. The motion con- sisted of a series of horizontal oscillations, increasing grad- ually in distinctness, and then subsiding somewhat more rapidly, lasting about six or eight minutes.
January 1st, 1816, The Gazette and Advertiser, which had again been advertised for sale, passed into the hands of SAMUEL HAVILAND SKINNER and Jos. WHILDEN, under the firm of SKINNER & WHILDEN, and was published at" 244 East Bay, corner of Blake's Wharf, (now Central Atlantic Wharf.) Mr. SKINNER, for two years before he
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became one of the proprietors, conducted the printing, and at intervals the editorial department likewise. It has been said of Mr. SKINNER that he was manly and noble in his bearing, elegant in person, gentlemanly in feeling, and generous to a fault. Mr. SKINNER, together with others prominent among the craft, boarded in the family of Mr. EDWARD SEBRING, who then resided two doors East of his present business locality. Mr. SKINNER was drowned near Cape Hatteras, while on a tour to his home in Connecti- cut. Mr. WHILDEN was known for five years preceding his joint proprietorship, as collector for the establishment of the Gazette and Advertiser. Three years later, January, 1819, the Gazette and Advertiser was sold, and it became the individual property of JOSEPH WHILDEN.
It will be necessary, en passant, to wander from the chronological record and refer to the beneficial influences the press exerted about this time (1819-20) in the suppres- sion of the vice which existed in the City.
Too frequently, the torch of the incendiary, together with the machinations of the desperado, gave scope for in- dividual condemnation. Not less frequent were the warn- ings given by the City journals to the authorities to sup- press the then existing evils.
This condition of society, bad as it was in the City, was much worse in its environs. Gangs of white despera- does occupied certain houses, and infested the roads lead- ing to the City. To such an extent did these outlaws carry their excesses, that wagoners and others coming into the City were under the necessity of carrying rifles in their hands for defence. Travelers passed these houses with fear and trembling. More dreaded than others of these haunts, was that known as the Six Mile House, occupied by JOHN FISHER and LAVINIA, his wife. State Sheriff, N. G. CLEARY, was forced to move against these highwaymen.
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With a number of mounted citizens and detachments from the Charleston Riflemen, Washington Light Infantry, and the Northern Volunteers, he started on the errand of ex- termination.
The City papers of January and February, 1820, give accounts of the capture of Mr. and Mrs. FISHER. The " Constitutional Court" of 19th January, 1820, had refused to grant new trials to JOHN and LAVINIA FISHER, convict- ed at the previous Court of highway robbery, and they were sentenced to be hung on Friday, 4th February, following. They were, however, respited until the 18th, on their petition, imploring an opportunity for preparation, and asking but for " time to meet their God." On Friday, 18th, at 2 o'clock, just within the lines, on a hill East of the Meeting Street road, about eight hundred yards North of the street, now known as Line Street continued, JOHN FISHER and his wife met their fate, the former with calm- ness and composure, the latter with fear and trepidation. Mrs. FISHER appeared, from the time of her arrest, to be under the influence of wrong passions and feelings. It was evident she flattered herself with the expectation of pardon from the Executive. Mr. FISHER, on arriving within sight of the gallows, drew his wife convulsively to his bosom, and speedily nerved himself for the issue. The unhappy wife could not believe it possible that she was so soon to die. She called upon the immense throng assembled to rescue her, and implored pity with outstretched and trembling arms. No scene could be more appalling as the ill-fated pair stood between time and eternity. The plat- form gave way at a given signal from the Sheriff, then all was hushed and still-that which was mortal had put on immortality.
Denmark Vesey (a free black man) and several slaves,
6
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convicted of an attempt to raise an insurrection in the State, were executed on the same spot, in July, 1822.
Severe strictures were made by the New York National Advocate against the execution of Mr. and Mrs. FISHER, from the fact that the account of the robbery, together with the testimony on the trial, were not laid before the people. These strictures on our criminal jurisprudence were ably refuted at the time, by several writers.
It was on the 4th of October, 1822, that JOSEPH WHIL- DEN retired. The Gazette and Daily Advertiser was then purchased by EDWARD CAREW, for JOHN GEDDES, jr., son of General JOHN GEDDES, who was Governor of South Carolina, from 1818 to 1820, and elected Intendant of Charleston, in place of Maj. JAMES HAMILTON, jr., in January, 1823, by sixty-nine majority, only 535 votes hav- ing been cast. ISAAC HARBY was GEDDES' assistant edi- tor, and devoted all his time and talent to the advance- ment of the political and literary character of the journal, in the department he was so well fitted to adorn. In that 4 paper, on the 19th of June, 1823, it was mentioned that the first number of the Georgetown Gazette had just been issued in Charleston. The subsequent numbers were issued in Georgetown. In that place, which was at one time second in importance in the State, the Gazette was pub- lished by Messrs. ELLIOTT & BURD. It is quite probable that Mr. BURD was a son of J. V. BURD, before mentioned as having died in 1785.
JOHN GEDDES, on the 5th February, 1825, sold the Ga- zette and Daily Advertiser to JAMES HAIG, a talented son of one of Charleston's respected mechanics, Mr. DAVID HAIG. SIMMS, in his skeleton outline of early authors, says :
" HAIG entered upon the field of journalism, with a rep-
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" utation brought from college. He was a man of ability, " wrote well in a serious vein, but was deficient in that " sprightliness so essential to a daily newspaper."
On the 28th of June, 1826, there is narrated in HAIG's Gazette the serious fire of that year. This fire, the Gazette mentions, " broke out on Saturday morning, in the house of " Mr. JOHN CONNER, saddler and harness maker, on the " West side of King Street, a few doors above Boundary " Street, (now Calhoun Street.) The number of houses "burnt was upwards of thirty, besides the outbuildings. " The loss of property is supposed to be considerably over "$100,000. We are happy to state that no lives were lost, " which had been apprehended, from the repeated explo- " sions of powder. A fire broke out in the same spot, in "the year 1800, in which a Mr. and Mrs. MILLER lost " their lives. This is the greatest calamity of the kind " since 1810."
JAMES HAIG sold the Gazette to a company of gentlemen composed of CHARLES JOHN STEADMAN, and others, on the 17th July, 1828. A son of the late Col. STEADMAN is now, and has been for many years, a Commander in the Navy of the United States.
On the 4th of August, 1828, the City Gazette and Daily Advertiser announced that THEODORE L. SMITH would be publisher for the proprietors. The paper was then printed in Exchange Street, in the rear of the present " Old Post Office." SMITH sold the Gazette to WM. GILMORE SIMMS and E. SMITH DURYEA, the publishing firm being SIMMS & DURYEA, and was so announced on the 1st January, 1830. This firm adopted as a motto for their paper, the following quotation from OTHELLO's last speech, when summoned before the Senate of Venice : "Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." Under the sub-title was this citation : " A Map of Honor, Loyalty and Truth," also from
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the immortal SHAKSPEARE. The office of the Gazette was afterwards removed to the South side of Broad Street, near East Bay.
It was at this locality on one occasion, during the nulli- fication troubles, that the material of the Gazette came very near being destroyed. A severe political leader from the pen of Mr. SIMMS, the editor, brought in front of his office a large number of persons politically opposed to the course of the paper, and who had proscribed it for its polit- ical opinions. The excited crowd made threats of violence. Happily it was prevented through the agency of a few firm friends of Mr. SIMMS' partner, Mr. DURYEA. The most prominent of those who came forward in Mr. DUR- YEA's behalf was DAVID N. MCINTOSH, well known to many of our old citizens.
WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS subsequently, (April 9, 1832,) became sole proprietor of the Gazette. Mr. SIMMS effected a sale and transfer of his establishment to WILLIAM LAW- RENCE POOLE, on the 7th of June, 1832. Mr. POOLE came from Cheraw, in this State, at which place he was pub- lishing the Cheraw Intelligencer, to purchase and secure the Gazette.
The brilliant literary career of WM. GILMORE SIMMS, LL. D., is well known. He was born in this City on the 17th of April, 1806. At one period of his life, he escaped by only one vote, the responsibilities of Lieutenant Gov- ernor of this State. At the time of his death he stood, in editorial age, next to JACOB N. CARDOZO, and as an author, takes precedence in the whole South, as the writer of the greatest number of works, possessing intense local interest.
In youth Mr. SIMMS acquired a taste for letters ; in ear- ly manhood this taste was increased by diligent study, and when his future was determined on, he went forth upon the stage of life as a scholar. An earnest reader,
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and, possessing a tenacious memory, he turned these ad- vantages to much account, in both public and private life. As a journalist, he wrote just as he talked, and his conver- sational powers were very great. None more able, could have been found among the fraternity of editors, and he, too, though only as an amateur, grasped the composing stick, and buckled to the case, in years more youthful, and whilst the young mind was easily impregnated with new ideas.
Who that knew this savant-who that has listened to his counsels-who that has enjoyed his confidence, or the ben- efit of his society-the brightness of his example, and the richness of his friendship-who among them will refuse their sympathy, or hesitate to give their meed of acquies- cence to the foregoing sentiments, expressed by one who knew him well-who loved him much, and who records so imperfect a tribute to the mental characteristics of this great Southern littérateur. With him mortality has but yesterday, as it were, put on immortality, and now that he is gone, it is as if some prominent feature which formed the principal object of a landscape, were blotted out; the prospect pre- sents to the mind a void, which the surroundings cannot replace. As the sun went down in repose on the evening of the 11th of June, 1870, so faded from view, gently, calmly, and in that peace which became a great life-one whose friends were numbered by thousands, and whose admirers embraced the world.
Our State owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to his genius, and to that talent he had chosen to employ so nobly through life in perpetuating her history-
" Each age to him its grateful dues shall pay."
E. SMITH DURYEA, the co-partner of Mr. SIMMS, was a practical printer, having served his apprenticeship with Mr. A. E. MILLER, and was quite popular as a journalist.
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Scarcely had he reached the age of maturity-to the rich development of those social and tender charities of life, in the future usefulness so peculiarly characteristic of his mild deportment and benevolent heart-when he died. This event occurred on the 25th of March, 1832, in the 26th year of his age. E. SMITH DURYEA was the father of Colonel ROBERT S. DURYEA, Counselor at Law in our City.
Before taking leave of the City Gazette and Daily Ad- vertiser, and prior to noticing its absortion by the Courier, we propose to refer to the memorable fires of the 16th of February, 1835, and that four months after, 6th of June, 1835.
The one of the 16th February, 1835, broke out at the N. E. corner of State and Linguard Streets; sixty-three houses were burnt. The most distressing feature of this calamity, was the destruction of St. Philips' Church, a ven- erable structure completed in 1723-4 .* Truly, the de- struction of that venerable pile must have recalled to its worshipers the words of ISAIAH, when in his lamentations over the destruction of Jerusalem he exclaimed : "Then it was that our Holy, and our beauteous house, where our Fathers praised thee, is burned up by fire !" Twice before had this Church escaped when surrounded by fire. First in 1796. It was again in peril in 1810.
Hard on this misfortune, came the calamity of the 6th June, 1835, which the City journals announced as having originated in a small wooden tenement on the West side of Meeting Street, near Hasel Street. The number of build- ings destroyed was estimated from three to four hundred.
* Shecut, page 6. Divine Service was first performed in this Church in 1723.
Gospel Messenger, vol. xxiv, chapter xvi, page 37. It was in this year (1723) that the Church, then building, was greatly injured by a hurricane.
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Some of them, large brick mansions, but much the larger proportion of them were two story frame houses. At this fire the officers and crew of the United States ship Natchez, and the Revenue Cutter Alert; the officers and privates of the United States Army, and the Captain and crew of the line ship Niagara rendered essential aid.
In the year 1837, the material and good will of this pa- per, under the name of The South Carolina Gazette, passed from the hands of Mr. POOLE, into those of Messrs. A. S. WILLINGTON & Co. The Courier firm published it as an auxiliary to their "Map of busy life," until the first of October, 1840, when it was discontinued in consequence of the patronage of the daily and tri-weekly having increased to such an extent as to render the publication of it incon- venient.
CHAPTER VII.
THE STATE RIGHTS AND FREE TRADE EVENING POST- JOHN A. STUART-J. C. NORRIS-B. R. GITSINGER-THE POST CHANGES HANDS-IT DIES-THE PALMETTO BAT- TERY-JAMES WRIGHT SIMMONS-THE TIMES AND PO- LITICAL AND COMMERCIAL EVENING GAZETTE, 1806-8- THOMAS CAMPBELL COX-WILLIAM P. YOUNG-THOMAS SHEPPARD-THE . FRANKLIN HEAD SIGN, 1814-THE TIMES CHANGES PROPRIETORS-SKRINE & DUKE-T. G. SKRINE LAST PROPRIETOR, 1824-THE INVESTIGATOR- JOHN MACKEY-TURNBULL'S ATTACK ON MACKEY-A TO- RY MOB ATTACKS THE OFFICE OF THE INVESTIGATOR- JOHN LYDE WILSON, EDITOR, AUTHOR AND GOVERNOR.
ON the 1st October, 1831, the first number of the State Rights and Free Trade Evening Post was issued at 13 Champney Street, (now Exchange Street, South of the Old Post Office.) This paper was printed by WILLIAM HENRY GRAY, for JOHN A. STUART. Mr. GRAY was trained as a printer in the job office of WILLIAM P. YOUNG ; and, at one time, acted as foreman of the Patriot, and was afterwards the senior of the publishing house of GRAY & ELLIS. Mr. GRAY, who was a zealous member of the craft, died 2d October, 1836. The Post was a party organ, and was owned by JAMES HAMILTON, R. J. TURNBULL, R. Y. HAYNE and JOHN A. STUART. The following extract from the writings of THOMAS JEFFERSON, was the motto under the Charleston head of this paper :
" Every State has a national right in cases not within
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" the compact (casus non fæderis) to nullify of their own " authority, all assumptions of powers by others within " their limits. Without this right they would be under " the dominion, absolute and unlimited, of whomsoever " might exercise this right of judgment over them."
In November, 1832, JAMES C. NORRIS and BENJAMIN R. GITSINGER purchased the Post from Mr. STUART; the latter having become the proprietor of The Charleston Mer- cury. The Post did not change its politics. It continued to advocate nullification, and, as some regarded, all its kin- dred heresies. It expired after it had attained its six hun- dred and eighty-fourth number. It was, afterwards, reviv- ed and published as The Palmetto Battery, and was edited by JAMES WRIGHT SIMMONS, the essayist and poet. This paper also had a short existence, but during its publication gave evidence of its ardent devotion to the doctrines of nullification.
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