Richmond Semiweekly Examiner
(Library of VA–originals)

Note character of Daniel from Dabney’s book

Holdings: UR has April 9-12 & 18-22, 1859 (original)

VHS: copies from 1849-1861 (original)

LVA: copies from 1848-49 and 1862 (original)

20 October, 1848 p.4

"A Shave"–story of a con job

"A Domestic Scene, Showing how Mary McFeal Leveled Them" A courtroom scene with a quadroon, a Frenchman, and a fiery Irish woman.

Item on same page about "A most extraordinary case of Bastardry." A 16 year old proved that she had been raped, and was not a prostitute as the defense claimed. The father of the child was arrested.

8 June, 1849, p.2

"A Plan for Emptying the Pamunkey into the Mattaponi by a Ship Canal." Reaction to the General Assembly’s plan to build a canal that would empty the Pamunkey into the Mattaponi river. Daniel makes fun of the project using two letters, from a foppish Whig gentleman and a clownish Hanover Co. farmer who writes in language like Sut Lovingood.

25 September, 1849, p. 4

"A Story about Banvard." How the artist tricks a Mississippi hick who tries to rob him by posing as a town official.

24 July, 1849, p. 4

"The Kentucky Rencontre." Account of the death of Cyrus Turner in a fight with Cassius Clay.

January, 1851

Several good advertisements, with testimonials, for patent medicines that could cure blindness, liver and kidney complaints, even piles!

February, 1851

Of particular note are the "horrible outrages" and "horrid crimes," as the Examiner usually titles such stories, reported on page one. Some are extremely grisly, even for a contemporary reader. The reporting is almost tabloid; see, for instance, the multiple rape/murder by "a gang of young and drunken rowdies" in "Horrible Outrages" (25 Feb., p. 1).

4 February, 1851

"The Worcester Pianos," p. 4. Advertisement with testimonials for the piano fortes. High-blown praise for the piano forte's "dulcet strains." On same page, $10 reward for arrrest of "George Walker, the well-known violin player," hired to play at "The Virginia Springs" (White Sulphur Springs?). Had been hired by Robert Lewis, who placed the bounty, "but has not yet returned home."

"Frozen to Death," p. 2. Ben Hill, a free negro, was found dead yesterday morning on Halifax street. The coroner's inquerst returned a verdict of frozen to death. If this negro had been in this proper condition, slavery, he would have been taken care of by his master, and would not have died like a hog on the highways.--Petersburg Democrat.

4 March, 1851

"From the London Athenaeum," p. 1

The mysterious spirits of New York whom we ventured to call the "Rappites," from their peculiar mode of communicating with the world--without offense, it is to be hoped, to honest George Rapp and his followers,--have been silent of late. The patronage of Barnum put them down. Even the terrors of an unknown world of spirits could not prevent "the laughter which destroys solemnity" when the great showman undertook to exhibit his ghosts at half-a-dollar a head. But we see by the New York Tribune that the spiritual troubles of the city are not yet over; as we have there a report of a conversation held with a departed friend, after the manner of Zadkiel's crystal talk, on many matters,--farcical, sublime, and libellous [sic]. The first question asked is--Had a human soul a conscious existence before we came on earth?--the fourth--Do you know Edgar A. Poe? The spirit--which is, somewhat conventionally as it seems to us, styled Mr. C.--replies to the last inquiry, "Yes:"--on which he is asked a very delicate question--In what sphere is he? The ghosts of Mr. C. evidently does not like this question,--and evades it by saying that his system is different from that of other "Rappites." Barnum has made these secrets too cheap,--and spirits may now refuse to answer. Being pressed, however, Ghost Mr. C. divulges the whereabouts of Mr. Poe. He is, it seems, "in the third society, second sphere." Now, here there is a difference between ghosts and spiritual reporters. Barnum's ghosts had hunted for the spirit of Edgar A. Poe,--and found him in the sixth sphere. Spirit C. discredits the rival ghosts of Barnum. On being again asked if the latter really see apostles and prophets when they say they do, he answers, "No"--on the "no connection with next door" principle, suppose. It is to be noted that poor Edgar A. Poe--poet and a man whose claim to public honors would be considered very small in any healthy community--is a subject of great curiosity to the spirit-mongers of America. This may be deemed either an instance of hero-worship or a love of scandal carried to excess:--but in either case it is a case of Yankee prying of which we would rather not be the subject. This disgraceful tampering with the great mystery of the disembodied spirit by a set of wretched mountebanks before vulgar (if no worse) audiences, got together at so many cents a head, dishonors all who can be concerned in it. Lindolary is simply foolish,--the new trick is impious. Poor Poe had sins to answer for and sufferings to endure in this world quite enough, one would have thought, to satisfy even his enemies:--now that his "bones are marrowless" and his blood cold, the showman should be compelled to let him rest.--The trick itself is below the expression of contempt. It ranks with the "crystal" mummeries which recently mystified weak heads at the West End of our own capital,--but cannot stand a moment's comparison with the honest conjurings of M. Robin or of Robert-Houdin.

1 April, 1851

"Quacks, Physicians, and the Public," p. 4. Transscript of a speech given at MCV by Dr. A. E. Peticolas. Peticolas delivers a strident attack on pseudo-medical practices of his day. [to be photographed]. Missing lines from original: Col. 1: "sible, for I had no servant. Nor have I frequented drug-stores, the halls of hotels or the corners" Col. 2: "mate, and must all be carefully balanced before making choice from our Materia Medica. Again," Col. 3: "a particular course to run which no effort on our part can curtail, and that there is no one class of" Col. 4 "count, cought, spit; and after all this horrid inquisi-"

Reviewed to 15 May, 1851

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