doc241 - Schoenherr Home Page in Sunny Chula Vista

tleman, still living, admits that he hurried to the Herald office and paid a year's subscription
in the belief that the change was genuine. There was quite a little speculation as to
"what Ames would do to Derby when he got back," and Derby played upon this apprehension
and purposely let it be understood that he was awaiting Ames's return in trembling
terror. Thus he says:
"Though this is but my second bow to a San Diego audience, I presume it to be
my last appearance and valedictory, for the editor will doubtless arrive before another
week elapses, the gun will be removed from my trembling grasp, and the Herald will
resume its great aims, and heavy firing, and I hope will discharge its debt to the public
with accuracy, and precision. Meanwhile 'The Lord be with you.' 'Be virtuous and you
will be happy.'"
The friendly relations between Ames and Derby were never broken, and the
combat which Derby describes was purely imaginary. The editor was a very large man,
and had a reputation as a fire eater, while the lieutenant was small, and such a combat
would have been a very unequal affair. Ames's own comments, in the first number after
his return, show that, if he did not entirely relish the joke, he reconciled himself to bear
it:
"Turned Up Again! Here we are again! Phoenix has played the "devil" during our
absence, but he has done it in such a good humored manner, that we have not a word
to say. He has done things which he ought not to have done, and has left undone things
which he ought to have done; but as what evil he has done cannot be undone, we may
as well 'dry up'
Page 311
and 'let it slide.'
"He has abused Captain Wright, and like David of scripture memory, he has killed
off the Goliah. He has abused our noble friend, Governor Bigler, but as the people in
this region considered it only a faint echo of the Independent (?) Press of San Francisco,
it had a contrary effect from that intended, and we are perfectly satisfied with the
result. Notwithstanding the great hue-and-cry throughout the State, that Gov. Bigler was
the father of the "Extension Scheme," and every imaginable outrage against the rights
of the people, and that hired emissaries were sent down here from San Francisco, to
stir up discord in the ranks of the Democracy, Waldo got but about thirty majority in the
county--and these votes were all cast in one precinct. Well, it's all over, Bigler is Governor,
and the country is safe for the next two years, at least."
The files of the Herald give incontrovertible proof of the friendship which continued
to exist between these two men, so long as they both lived. In 1855, Ames compiled
Phoenixiana and superintended its publication. This was done against Derby's
judgment, he apparently thinking the matter too ephemeral for such a setting. It is possible
that he also doubted Ames's competency, and if so, he was justified, for a more
sloppily gotten-up book has seldom been issued. Notwithstanding this, the naive humor
and exquisite drollery with which it abounds made it a success and today it is a classic.
It was with considerable pride that Ames announced, in 1859, that he had re-engaged
the services of "John Phoenix" to write for the Herald exclusively.
The fun which Derby had while conducting the Herald, aside from the famous political
bouleversement, has received too little attention. In his first number, he added to