THERE IS a kind of courage which not only calls forth praise from friends but also elicits respect from adversaries. It was this kind of courage, intellectual and moral, which distinguished Ralph McGill.
Proud of the deepest traditions of his Southern heritage, loyal to the concepts of integrity and honor which are the pride of his region, he brought to journalism a sense of responsibility and a devotion to truth.
I was privileged to talk with him on many occasions when he accompanied me on my trip to Russia in 1959. His high intelligence and deep sense of compassion made an indelible impression on all who knew him.
Mrs. Nixon joins me in extending deepest sympathy to his wife and family.
Note: Mr. McGill died on February 4 in Atlanta, Ca., of a heart attack at the age of 70. Since 1942 he had been editor, and since 1962 publisher, of the Atlanta Constitution. In 1958 he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing.
Richard Nixon, Statement on the Death of Ralph McGill. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239678