Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-06-12
The Late Hon. James MI. Jones.
From the Cincinnati Catholic Telegraph.
ST. JOSE, California.

nicate such intelligence from this distant Prov.
ince as has reference to the great question OF
the Catholic Faith. | herewith send you a lsl
of subscribers, but what will be more agreeable
: | enclose a letter from En- Governor Burnet
e describing the last moments of J. N. Jones
Judge of our District Court, who embraced on
= his death bed the Catholic faith, and expired
d in my arms, after a most edifying preparation
for the future life. Governor Burnett is himself
! a pious member of our Holy Church, having
= been converted from the errors of Calnpbellism
4 by perusing the debate which took place be-
tween the founder Of that heresey and the dis
tinguished Archbishop of Cincinnati. It was
! at my request that the Governor put in writing
those interesting details of his interviews with
a dying friend and telloW-C Catholic; and with
his consent | have sent them to you for publ
cation. The unity of Catholic faith and devo-
ton unites all hearts and makes whateveris in
~teresting to one, a subject of Ratification for all.
"Hon. JAMES NJ. JONES, Judge Of the United
States District Court, for the Southern District
Of California, died at San Jose, on the 18th
day of December, 1851.
cannot, in justice to the deceased, as we'll
as to my own feelings, refrain from putting
upon record, the substance of 4 long private
interview | had with this gifted and accomplish
ed young Judge, day before his death. | first
knew him while he attended as a member of
the Convention, at Monterey, in September,
lS49. He was then about tWenty-seven years
old, a good and ripe scholar in the Spanish,
French and English languages, which | am in
formed he wrote and spoke with ease and ele-
gance; and that he had also 4 considerable know
ledge Of the German and Italian. At the
period when | first knew him | resided at San
Jose, with my family; and Immediately after the
adjournment of the Convention, he came to
that place, and established himself in the prac-
tice ofthe law. His indefatigable perseverance,
his eminent knowledge of his profession, and
his chaste, earnest, and beautiful style of eiocu.
ton, soon procured him a most lucrative prac-
tice. While filed the position of Governor of
the State, in the beginning of 1850, | had fire.
quent conversations with him upon legal
questions, and he was frequently a guest at my
house. In reference TO his own aims and pros
poets in life, he maintained a great reserve,
never obtruding his private affairs upon the
public. He pursued any object he had in view
with great earnestness and energy; and to ex-
cessive application to his laborious profession,
his early and untimeIy death is, doubtless, in
part, to be attributed. | knew nothing of his
early history, except what | learned from him
during the interview before mentioned.
L iS1tt tt!iD III tSuiIudS evening". IL was Il
warm, bright, and lovely day. | found him in
the last stage Of consumption-wasted away
to a skeleton, and yet in the full possession of
his senses, entirely convinced of the near APP
proach Of death, and perfectly collected and
resigned. After saluting me and asking ne
to be seated, he held up in his thin, pale, and
fingers q small cross which he had
suspended from his neck, and in the most feel
manner said; "Governor, this is the image
of our most holy Catholic Faith-the represent
tatl0n OF that cross upon which Jesus died.
You have doubtless heard that I have Joined
the venerable cid Catholic Church. have
never been an infdel. | had xamined the posi-
tive evidences for Christianity, and they greatly
pTeponderated in favor Of its truth; and taken in
with its appropriate fitness for mans
and nature, 1t was, rs a LAWYER would
say, q plain case upoa the face Of the PGgers.-
although a believer in religion, | deferred
embracing it, because it required me to give up
that then looked upon with affec-
ION, but which | now regard rs of no moment
had also spent much ofmy time in new coun,
RES, In the midst OF the exciting and confused
genes incident to a new and unsettled state of
'oclety; and my peculiar cast of mind had
brown me INTO relations and business with
'thers, that called my attention from God, my
laker. had l been a permanent resident of
n old and regular community, I think | should
ave been an early member Of the Church.
lso looked upon cur faith as peculiarly hard
nd exacting; but oh. if | were only well and
ble,i it would be a pleasure, instead of a labor
0 me, to enter into the House of God with
lis children, and there spend every moment
ould possibly spare, in His service. But /
ave deferred it so long! | have prayed to
esus for pardon of my sins. The greatest sin
have ever committed-that which has given
lie more pain, and that which ! deplore more
IAN ALI oihers-is the fact, that ] deferred re-
enhance to near the end ofmv existence-un-
my last sickness. Oh. that | had given God
y early days! | have repented of it most Bit
rly. It is all that | could do. | know that
aath-bed repentances are not generally emit g
ed to much confidence; but | am sure were I q
recover, should henceforward lead a differ =
1t life. The world may say that nv repen-
nee is forced and not sincere: but the world wy
ay say what it p,eases, it will not alter the !"
ct. | know that AMI sincere; and | can well
are the shadow, i'll can get the substance. 2
| can only get to Heaven, will be content.
rust in the merits of Christ. | look to his the
Grey for pardon. {
And now Governor, ifImay be allowed to
IN from heavenly to earthly subjects, | wish ]
mention a few things to you. My father has ]
en- dead many years, and my mother was {
ice married. [ was a child by the first mar l
sc. There are two children living, the issue !
the second marriage; one son of eleven years y
age, and the other a daughter of thirteen. -.
7 brother is an innocent ~prattling boy, of All
and quiet demeanor; and he loved me VIII
'ch. My sister is a kind and amiable girl.
great object had in view, in all my exer- n
MS to accumulate property, was to make -
'se children happy and comfortable. For
$ end, denied myself most of the Injuries, II