The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1854-08-27
Gbr1prrkly Con1rt
Thursday Morning, August ~, 1854.

Through the rol'ienass ot Nni Rho
,lus. we have before us the Delta nf tn.
ed inst. announcing the death Of Sol
ONION w. Downs. late collector for tl,r
Port Of New Orleans tis somewia
extraordinary as the editor Of the Del
ia remarks, that the appointment .
successor to I'll his Office. fpllcwpe
Immediately after the telegraph an
nouneed the fact At Washington The
apology for this hasty action on the
part Of the President will no donb,
meet the comments of the press
throughout The country, and cannot be
dwell upon in terms sufficiently rerri
hensible. Certainly It would he no
detriment to the pecuniary affairs Of
the nation TO await the intelligence
that the last mortal remains of one
who has had the esteem (of his person
al and political friends at least). has
been consigned to the tomb. There
should be some little time to pant in
time enough to let The people learn the
intelligence Of the death Of their ser
vant-time enough to lay AWAY his
body for tie worms to feed IN. before
successor should he named But
We marvel at nothing perhaps the
place was spoken for and promised
before death had sealed the eye lids Of
the unburied General perhaps but
no il would not be well to speculate
thus-perhaps the Thane of tawdrr
lives prosperous gentleman. Well.
let us turn from the consideration of
successor, to say word over the
body Of the succeeded General
Downs died at "Crab Orchard" in
Kentucky. lie was in bad health
when he left New Orleans; his condi-
ton was attributed to a wound reeeiv
ed in duel several years ago Mr..
Downs was born in Tennessee. When
he came to Louisiana he located IN
Bayou Sara to practice his profession
the receiving legacy from
his father he removed to Ouchata
parish where he lately resided His
first appearance in public life was as
Senator from that district. lie was
member Of the Convention Of 1915,
and was the leader of the radical Dem
ocrats in that body. lie held an APP
pointment as district attorney under
President Polk.
At the expiration of this office. he
was elected to the United States Sen
ate. Here he was soon recognized as
one Of the most ardent and jealous Of
the friends of the South. identifying
himself with Clemens, Foote, and 9th
era, then of the ultra Southern party
With the same gentlemen he suhse
quently co6perated in Mr.. Clay's
Compromise, 1t was on this subject
General Downs was brought into con
flict with his colleague, Mr.. Soult.
with a large number Of his friends il
this State. TO heal those dissenslons,
as we'll as to testify his confidence in
General Downs personal and official
President Pierce appointed
him Collector of this Port, which office
he filed until his death.
General Downs was about fifty five
years Of age. He was kindly, anna
BILE gentleman, rather reserved in gen
eral intercourse, but true and steady
in his attachments. His intellect was
solid and practical, without being bril-
liant or extraordinary.
r-Mr. w. w. Moore, of Jackson,
is spoken Of in communication to the
Clinton State Paper, as candidate to
fill the vacancy in the Legislature
from that Parish, occasioned by the
death of the late DR.. j. A. Ranaldson
We hope Moore will consent to have
his name regularly announced, which