The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-05-15
THE NEW CABINEr-THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTEpIop


ton of the distinguished Secretary of the Interior
we propose to complete the series this morning with
such political biography of Hon. Jacob Thompson
as the materials at hand will permit
The Hon. Jacob Thompson, the present Secretary
of the Department Of the Interior is native of North
Carolina, and received his education at the University
of Chapel il in that State. His collegiate career
was marked by that regularity and systematic pune
tuality which is of his most conspicuous traits
while his quick perception and strong powers OF
analysis commended him to the favorable notice of
class were awarded to him.
Graduating with distinction, he read law with
Judge l. H. Dick, then one of the most distinguished
ursts in the State and called to the bar in 1884
The following year he removed to Mississippi, and
established himself at Pontotoc, then embryo vii
lage in the very heart of the great wilderness that
had formed the domain of the Chickasaws This
Chickasaw cession, containing nearly six millions of
acres had not at that time been divided into
ties, and Mr.. Thompson mainly instrumental in
their organization thus presiding as it WERE at the
political birth of the large and influential constituency
he SO long and SO ably represented in the national
Congress-.
| Mr.. Thompson was first broua int prominently be-
fore the people by the publication of vigorous and
spirited report, claiming for the people of these new
counties right of representation in the State legs-
lature-a right which had been denied to them by
the State executive.
| In January, 1889, he was, without solicitation on
| his part, and indeed against his expressed wish,
nominated by the democratic convention on the gen.
eral congressional ticket. 1t was well understood
when he accepted the nomination, which he did re-
uctanty that the canvass would be holly contested.
The wings, who had carried the State at the prece-
ding general election, put forward their abest and
| most renowned champions, Col. A. L. Bmgaman,
Gen Reuben Davis, and the gifted Prentiss, in himself
a host. Against these, Mr. Thompson, with Gov.
McNutt Hon. A. g. Brown now a senator from Mis-
sissipp and Robert ]. Walker, waged for four long
months desperate battle in behalf of the Independent
treasury-the leading issue of the Through
out the whole of this arduous contest Mr.. Thompson
was indefatigable in his efforts, speaking every day,
and visiting nearly every county in the State and it
conceded that his activity and energy contrbu-
ted largely to the brilliant achieved by the
democratic party in this most memorable campaign.
He acquired in it prestige which he has lost,
and won from the people of Mississippi confidence
in his ability, integrity, and patriotism which has
never been impaired or diminished.
On taking his seat in Congress, Mr.. Thompson was
placed on the Committee on Public Lands, and
took active part in preparing and pressing
to passage the various laws for the promotion Of
settlements in the States. At this early day he
advocated the principle Of graduating the price of
public lands which has since become of the
ticles of the democratic creed Having lived in that
portion of the State where the graduation principle
had been carried out in pursuance of the Chickasaw
treaty, he had the best opportunity Of testing the
practical working of the system. During this Con-
gress it devolved on Mr. Thompson to adjust i'm
mense number of conflicting land claims, and entan-
clements growing out of disputes between reserves
under the Choctaw treaty and preemptors under the
acts of Congress, and to this business he devoted
much of his time. The value of such labor could be
appreciated only by his constituents and his fidelity
and industry in their service secured for him per-
manent place in their affections. He necessarily ac-
quired in the settlement of these disputes thorough
knowledge both of the theory and the practical
working of our land system; and it is worthy Of
tce here in connexion with the fact that he for
several years at the head of the House Committee
Indian Affairs, as an evidence of his peculiar fitness
to discharge the important duties devolving the
department over which he has been called preside.
In 1910 the wing party swept Mississippi like a
tornado and when, in 1871 the democracy again
met to nominate its candidates very few entertained
a hope of overcoming the heavy majority against
them. The subject of this sketch, though still anx-
ious to the practice of his profession was
| second time unanimously placed upon the ticket for
Congress. Mr.. Thompson felt that he could not
abandon his post at such time, and, therefore,
cepted the nomination. and entered the canvass with
| unfaterng zeal
In addition to the national issues involved in the
canvass new question arose to divide and cmbar-
the partythe liability of the State to pay the
Union Bank bonds. This was not q question of re-
pudiaton in the ordinary acceptaion of the term,
but simply whether these bonds constituted debt
for which the State liable or not? Mr.. r. as
sumed that the bonds had been issued in violation
Of the constitution and sold in violation of the char
ter of the bank and that not dollar in any legiti-
mate sense, had been received them by the peo-
pie Of the State. The argument in which he sus-
tanned this view Of the subject is pnc Of the best cf
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