The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-23
HON JAcoB THoMpsoN

N l.
A correspondent Of the Raleigh North Carolina)
Standard furnishes the following interesting and well
written biographical sketch of Hon. Jacob Thomp-
son, the present able accomplished, and popular
Secretary of the Interior Department:
MEssRs. EDIroRs At the commencement of the year
gave to readers sketches of the President and the
members of the cabinet In this, without design, Mr.
Thompson omitted We endeayor to supply this
omission. At
Mr. Thompson Is a native OF Caswell county, North
Carolina He was born In May, 1910 His father, Mich
olas Thompson respectable and excellent man. who
belonged TO that enviable class Of society possessing
neither poverty riches; and conscious of the value
and importance Of education he bestowed upon his son
every advantage the country Afforded The early educa
ton of Mr. Thompson was conducted by Mr.. Bingham,
sT at Hillsboro the fidelity OF whose teachings has
been proven by the many rare and ripe scholars which
he sent to the University and whose success In life has
proven how thorough his instructions Mr. 1homp
son entered the University of North Carolina and gadu
ated with distinguished bonors in 1881 Among his as
socates college and whom he preceded by year. were
Hons James Dobbin late Secretary Of the Navy and
Thomas L. Clingman at present member of Congress
from North Carolina Cadwalader Jones, esq., late solic
or general of North Carolina, and Others On the same
day which he graduated he elected by the trustees
and faculty tutor of the College, where for eighteen
months he strengthened and deepened the foundations Of
knowledge already laid. After this service Mr.. Ihomp
son entered the law Office of the Hon. John Dick, at
Greensboro now of the superior court judges Of
1884. The next year he emigrated to Mississippi and
settled at Pontotoc and at entered into extensive
and lucrative practice In 1888 he married to Miss
Jones in the following fall he elected member OF
the House of Representatives in which he served conn
uously until 1851, when he declined reelection.
belongs to the statesman and historian to examine
and discuss all the great questions OF public interest
which agitated the public mind during this excited pc
Rod, and to extract from the many speeches made by
Mr. Thompson his views upon the different questions of
the day Suffice for purpose to say that he proved
himself democrat of ..the strictest sect all these
occlsions-the determined foe of all corruptions in
rgues the constant advocate of truth and justice the
liberal and patriotic statesman and the answering and
fearless advocate of the honor and interests of Mississippi
He took his in the House of Representatives,
member from Mississippi, on the I'd day of December,
1889, with the Hon. A. g. Brown senator in Con-
gress the sole representatives at that day This was
period of extreme political excitement and the first les
which Mr. Thompson received in the stormy school
of politics well calculated to try his consistency and
his nerve--the celebrated New Jersey case, where
partisan governor endcavored by the broad seal to fix
broad lie upon the national records and to place
men in office not elected by the people The independ
ent sub-easuy SYSTEM the policy Of which much
questioned and erocously assaled by the advocates
of corporations and banks was then agitated The sa-
gacty of Mr. Thompson perceived its advantages, and
opinion has proved its Importance But for this system
the government would be sad sharer Of the inan
cal ruin that spreads through the nation In speech
made I4th January, 1912, he opposed the temporary
pedent Of the issuing treasury notes without creating at
the time fund to meet the debt On the 2lst OF
February I843, he made noble and eloquent defence
of the State of Mississippi In reply TO the assaults of Mr.
Adams u. O. and Granger
In the defence of the administration of Mr.. Polk the
Mexican and other questions he the right arm OF
power in the House, always ready, firm, able and deyo
ted in the subsequent administration he "a terror
to evil doe by his fearless denunciaons Of the Gal
phn swndle and other peculations the public treas
ury. He then declined reelection to Congress to ut
tend to his private affairs necessarily much neglected by
80 long service in Congress We learn that the same
ability and sagacty has led TO similar He is said
be of the wcathest in the State The allur
ing and elevated post of senator in Congress- vacated by
the appointment of Hon Robert Walker to the Treas
ury Department, offered to him in lS45 which he
declined His appointment Secretary of the Interior
by Mr. Buchanan was hailed by the whole country
peculiarly .it to have been made The laborious
vices of Mr. Thompson the Committees of Public Lands
and Indian Affairs in the House Of Representatives
have rendered the responsible duties that devolve him
Minister of the Interior familiar household words
to him the zeal, promptnes and justice with which
the heavy amount OF duty devoving this department
is despatched is alike to the saction and admiration
of all who have business before it BY he is
sdercd rather stringent but in these pursy times this
is rather virtue than fault While the government is
not eeced substantial justice Is done The merits Of
each carefully weighed the point well investigated
and the decision unequivocal, decided, and frank.
In his private intercourse his manners marked by
the charming simplicity that has characterized his
life, and has for him such troops of friends 'He
is of the few men, said old friend of his boy
hood who recently visited Washington .that high Office
has not affected. He is the game Jake Thompson knew
at Chapel HILL" W.