The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-08-04
John Anthony Quitman.

| Tho biographic annals of tho world to-
often prove that death comes too slow 70
not few Of the distinguished men who hav,
hIled prominent positions. Full Of promise
IN youth, brilliant as meteor in middle life
and retaining much Of that brilliancy at tn,
beginning of age, they Jagged too long upor
the stage Of action, diminishing, if not dc
stEoying, the lus,er OF youthhood and man
hood BY those melancholy indiscrstion
which make their name by-word and = 70
proach.
The lamented Quitman did not belong te
this class Of men. He rose steadily, and
brightly, And gloriously as that great span
gled star which now follows the footstep o.
the morning, and sets with unfading Hespe
risu beauty when the midnight comes. And
down to the midnight Of death the old
hero sunk, full Of honors, full Of years.
"l.ke one who wraps the drapery Of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams"
Our readers already know that Gen. Quit
man expired at his residence of Monmouth
in the suburbs of Natchez, Saturday evening.
The event WAS not unexpected for several
days previous, yet when it was announced
that the warrior and statesman was dead,
the melancholy fact forced itself upon US, in
common with every Southern man who has
any ything warm under the left arm tha: the
South had lost champion whose place it
would be hard to fill.
John Anthony Quitman was a native Of
Rhincbeck, Duchess county, New York, and
was bern in 1899. He was of German line
age. Thoroughly educated, at an early age
he applied himselft to the law, aud settled in
Natchez, where he resided until bis death
In 1924, he married. Six children, one son
and five daughters, all living were the fruits
of this union. Three years afterwards, he
was sent to the Legislature, as member
pointed Chancellor of tie State by the Gov
ernor. Subsequently he was elected to the
same post by the Legislature, and, under the
new Constitution, continued in that high
position by the people of Mississippi. lie
was member, too, IN 1881, Of the Ccnven-
ton convened to revise the State Constitu-
ton.
In 1885 there was vacancy in the guber
material chair. Gen. Quitman, then q State
Senator, was elected President Of the SEN
ate, and became acting Governor. In the
year following, Burning with military ardor,
and filled with n lofty spirit of devotion to
the cause of Texan independence, he hurried
from Natchez with a company of volunteers,
while Santa Anna was marching toward the
Sabine. He arrived too late to participate
in the battle of San Jacinto, but this expedi-
ton foresha1owed the tact, ability and gal
lantrv Of the brave soldier who was SO we'll
known in after years as the "Hero Of Chapul
tepec." In later years, few were more strenu-
ous in their extortons to consummate the
annexation of Texas than Gen. Quitman.
The participation of this distinguished m An
in the Mexican war belongs to the historic
records of the country. Appointed ono Of
the six rigadier-Generals, under act Of
Congress, BY President Polk, he took the
field and distinguished himself at the severe
seige of Monterey. Transferred from the
command Of Gen. Taylor 10 that OF Gen.
Scott. he was present at Vera Cruz and all
the splendid victories achieved by Ameri-
can arms from that city to the capital Of the
Republic His superb and successful assault
of The Castle Of Chapultepec made him ia
nous throughout Mexico and the United
States. Rewardng his valuable services,
President Polk appointed him Major-Gen-
eral. When peace had been conquered, and
our victorious army bivouacked in the capi
tai, the 'Hcro Of Chapultepec" was appoin
ted Governor of the City Of Mexico, al honor
all felt to be justly deserved.
In ls49 Gen. Quitman was elected Cover
nor of Mississippi, and two years Afterwards
was renominated, but withdrew from the can
vass, and in $50 WAS elected Representa-
tive to Congress, to which post he WAS re-
elected last year
In Congress few mon occupied higher
position. Though no orator, he va. always
listened to with that respect with which the
members of the British Parliament gave to
the strong, sensible, bluff words Of tho "lron
Duke" The best evidence, perhaps, OF the
regard which all entertained for him in Con-
gress, was that at the present session, just
before adjournment, the Committee on Mill
|tary Affairs, Of which he was Chairman,
passed a resolution unanimously, extollng
the great ability an impartiality with which
he had presided over the deliberations OF the
Committee. Such compliments are rare In
these days OF sectional hostility.
1t may be mentioned, before closing. that
at tn, Cincinnati Convention be vas warmly
supported for the Vice Presidency.
Such are the most conspicuous facts in the
life-bistory Of General Qutnan. They
are enough to show that a bright ieh. has
gone dowu-cnough to show that the South
has los, ono OF its noblest ornaments, and
the country a soldier whose sword WAS ever
ready to fash when her honor and her rights
were threatened. Truer, nobler, braver heart
never throbbed in the bosom OF man. Ever
ready to rush to the rescue Of the oppressed,
whethet in the young Republic Of Texas,
si,,,oI;r, heyoically up the pathway of