Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-21
Rook Notices.

These volumes there are tWeJ h@'e OSSh AOoAe1
for with much interest especially IN Mississippi and
Louisiana, where Gen. QUITNAN, was better known
and where the admiration for him was almost un
bounded Such people are of course the best judges
as to whether the author has done his distinguished
subject Justice and the admiration with which the
work before us has been received in those commu-
mites is ample evidence on that point
Mr.. ClABoRxE says these volumes have been
written from a sentiment Of duty, under the draw
back of i'll health, and at intervals snatched from
= other pressing engagements :; and that his aim has
been to make them like the whose acts they re-
cite plain and frank, without pretension parade
Whenever it has been practicable he has preferred
original letters to his specuatons and thus he
says. the work may be considered autobiography.
Ar. CLAIBORNE gives US this account of the origin
Of the name of QUITMAN: "The tradition is that dur
ing the time of LUTHER, citizen of Rome, of the ia
mousami!y of the MA7CELLI, having adopted the doc
;rine of the Reformation, sought refuge in Germany
and finally fixed himself at Iserlohe, Westphala,
where he assumed the name of QuITNAN-a name
compounded from the old Saxon signifying free
man. One of his descendants settled in Cloves, and
from him the QUIraAN family in the United States
have sprung" The grandfather of Gen. QUTTNlAN
was a man Of science and distinction, and he occu-
pied several posts of importance in the Prussian
Government, of which he was subject. His resi-
dence was on a small island in the Rhine, near the
city of Cleves, which. having been swept away by
an unprecedented food, gave his (the father of
Gen. QUrrMAN) in after life, occasion to say, when
questioned as to the place of his BIRTH that he had
no native place but was a citizen Of the world.
FREDERICK Henry QUrrMAN, the father of Gen QUus
MAN graduated at the Uni rersity of Halle at the age
Of nineteen. and after spending two years as pre-
ceptOr to the daughters of Count RANTzowE. en-
tered the ministry of the Lutheran Church, and
appointed to the island of Curacao. Here, after
a residence of twelve months, he married ANNA
ELIZABETH HUEcK, daughter Of one of the most infu-
entail citizens of Curacoa woman'of refined and
elegant manners. The Rev. DR.. QUHNAE retained his
charge in Curacao some twelve years. when, after
having vainly and at personal hazard resisted
the pernicious effects of the French Revolution he
resolved to seek some other abode,and accordingly
emgrated to the United States, and first settled at
Schoharhie, n Y, as pastor Of the Lutheran Church
at that place and subsequently, lin 1881 he accepted
a call to Rhnebeck an ancient Dutch village on the
North River, where the subject of these volumes
born. the LIST of September. 1898.
OF the early years and education CT Gen. QUTNAN,
we have a very interesting narrative; Of his pre-
paration for the profession Of the law and of his
emigration to Ohio and subsequently to Natchez
Miss in 1921, where he located, and commenced
the practice of the law under the patronage of VIM
B. GRIFFITH, Esq a gentleman Of character and
lawyer III extensive and lucrative practice,
with whom he afterwards became associated as a
partner. His success at the bar very eminent,
and he was soon on the highway to fame and for
tune On the 24th OF December. 1924, he married
ELIZA TURNER, only daughter Of a wealthy citizen
near that place BY this marriage QUTW,N came
into possession of large estate but continued to
devote himself seluousy and successfully to his
profession.
Gen. QUITIlN's ertres :nto public life occurred in
1927, when he became candidate to represent the
city of Natchez and county Of Adams in the Legis
lature and some Of the incidents Of his canvass
recorded by his bographcr viii show something of
the habits Of the people Of Missippppi third of
century ago. QUrrNANs principal competitor
Col ADAM l.. BINGANAN. shative Of the county and
a man of talents. fortune, controlling family infu
ence, and great personal popularity. 1t was neces-
sarv to canvass with energy against so formidable
an opponent. and our young lawyer entered with
spirit into the contest. He traversed every section
of the county and just before the election attended
large gathering in a remote portion Of the county.
He went in his usual neat dress, but soon threw
Off his coat and astonished the crowd by his feats
in wrestling. leaping and boxing. A foot-race was
got up, a sweepstake tor six, hundred and fifty
yards and he beat the fastest In trial of strength
he lifted more at arms length than the strongest
man present. A fat ox-the prize of the day-was
to be shot for The target fixed at sixty yards,
and the shooting commenced. There several
expert rihemen on the ground, among whom was
the noted JoHN HAWKINS, the crack shot OF the whole
C uutry around. No one would shoot against him
and drown Bessn las he called his fayorile rifle
without the odds To the astonshment of the crowd.
SgTTTN1N refused the odds and took chance.
The contest was left to them. HAWKINS pride was
aroused and he shot more deliberately than usual.
free times they tried their skill. And three times
the veteran was beaten He seemed thunder-struck
and grief-smitten, angry and churlish. At length,
however, admiration at what he considered almost
supernatural got the better of him, and he stepped
IL to QUIrvAN and taking of his hat, said Sir,
Aou have done what no other man has been able to
do The beef is yours, and JoHS HAWKINS is yours,
too" QUrNAN took his hand, praised his shooting
and generously presented the old hunter with the
beef. and then propoposed a general treat The
crowd pitched in with three cheers for QUIrNAN, and
from that moment the contest was decided. He
was chosen by a large maiortty.
Gen. QUrHAN took a high position in the Legisla-
ture and effected many reforms in the practice in
chancery and the courts of law, in the various
branches of the State government the law of adj
;ninistrators and guardians and many other useful
measures He was subsequently appointed by the
Governor to the Office of Chancellor and when the
Legislature assembled. he was unanimously elected
by that body. But we need not follow Gen orr
NAN through his public career extending over more
than thirty years as recorded in these volumes In
the halls of legislation Of his adopted State and of
the United States to which he was elected on the
bench and in the field of battle, he displayed patriot
ism and bravery and frmness of purpose that
| nothing could shake. " His life as recorded in
these volumes chiefly by himself will enable every
reader to make an analyst Of his character. lie
was never a brilliant man. He WAS no rAetorician.
His strength lay in his earncsness. his consistency,
and integrity. and the boducss Of his views. The
portrait drawn 10y an old writer OF Sir NICHOLAS
BACON Lord Chancellor of England, is liie-ike por
trait of Qurruly. lie was a plain man, direct and
constant without fncsse or doubessness, and one
that was of a mind that a man in his private pro
ceedings aad IN the proceedings OF State should rest
on the souudness aud strength Of his own courses,
and not upon practice to circumvent others
However much we may differ with Mr.. CLAIBORNE
in his estimate Of the character and abilities Of
others. must do him the justice to say that he
has discharged his duty as the hiographer OF Gen.
QrrgAN in a manner that must be entirely satisfac-
IN, flra F.i. q. ..F. hat
The work is for sale by ". T. BERRY * Co.
PoPuATIoN or MIDDLE TlzNEEssEE.-Nel learn from
GenJ B. CLEMENTS United States Marshal for Middle
Tennessee that the total population of this division
=. -. -L- Il . /.