Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-05
NUMBER 100

& CoLgress & 70 take command Of regiment Of voIun-
~ s1s Ssate IA the Mexican war He great
" distIng rushed himself in the bat+as ;n Ne Ieri
/ co aldChlhuahua- When in Ig5T Co1sr-sss 5eta-
nined 20 increase tho regular arr1v vfb tvvo new
Brgadier Generals, one Of tbose snronen,snts Ne,
ohereo 70 SsHersOn Davis, and on his leclersiou.
/ was rendered to and accepted nv roI p.i.o -
served during the remainder Of d. cSo..aI
Of the regulRr army. Had he ressins5 H. ;s;o,
he would row be senior in rank III Ell az g.
on the Southern side.
Retiring to private lIfe at the close Of the AFs,.,
var, he took prominent part in p0itic. mil
1852 In that year the Benton and anti -Benton
wings Of the Missouri Democracy united on him "a
their candidate for Governor and be was electe1bV
triumphant ms lOrity. In his four years guherns
tOriai term he distinguished himself for hls admin
istratye ability obtaining, BY almost universal con
sent the reputation Of having been the best execu
tive Missouri has ever had By Jaeksoni1n use Of
his veto power he endeaFOred arrest extravagaDt
loans OF the State credit to build up mammoth rail
road corporations. But, as BY the Missouri COnsti-
tuition, 8 bilLean be passed over the veto By bare
majority OF the whole number Of members elected
to each branch Of the Legislature his efforts failed
and the present deplOrabe condition of Missouri's
finances ls mainly attributable to the neglect of
his counses. As the leader Of the regular DemOc-
rsey he greatly contributed to the overthrow Of
i3entOnism IN that State. At the close Of his CUB
ernatorlal term, IN 1856 be was faForte Of large
portion OF the Democracy for place in the United
States Senate but 70 prevent dssensiou in his par
tyi he maenanmously yielded his claims in favor OF
James . Green who was consequently elected.
In 1860, IN common with the mass Of the Southern
Rights Democracy Of Missouri be supported Mr..
Doug las. though dissenting from his sauatter SOW
eregnty doctrines. The result Of the sstute course
OF the lsadl0g southern Rights in Missouri last
year much misunderstood By those unfamiliar
wan the complicated politics Of that State-wss 70
give the SeeesslonSts control Of the State govern
ze5t in all its branches snd to Mr. Douglas the IN
substantial compliment Of nine electoral votes for
the presidency.
At the election prematurely ordered By the Ms
souri, Legislature for State Convention IN Febru.
ary last and held under the most annihilatinR in
duence of the Virginia and Tennessee elections
which had preceded it, Governor Price was chosen,
without opposition, to represent his district in that
body, and by Like unGnimity was elected 10 preside
over IT. his position IS shown By hin votes in the
Convention, IN March lsst, was that all honorabIe.
peaceful efforts should be used 70 bring the Gul
States back into the late Union, but that on the fail
ure of these efforts, the interests, sympathes and
dignity Of Missouri demanded that abe should Join
her Southern sisters.
On the 10th Of Nay last the brutal conduet Of
Lyon and his Hessans, ct the capture of Camp Jack
son, near st. Louis, initiated the war now going on
between the S.s authorities Of Missouri and the
Linc0lnites. Gov. Price Immediately repaired to
the capital OF the State, and on the 18th accepted
from Gov. Jackson the command inchief Of the
Missouri forces. The organization Of the Missouri
militia aOt having provided for any rank higher
than that Of Brigsdier, the Legislature passed an
act creating one cfHee Of Major General to command
the whole militia IN time Of war and il was at once
conferred upon Gov. Price
With his military career since that period the
public Is familiar. Previous to the battle OF Boon
vile, he was attacked BY bilious fever which
prevented his icing near the scenel Of action. At
the battle rear Springfedh msgnaninously yielded
70 the claim of BrigadiersGensral McCulloeh ard
served under his command, although bsiag Major
Gensral, he was the superior in rank. Nothing
more strlkngiy exhibits his self sacrificing disposi-
ton than this concession nothing more clearly
shows his standing in Missouri than the fact that he
could aIerd TO make it. without diminishing the IN
bounded coahcelce reposed in him by his own
trC1ps.
Gen. Price is By birth Virginian, AID by oecu-
pstsn tobacco planter, in Charlton county, No.
lie about 80 years Of age over six feet in height,
0f large build and stately presence. His manners
arc extremely polished, gentle and dignifed but
his heroic personal courage conspicuous at the
battle near Springfield and his iron frmnes are
disclosed By his eyes and massive chin. He is
strikiugly temperate, and exemplary al the rela-
tioEs Of life. His most distinguishing chuacteris-
ties are sound, cautious judgment, and energy in
action Modest, making preteutions to brilliancy
or superiority he seeks always to bring TO his aid
al the talent or experience OF others within his
reach of his first acts as MsJor General was to
select for his AdjutRnt an experienced officer
who lad resigned from the U. S. Army, and
whom he had previously known only by repu-
tJ1. Naturally tacit1rn and secretive, be
II ikes it difficult for the enemy to discover his
plans. An excellent jsdye Of men, he selects his
counsellOrs carefully and s9sringy In addition he
has the prestige Of success. Though neither !
trimmer nor Al intrigaer he has never been a
candidate for political station without obtaining it.
In Mexico, SIS more recently iE Missouri he never
commanued in a battle that ne did not Pin. The
Missourians are ralying to him in mass. Be- ths
latest, though perhaps exaggerated statements Of
the Lincoln presses he hiss now 40, 900 men undsr
his command.
This Glstinguished man is sometimes eOnfounded
with Thomas L. Price Of Missouri once General
in the Mihtis, and many years AgO, Lieutnant Gov
ernOr of the State, and now = supporter Of the
Lincoln Government They are antipOdes in many
res ID cts. particularly in politics.