The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-15

A correspondent Of the New York
Times, who accompanied the BANKS ex-
petition, gives the following interesting
account of Brigadier General HAMILTON
Next. to General Banks in Importance,
among all our many passengers, perhaps,
was Brigadier- General A. j. Hamilton,
Military Governor of Texas, by appoint
ment of the President. Governor Ham
where, on the great contest now raging
in this country, have given him a wide
celebrity in the North, and his position
as n fugitive Union man from a State
which early went over to the Southern
Confederacy insured him ready hear
ing. Governor Hamilton is about forty
five years of age, nearly six feet high,
and physically we'll built and symme-
trical. He is of dark complexion, with
prominent and strongly marked features,
and a man whose appearance would
anywhere attract attention. He is ma
| tive of Alabama, but about seventeen
years since emigrated TO Austin, Texas,
where be s0On gained wide popularity
and a high reputation in the practice
of the law. He was the most popular
man among the people in that part of the
State, and was especially so with the
non slaveholding class, who looked upon
him as their representative. He was
elected 10 the Thirty-sixty Congress on
an independent nomination, having de-
nounced the attempt TO revive the Afri
can slave trade in the Congressional Con-
yenton of the Democratic party, TO which
he was a delegate. The candidate nom
mated by this regular convention was in
favor of the revival of the slave trade,
and Hamilton took the field against him
on that issue. The Congressional Dis
trict was very large one, embracing
| more than a hundred and eig thousand
square miles of territory and THIRTY seven
thousand voters, and was in the habit of
giving a democratic majority Of eight
thousand. Such, however, was Hamil-
toms personal popularity that be beat his
opponent, and was returned 10 Congress
by the handsome majority of sixteen
| hundred.
Near the close of his Congressional
career Governor Hamilton made strong
and eloquent Union speech At the end
of the session he returned to Austin, and
| was elected delegate TO the State Con.
vention, which dragged Texas out of the
| Union. In that Convention he was the
champion of the Union cause, aud de-
nounced in bold and fearless words The
schemes of the secessionists lie de-
clared that as soon as he could learn how
| A 4 sot 81 H.. "A
ern COnfederacy he would commit 1t:
that in no possible way or manner would
he recognize any such Government; that
he was a citizen of the United States
and was loyal TO his government first
lsst and always. And this defant pO-
sition he upheld TO the last, in evil report
and in good report, against all opposition
! Taxes were levied upon his property by
the Confederate government; but he
would not recognize that pretended gov
eminent so much as TO pay them and his
property was sold He was cited 20 APP
pear before Confederate court but he
refused he knew no such court Thus
of course, he was placed in position oi
deadly hostility with the agents aud up
holders of the new and pretended gov
eminent. But the Union sentiment 81
Austin was very strong, and a powerful
organization Of Union men was formed
for mutual defence and protection. Ham
ilion, as their recognized leader aud
champion, was an especial mark for Sc
cessiOn hatred, and it was determined to
put him down at every hazard. But he
held his ground with the greatest perth
nacity, and his friends stood by him
manfully. More than once rebel Office
holders we're warned that il Hamilton
fell, by whatever means his fall was ac-
complished, they would be held account
able, and would fall with him
This state Of things continued ter a