Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-11
MATHEW +. MAURY.
From tho Mobile Times. !

Inc recent hCJlOu Ol Ine beRlbldtuTe
of Louisiana in behalf of Mathew Fon
taine Maury, now an exile in England
will cause qualification throughout our
Southern country, and must be respected
by all Christendom.
AS two great States of the late South
ern Confederacy claim him as their son,
the facts in our possession relative to his
history will be interesting.
He was born in 1906, on his father s
farm, in Spottsylvania county, about
| fourteen miles from Fredericksburg, Va.
He is descended from the family OF
Minor, the first of whom came to Vir.
ginia with some grants from Charles III,
and from the Huguenot families Of Fon-
taine and Maury, who fed from France on
the revocation'of the Edict of Nantes by
Louis XIV, and settled on the tributaries
of the Chesapeake.
About the year 1914, his father moved
with his family and slaves to William
son county, Tenn, where he purchased
small plantation near Franklin, upon
which he resided for many years.
Here his children were reared in the
frugal habits of q small farmer; and here
for ten years NJ. f. Maury passed his
youthful days, sometimes taking part in
the labor of the farm, and only when
means and opportunity served, pursuing
his studies in such neighbcring schools
as were within his reach.
The Right Rev. Bishop Oby was his
last and most esteemed instructor, and
it was while attending his school that he
received an appointment in the United
States navy as midshipman.
His father opposed the acceptance of
this. But the young man could not con-
sent to forego the advantages he recog-
nized in the opportunity, and aided by
Hasbrouck, the assistant teacher of the
school (now a distinguished lawyer Of
Newburg, New York;, and by the over
seer of neighboring planter, he left his
home and set out for Washington City.
Hasbrouck gave him fifty dollars, and
the overseer gave him his only horse for
the journey.
Not long before this time his elder
brother, John Minor Maury, had died in
the naval service, leaving brilliant rep
utation. To this circumstance M. f.
Maury probably owed his appointment.
His FIRST cruise was made in the Bran
dywine, when she was sent to convey
Gen. Lafayette to France. After about
ten years service in the navy, during
which he wrote and published new sys.
tenn Of navigation, he married Miss Hern-
don, Of Fredericksburg, Va, lsister to
Capt. William Louis Herndon, the COM
mander of the Central America, whose
Ia, ha NJ
loss Of that ship was the admiration Of
the world. From this time he was again
Yirginian.
In l842 he was placed at the head of
the National Observatory. His suhse-
nnent yorks and career are known
Throughout the Christian world.
Fifteen sovereigus and princes Of Eu-
rome have honored him With medals, dec
orations, and orders of knighthood, and
Baron Humboldt sent him his great
Cosmos medal
When Virginia seeded, Commander
Maury, with Lee, Joe Johnston and the
other representative gentlemen OF Flr-
ginia, then holding commissions In the
service of the United States, resigned bis
Office and returned to Virginia, to whom
he, as well as they, felt their paramount
allegiance was due.
In the following October the Grand
Duke Constantine wrote to him to make
Russia his home until the return of peace
might enable him TO resume IN his own
country the pursuits SO important to the
enlightened world.
Soon afterwards the Emperor OF
France extended to him through his
Ministeu,a similar Invitation. Both OF
these oficts we're made in spirit OF mu-
nifcence befitting the great empires from
which they came, and the exalted esti-
mate of the Emperors OF the merits OF
him they sought to win.
They were declined by Capt. Maury, |
because he felt that Virginia needed the !
services of all her sons. After the close
Of the war, being in England on duty in |
the service OF The Southern COufederacy, /
be was again invited to accept important |
Offices in foreign States. Believing be |
could aid the people Of his own country
BY 60 dsing. he went 90 Mexico, where |
he was received with distinguished hou-
ors.
1t is now time for the great and mag |
nanimoas nation which six years ago |
5oasted Of him as the greatest savsnt OF /
this enlightened age. 70 recall him to his |
national home, a. suggested in the elo-
lueut resolution Of the Louisiana Legs /
.ature.
A rov Lives Eine Months with : Bullet /
Emhraraf in his Brain.