Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-09-09


spirited men of the South. Gov. Helm,
of Kentucky, sleeps with our own Camp
bell, the sleep that knows no waking
He expired, after aprotracted and pain
ful illness, amid the quiet and retirement
of his home, at Elizabethtown, in his
native State, few minutes after noon
yesterday, The deceased was born at
Elizabethtown, among the familiar
scenes on which he has just closed his
eyes forever, in 1907, and WAS, there
fore in the Goth year Of his age at the
time of his demise. His early years
we're spent principally in his native
State, where he received a liberal educa-
ton, and became schooled. in the politi-
cal history Of his country and his times,
fitting himself thereby for performance
of the prominent part he was destined,
in the future, to take in public affairs.
His first appearance as a politician was
in 1923, when, at the early age of twenty
one, he was elected by Wing constitu-
ency TO seat in the State Senate, in
which body he served for a number Of
years, and of which he was several times
chosen speaker. In 1880, he mar
ried the eldest daughter of the
Hon. Ben. Hardin, Of Kentucky,
thus uniting himself with one of the
oldest and most influential families of
his native State. In l947, running upon
the ticket with Mr.. Crittenden, he was
elected Lieutenant Governor; and upon
Mr. Crittenden's accepting Q cabinet
appointment in 1850, under the admins.
tration of President Taylor, he was
installed as Governor, and served for
the balence OF the term. After this
period withdrawing from the political
arena, he devoted himself Sssiduously to
the development of the resources of his
State, and, perhaps more than any
individual of his time, aided in the
advancement of her commercial in
terests. Mainly under his energetic
supervision the important line of rail
road from Louisville to Nashville was
constructed, and upon the first
meeting of the directors of the
enterprise he was almost unanimous.
ly elected their first president Last year
he was sent again to the State Senate, and
last spring was placed at the head of the
State conservative ticket and elected
Governor by the largest majority ever
polled for any officer of Kentucky, thus
browning his useful and distinguished
public career with the most brilliant
event of ripe and honorable life. His
family, who are left to mourn his loss as
a severe private bereavement, are among
the most influential aud highly es-
teemed of Kentucky, and will re-
ceive unbounded sympathy. His old
est son, General Harden Helm, was
among the gallant band, Who fought and
expired on the side of the Lost Cause"
at Chckamauga. His second son will
be remembered as promising lawyer
and rising politician in Meisphis where
he died suddenly in 1868. His brother.
in.law, Judge Geo. Dixon, is still among
us-a highly esteemed and honored
member of society, and an ornament to
the bar of our city AS politician, Gov.
Helm had belonged to the old Wing
school, until the late sectional differences
and other issues overturned the old aud es-
tablished parties of the country, when he
the csuse of Conservatism, and
became the leader OF the party in his
own State. His career of usefulness is
at an end, so far as his owR participation
in pablo affairs is concerned; his men,
ory and bright example, it is to be hoped,
will long guide and influence his coun'
trymen who survive him.