New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-14
ALABAMA.


Il
MOBILE Ala. Nov. "A few days since. the Asso-
ciatcd Press reports announced that III a riot" at
Huntsville Ala. Judge Horton, "a marked man."
was mortally shot. Having been intimately &C
npaintcd with Mr.. Horton for many years, am I'M
willing for many reasons that mere telegrapmc
announcement shoud end the story of his life
Gustavus Horton was a native of Massachusetts,
At the time of his DEATH he was the acting Probate
Judge Of the City of Mobile Office of very consd
cradle Importance. He left his native State at the
age of y or 28 and has been a citizen of Mobile not
far from so years His business until the fatal year
1851. was that of a cotton-broker Having adopted
Alabama as his home. Mr.. Horizons attention was
early given TO the subject Of public schools and the
system now in operation in Mobile the result of
his for long time, unaided eXortOns. He may
properly be considered as the father 0 what We have
of public schools in Alabama. He was chosen
President of the first Public School Board ever or
gained in Mobile and continued to hold
that position till the year 1852. think, when, IN con-
sequence of his political sentiments, he was eJected
10y the action of the Board itself but restored IN
1861 by order of Gen. Meade.
On the opening of the war Mr. Horton was oneof
about hundred men of our city who did not cOnceal
their affection for the Constitution and Government
of the United States Offering no resstance-llIaa.
was impoSSlhle-to the worse than mad attempts 10
destroy the Union inaugurated all around hiu vas
still we'll understood in Mobile that he was a L mon
man. When the sO-caled East Tennessee brluet,
Burners were dragged from their homes ana OiouSn1
TO Mobile TO be imprisoned IN WaIcno 5; -; -,
Horton cOnld not resist the impulse 10 ask admission
within the gloomy walls, and hndln9 ~ M "
temen destitute Of even straw upon Wlch 10 nc nc
carried IN such articles OF FOOD ana cio'RInk ~; IS
house afforded This act sealed his dOOmn Mobile lie
was arrested and confined during one nlSht VIII INC
prisoners with whom he had ventulGd 10 synpaIuIe'
lie was soon after requested TO withdraw from tho
immaculate church OF which he was member on lhe
ground that the other members couId nO5 CousSlyn
ciouslv commune with him. lie was voted ont OF the
School Board and his business became utterly iliht'
Luckily for him, two sons OF ms numerous lahuy
were OF the requisite age 10 JOIN the secession army
and they promptly volunteered their services.
This circumstance prevented the dismissal OF his
daughters from their positions IN the barton AGauc
N.Y. the name of our chief Public school DWlung
His second daughter, Miss Mary Horton, Is now the
esteemed Principal of the Girls High School ana
Miss Eliza the next in age is Principal OF one oil me
lower departments. At the close OF me war MI
Horton became applicant for the CollectOIShlp ol
the Port of Mobile bat defeated by the present
incumbent, who had been Intimately connected WIN
the Rebel Government all through the war AlteI
the riot in Mobile and the consequent removal OF
Gen. WitheTS lauOtheT Rebel MI, Horton was ap,
pointed MAYOR by Gen. Meade, and continued
10 hold the Office until he was elected
Probate Judge at the time our present constitution
was adopted In his social character Mr. Horton was
one of the most amable men have ever known lie
was an affectiOnate parent quiet citizen, ana
utterly incapable OF acting IN opposition TO tle ulc-
tates of his conscience. He loved his country nten-
sely was no negrO-wOrshiper but believed the Union
paramount to every other political considerations
lie believed universal and impartial suffrage aneces-
saTy result of the war; ana that the Union C0ud not
possibly exist except upon that basis foT MS Opm-
ions he socially ostracized by ms almost lifelong
friends in Mobile, and almost daily the subject
of the most yenOmous attacks of The Mobile Tribune
edited by one j. r. Eggleston, who, in a controversy
with The Register FOrsyths paper, some SIX months
since, gave reason why The Tribune should be-
come the oracle OF the Democracy the fact that he
EgglestOn, cruising Rebel Pirate IN the
West Indies "Oue month after Booth killed
Lincoln" The fruit of these attacks has
at last come to the lips of EgglestOn
IN the assassination of Mr. Horton at Huntsville.
have thus given as briefly possible the history OF
Mr. Horton, that may draw the attention OF the
whole country to the dastardy course of the South
em leaders since the Day after day the threats
of such unhung scOundrelS as EggleStOn, john For
syth and thousand like them. are being carried
into muTderOus execution. The lives OF 20 men IN
Mobile, of 100 in New-Oreans, and OF thousands
throughout the country, hang upon thread which
may snap aSunder at any moment. There seems 10
be an organized host of miscTeans among us, whose
whole business Is TO assassinate "carpet-baggers'
and "scaawags" as fast as the work can be done
with IMMUNITY ! most certainly believe that the
taTclCal protests of such men as Hampton which are
periodically printed IN the papers form an important
part of the system being developed. to Kill all
White citizens of the South who do not openly regret
the failure of the Rebellion and TO return the
Black race 10 condition far worse than Slav-
cry. The Northern people imagine that the
election of Gen. Grant Will OF itseltstOp the assasslna
tions daily recurring under our very eyes. | warn
them of their fatal mistake. Mr. Horton and hun
tbe Union men of the South would be protected. He
was a victim of the error and take it upon myself
10 warn the Republican party OF the North-lt IS
quite useless TO appeal to what you call your Demo
cracy"-that, unless something is done beside the
adoption of platforms" and resolutions" Re
publican victory Will have no practical benefit III the
South. We want action, not mere words. A mere
Republican victory will not stop the Vaccinations
now being plotted by 50O00-that S the number, as
estimated by their Chief FOrTest-assasslns in the
South. la more humble way. Mr. Horton has fallen,
Mr.. Lincoln fell victim of ms love for the great
principle of liberty viii the people of the North
read such facts and then turn idly away TO ordinary
business giving no heed to their awful significance
] warn them that such course will bring within
twenty years war upon them compared with
which the late war will have been mere childs
play. 1t is infinitely easier to prevent the passions
of men from rising than TO suppress them when once
engaged in their hellish work. i believe that the
Congress of the United States ought Immediately to
assemble and remain in session till measures are
taken which will secure every man IN the South the
rights of life liberty and the pursuit Of Happiness
From this time till the 4h of March the most will be
made of the Mexican license now the rule among Us.
UNUs PANEOKUM.