The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-09-15
Letter rrOmTTon. =. A. r. Campbell

Letter from III ON. y. a. n. Ga nm II D. = II
CANTON, Miss, Sep. 5, 1870.
Editor ClariOn-Since my public record
has been partially produced in the CLARION
of the ID inst disagreeable as it is to emerge
from privacy for such purpose | ask you
to do me justice and kindness. by pre-
senting the following statement, viz:
When Mississippi seeded, was Speaker
of her House of Representatives, and was
elected by her Convention, one of her Rep
resentatives in the Convention which franz
ed the Constitution Of the Confederate
States, and which Convention became the
! Provisional Congress of the Confederate
States. l was an ardent Confederate, and in
the Provisional Congress supported every
measure to promote Confederate success
Having been assigned to duty by my State
in the civil department. proposed to re-
main there, and offered as a candidate for
the first Congress under the permanent
Constitution, and was defeated, and imme-
diately entered the army as captain of a
volunteer company of one hundred men,
was elected Lieutenant Colonel. and served
through 1861, was in several engagements,
commanded my regiment in the battle of
| Corinth, and was shot from my horse on the
4th of October, 1862, and while PROSTATE
/ from my wound, saw paper i'll which it
was stated that the Confederate Congress
/ had passed an act for the organization OF
/ Military Courts To attend the corps of the
/ army in the field. | applied to President
| Davis, and was appointed Colonel of cavalry
and assigned to 1t. General Folks corps, as
member OF a military court, and while at
| Nicksburg, with my regiment, in January
/ 1863 after having abandoned all idea of
being appointed, | received orders from the
Secretary of War to report to 1t. General
/ Polk in Tennessee, and did SO, and cOrtin-
ued with the army until | was paroled
prisoner of war, at Greensboro, \. G. The
Confederate States had no truer friend, 1clile
its banner fOdted and none nlO1THed more SOr-
rotgtul{y than 1, 9cheR il 7rdS tttrled JOrerer.
think may say few families in Mississippi
suffered more severely for the Confederacy
than did mine. None can count more graves
Ofits martyrs in proportion to numbers
| None is bound to its memories by more
sacred recOllectiOns than myself. When the
Confederate States government ceased 10 eTtSt,
became again q citizen OF the United States and
honestly care allegiance to IL. l reached home
on the 10th of June, and on the 10th OF Sep
TENDER. 1865. became a candidate for Circuit
Judge of the Fifth Judicial District, to fill
the uneXpired term to end on the first
Monday of January, 1867; was violently OPP
posed because of my former political course
bit was elected Oct. %, 1865. and at the gem
eral election in fall of 1866 was reelected.
without opposition, for four years, and
thoguh tired of the position, retained it at
the earnest instance of friends until Feb.
Goth, 1869, when unable to take the oath re-
quired of incumbents of office. l retired,
and entered upon the practice of law. This
record closed my political career. Since thst
| have been quietly engaged in my profess
sion. While attending the Circuit Court of
Leake county, was appointed one of three
70 e. Lou
reaching home, received my first notice of
il, several days after had been confirmed.
This is strictly in the line of my profession
al pursuits, and no more involves party
politics than would employment to argue
case in Court for the State. The employ
ment suited me, and | accepted it, grateful
for the kindness which conferred the hon
or upon me. While | was in my office en-
gagged in my professional business, igno-
rant that the Board ofTrustees of theU niver- |
sity was in session, aud without at any time
having done or said anything, directly or
indirectly to induce it, [ was unanimously
elected to the chair of Law and Govern |
mental science vacated by the resignation |
of my admired friend, Col, Lamar, who |
can't have 4 compliment paid him too high |
10 receive my approval, and received the |
announcement with as much surprise as |
was ever felt by the recipient of an uneX-
pected and unsolicited compliment. L have |
not vet answered the official cOmmunica- |
ton informing me of my election. Neither |
the Trustees, nor the public know my de- |
termination. 1t will not be influenced by |
any political party consideration. | do not
know what considerations led to my cleo |
ton, but suppose generous estimate of my |
judicial position withdrew me from particle |
paney in the exciting political contests |
since the war, added to feelings of personal |
kindness on the part of several members of
the Board. determined their choice. 1 have |
been vain enough, tOo,tO indulge the suppo- |
sition that leading object with the Board |
was to give an assurance to the people OF
Mississippi, of determination in the man |
agement of the University, TO do no violence
at least, to their feelings. and therefore Sc |
lected ME As not Objectional to MiSsissip- |
plans. These are my own SurmiSeS. | have |
not had any advice from the Board, or any !
OF its members as to the considerations that |
influenced them. My political record be- !
fore and during the war is before the coun- !
try. ! have made none since. No one has |
the right to assign me to any new political |
organization. / am private citizen. NIL |
ing no public office and not seeking any, !
and with my political opinions the public |
has no concern, and | shall desire to define |
my political position for myself, when an |
occasion shall arise to make it proper for /
me to do so. Until that shall occur, no man |
has the right to assume for me any thing !
inconsistent with my known political views |
in the past. i am not ashamed of my past, |
nor present. and do not think my friends |
will be with my future course.
Respectfully,
j. n. Z. CAMPBELL.