The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-11-08

seer, inserted this emphatic expires
siou =" When / cay go, You arc to
go; when / say t'ot, you are To
trot and when l Say run, you are to
rnn." 1t General Thompson had
devoted himself to Ills profession,
he would l,aye been enlinenily cue.
cessful as q lawyer. lie was, how.
ever. wanting in that labor. al. d
patient research which are abso-
lutely necessary TO success n, the
bar. As an adv, cate before the
jury, he was very able and success.
full. His style 9of speaking was
rather conversational. and he dis.
played very little ilnpassioned elo.
qncnce. .v,y
On his.retircment from public
life, he wrote q book OH Mexico.
which was well received by the
public, and had an extensive sale.
The intimacy and close friendship
between General Thompson and
Col. William G, Preston, from tho
time they were in college together
to the death of Col. Preston, al
most half century. was some-
thing rare and beautiful. Through
all the vicissitudes of life, and all
the ups and downs III politics, they
were never for q mouient severed
in feelings.
General Thompson was employ
ell for year or two after his re.
turn from Mexico, in prosecuting
claims at Washington, aud received
several very large fees, amounting
in all to over one hundred thou
sand dollars, (:ne Of these claims
was that Of DIR. Gardner, for losses
in mining in Mexico, which turn
ed out afterwards TO be fraudulent
and unfnunded. But General
Thompson knew nothing of the
fraud at the time. The counsel
employed, and the court who heard
anc allowtd d the claim, were equal.
~ unconscious Of the fraud. |
heard Senator Evans, of Maine,
who was one of the Judgce, say
that the Gardner claim was more
thoroughly and satisfactorily
proven than any claim before the
court. CO.. Payne, of North Car
olina, told me the same. l know,
beyond all dispute, that General
Thompson had not the slightest
suspicion Of the fraud till tic trial
and conviction Of DR.. Gardner. /
was associated with Messrs. Brad.
ley & Carlisle in the defence of
Gardner, and | saw the whole cor.
respondcbcc between General
Thompson and Gardner before the
claim was allowed and after it was
established and Gardner had gone
to EuroI Q.
Whilst in Washington, attend.
ing the trial of DR.. Gardner. Gen.
eral Thompson, Governor Hamil-
ton and myself frequently visited
the Misses Fox, who were spirit
rappers, and witnessed u great
many very marvellous revelations.
General Thompson became q firm
believer In the spirits, and died in
that belief, Que evening, at the
instance Of Governor Hamilton,
the spirit of Mr.. Calhoun was call.
ed up, and the Governor asked
him if he still believed in the doc
trine of Modification. The spirit
replied "yes." at which Governor
Hamilton expressed great satisfac-
tion, and said he was glad Calhoun
still adhered to his States Rights
doctrines.
Chancellor Dargan, who was
himself a medium and firm bcliev-
er in the spirits, came to Green.
vile some years after this, to hold
court. General Thompson carried
him out to his Mountain home. and
for twenty four hours they talked
over spirit rappings and nothing
else, as the Chancellor afterwards
told me. In tho latter part Of his
life, General Thompson would en-.
tertain his friends and visitors for
hours and days, in telling them
the wonderful intelligence comnu.
nicated to him by the spirits.
Whilst in Mexico, General
Thompson became very intimate
with President Santa Anna, and
had a high opinion of his talents.
On one OCCASION, he applied to the
President for the release of the
Texan prisoners. Santa Anna
asked which Of tho prisoners he
desired to have released. Tie
General replied, call of them" !"
and further added, s'Iknow that you
will not refuse my request" They
were all released, and among them
Samuel Augustus Maverick. a per.
sopai friend OF the Generals, aud
since q Senator in Texas.
General Thompson know per.
sonally aud intimately, most of tho
great men of America, and if he