Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-08-29
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
A Brief sketch Of Jas. D. Porter, Jr.

From the Nashville Union and Americanl
When the Democratic Convention
which sat at Baltimore in 1874. sent
forth to the country the name of James
X. Polk. of Tennessee, as their nomi-
nee for President, the scoffers asked
Who is James X. Polk?" and the
American people shortly responded in
the matfied thunder of the ballot box,
that Jas. X. Polk was President of the
United States.
Although the name of James ID.
Porter has been well sounded by the
Democracy of Tennessee. and his
character well weighed by the ablest
convention that has met for many
years IN Tennessee, yet we still hear
some ask. "Who is James ID. Porter
While it is certain that the people of
Tennessee will answer the question in
November that he is Governor of Ten
nessee, in the meantime brief sketch
may pot be amiss to show who he is
and what he has been.
James Davis Porter is now forty-ive
years of age; he was born in Paris,
Henry county, Tennessee, where be
has ever since resided. His father DIR.
Thomas X. Porter, was an eminent
physician, one of the earliest settlers
In Henry county, and was prominent
citizen until his DEATH HIS mother
was Miss Geraldine Horton, sister of
the late Joseph w. Horton of Nash
vile.
james ID. Porter graduated at the
Nashville University in 1916. and was
always noted as a good scholar, and
prompt and punctual in his classes,
and leader in the debating society.
Though hard student he was a genial,
jovial school-fellow, and an active par
ticipator in all boyish sports.
He studied law under James Z.
Dunlap at Paris, and then graduated
in the law school at Lebanon. Locat-
ing at Paris, he married the daughter
of Mr.. John Dunlap, of that place,
and began the practice of his profess
sion. He soon gained high standing
at the bar by the practice of those
sterling virtues, industry and attention
TO business; and, though he possessed
a strong will and great perseverance
and determination, yet his mild man
ners and his being, under all circum-
stances, a gentleman in the highest
sense Of the term, he won friends of
all the bar, and usually won his cases.
In the midst of a successful and
popular practice, he was called out for
the Legislature in 1859, and was elect
ed to the House from the counties OF
Henry, Carroll, Gibson and Madison.
and he served his constituents with
great satisfaction to them. and was the
author of the celebrated Porter Res
Olutions, which were Immediately
adopted by Kentucky and other South
ern States. These were passed by
Tennessee when only three States had
seeded.
When Tennessee decided to cast her
lot with the other Southern States, Mr..
Porter at once volunteered, and was
assigned soon after as Assistant Ad-
jutant General to Gen. Frank Cheat
hams command as chief of staff, and
he was with Gen. Cheatham In the
battles of Belmont and Shiloh. At
Corinth he was Frustrated by the dis
eases which proved fatal to so many
COniederates, and left the army for a
brief period on sick leave. He soon
resumed his duties, and was ever at his
post with Gen. Cheathams command
until the end of the war, performing
all his duties and sharing in all the
dangers which his hard fighting COM
mander encountered. When the army
had surrendered at Bentonyille, North
Carolina, and had gone to Salisbury to
draw their last rations, South Caro-
lima Major at the head of mob of six
or seven hundred soldiers marched up
to sack the commissary storehouse.
Gen. Cheatham perceived the move
ment, and calling Col Porter to his
aid, they two unaided. rushed in front
of the mob, and by their determined
stand save the supplies, drove back
the marauders, and prevented the suff-
ering which would have ensued TO the
Western troops had the stores been
robbed, Gen. Cheatham, in his en-
phatic way, having throttled and
thumped the Major who had led the
mob.
Col. Porter had the unlimited con-
fidence of his superior and fellow
officers and discharged the ardous
duties of Assistant Ajutant General
for four years with the greatest ability
and promptness, and received the
highest Communications from General
Cheatham as a courteous and chival-
rous gentleman, an able and trusty
officer, as a gallant soldier in the field,
and a SPACIOUS counsellor In camp.
Col. Porter had three brothers in
the Confederate service; one was kill
ed, and his brother, Capt. Thomas r.
Porter, an officer in the old United
States navy, greatly distinguished him
self. Upon the breaking out of the
war he was on the Pacific, but resigned
and made hair-breadth escape into
the Confederacy, where he was at once
assigned to the Mike Burns Battery,
which he rendered famous in the bat
ties at Fort DOnelson, at which place
he was desperately wounded and
brought to Nashville Capt. Porter
recovered and soon had charge of
another fighting battery, when he was
q second time severely wounded, and
upon his recovery was assigned to the
Confederate cruiser Florida, as first
lieutenant and executive officer under
Capt. Mafft, and he was captured on
board of the Florida when she was cut
out of the port of Bahia, Brazil.
Col. Porter on his way home from
North Carolina after the surrender
with his side arms and parole, was ar
rested near Knoxville and carried to
that point where he was robbed, dis
armed, and was, by Gen. Stoneman's
order, thrown into prison in violation
of the terms of the surrender. Upon
his release from prison, Col. Porter re-
turned home and resumed the practice
of law with great success, and in 1870
he was elected, without opposition, to
the constitutional convention where
his meihodical business habits, his
sound Judgment and legal and legisla-
tive experience caused him TO make
his mark and enabled him to render
valuable service in the formation OF
the new constitution.
The next year after the convention,
by the wish of the bar, Col Porte
was elected by an overwhelming
majority. as Judge of the Twelfth
Judicial District. and discharged the
duties with great credit, f,ithfulness
and Justice, until his resignation in
February, 1874.
Judge Porter is fine specimen of
those splendid physical features for
which Tennessee is so famous. He is
over six feet in height, well built and
weighs about 40 pounds. He has a
larGp massive vell-formed he,d with