The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-08-15
The Uncertainties of Politics.
From the Comet. |

1t is impossible to tell in advance what
a nominating Convention will do. Many
confident hopes and great expectations
have been therein forever extinguished.
| 4 striking exemplification of this truism
/ occurred twentYfour years ago, In the
! Congressional Convention that Assem- bled
at Monticello, on the 18th day of June,
| 1893. 1t was one of the most exciting
aud interesting Conventions ever held in
| the State. Those now living who par
tlclpated in It's proceedings, must have
| preserved a vivid remembrance of its
tumultuous scenes, its three days dead
lock, its war OF words, speech clashing ON
speech, charges and counter charges Of
furious defamation, and finally its un.
| expected denouement.
There were then but four Congression-
al districts in the State; and the old
Fourth had long been ably represented
| by Albert q. Brown. Such was his ability
and wonderful popularity, that SO long as
he would consent to serve, no man in
the Democratic party had the disposition,
or perhaps the courage, to enter the lists
against him. But now, at the solicitation
Of numerous friends throughout the State,
Governor Brown had declined to run
| LOT the 11OQSt, anu IlOtl CHlEIel LHc
! field as a candidate for United State
Senator in opposition to Henry ). Foote,
and was already engaged in the canvass,
hand to hand, with his sharp-tOngued,
powerful, and accomplished adversary.
He went through the State in triumph,
victorious as he always was before the
people But in the Legislature he had
a much more difficult conflict. Foote
was hors de combat, but a far greater
opponent unexpectedly confronted him
in the person Of Jefferson Davis, then
Secretary of War, and the strongest
member of President Pierce's cabinet.
Brown however was nominated III the
Democratic caucaus, but by one majority
only.
His declnation of a nomination to the
House of Representatives, left vacancy
which there were many ambitious and
talented politicians willing, nay anxious,
to fill. The territorial limits of the
Fourth District were very extensive,
stretching across the State from the Mis-
sissippi River to the Alabama line, and
from Scott county to the seaboard.
Every county was represented in the
Convention by full delegation. Judge
ii. NJ. Jones Of Franklin, was elected
President, and J. B. Chrisman and @.
S. Mcmillan, Secretaries BY the time
the Convention assembled, the contest
had narrowed down 20 Gen. Robert Stan
ton of Adams, Hiram Cassidy Of Frank
lin, and Simeon r. Adams, of Jasper.
All had active, and as the event proved,
unyielding friends. Stanton was sup
ported by the strong counties bordering
on the Mississippi River. Cassidy
strength lay between this tier of counties
and Pearl river, with some support be
; vond it, while Adams counted with GER
tainty on the steadtast yeomanry of the
mighty East.
was Young man, not over thirty year
of age, and in personal appearance, strIk
Ingly handsome. Without any approach
to effeminacy in his manly bearing, h,
vet possessed a oountenanse of almos
feminine beauty. He was six teet II
height, straight arrow, well pro
portioned, with clear, rosy complexion
blue eyes and luxuriant brown hair. ii
was a splendid representative of the opu
lence, the chivalry, TIE fashion of tn
wealthiest rural county in the Unite
States. He was the candidate Of million
aires, who counted their slaves by tn
thousand the especial taVorite of thu
most aristocratical agricultural popula
ton of the world A native of Adam
county, and belonging TO family Ion
distinguished for wealth and integrity /
the commercial circles of Natchez an
New Orleans, he had enjoyed all tn
social and educational advantages whic
money could afford. He had recent
come into prominence as politician ]
the State Legislature, mainly on tt
ground that he was the first Democrat
Representative that the intensely VIII
county of Adams had ever elected Aft
pc The Convention, the General returned
Natchez, greatly chagrined and mortitie
at his defeat. During the yellow few
es epidemic of the following summer,
fell a victim to that disease. His bri
career closed amid general sorrow and I
greet,
OF very different material were his t'
comprehensive dissimilar as the PHI
tree and myrtle Both had tai en ha
Eat lessons in the school of adversely. Wi
te, none of the early advantages of forum
they had hewed their own way throu!
= opposing obstacles, and by their own u
aided efforts, achieved great prominenc
the one as Q lawyer, the other as edit
sss of the most widely circulated newspap
-, in the State. They were men OF t
people, strong, sturdy, self-reliant.
nd CASSIDY
was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotc
Irish parentage. He came in early you
to Mississippi, and, with a stout he's
,or and frame he also brought plenti1
,rk supplv of Scotch tenacity, Irish wit, n
ng the iron of his native keystone mou
ear tains. He was long the Representa-
or of Franklin county in the Legislatu
or and was always regarded as one of
tlv foremost leaders of that body.
his 1854 he was elected Speaker, an
Ich take it altogether, no man, save perhal
lu- Governor McRae, has ever filed Il
Ugh high position with such universal acce
lev ability. On the death of Hon. StanhC
ay, Posey. he was elected to fill the place
est Circuit Judge, without opposition. 1
les general learning and ability, but esp
he ially the prudence, the mildness and
the firmness of his character, eminently ut
ike him for this position.
the In early life, before they had reach
low adult years, two brothers, William
the and Simeon z. Adams, both printe
NO, came from Ohio to Mississippi The
for mer went to Natehez, and in few ye
this became editor and proprietor of
lrly Natchez Courier. Under his able m
the agement it became the leading and N
last influential journal of the Wing party.
and also possessed literary excellence t
rim gave it high reputation among scaoi
and intelligent readers.
SIMEON h. ADAMS