The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-04-17


Mississippi of the OIden Time.
In old books, particularly if they relate
to events Of historical interest, there is
a reverential attraction not unlike that
which inspired Old Mortality in Sir
Walter SCOTS wonderful fiction Of that
title, TO devote his time wandering among
the churchyards searching tie epitaphs
upon the decaying tombs of those whose
remains were Wondering beneath. The
thoughtfuness of "a friend has provided
Us with copy of Statutes Of the
Mississippi Territory in 1916, bearing the
impress Printed by Peter Isler,
''Printer to the Territory, Natchez,
"1816." Peter Isler, by the way, was
the grandfather of Messrs. j. w. and
Louis Fife, who have long been attaches
of the CLARION office, and who it would
seem have fairly inherited their fondness
for ''the art preservative of arts p
The book, though not printed upon paper
as white as is now used, and somewhat
quaint in its style, is creditable to the
typography Of that day when lightning
presses propelled by steam, were I'M
known. The first thirty pages contains
the Declaration Of Independence; the
articles of Confederation between the
thirteen original States adopted in l778,
and the Constitution Of the United States
adopted nine years later when ii
was found that the experiment of
Il mere league of friendship" between
the States, would not answer the pur-
poses expressed in the preamble to
that document. These papers are fol-
lowed by the articles of agreement by
which Georgia coded to the United States
the Mississippi Territory, embracing all
that region comprising the States Of Mis-
si8sippi and Alabama. The Commission
ers who signed this agreement on the
part of the United States were James
Madison, Albert Gallatin and Gen
Lincoln, and on the part of Georgia, Jas.
jackson, Abraham Baldwin and John
Millege. 1t was witnessed among others,
by u. Franklin, Senator of the United
States from North Carolina" BY act of
May 10th, 1900, it was provided that
''until the number of free male in
habitants of full age in the Territory
of Mississippi shall amount to five thous-
and the county of Adams shall be en-
titled to choose four Representatives, the
county of Pickering four, and the Tensaw
and Tombigbee settlements one" The
first election for representatives to the
general assembly was ordered to be held
on the fourth Monday in July (1800)
next" They were to "be convened by
the Governor in the town of Natchez" OIL
the fourth Of September following. Our
ancestors in those days did not affect high
salaries, for by act of March Sd, 1907, it
was declared that each of the judges of
the Mississippi, Indiana, Michigan and
Louisiana Territories should be entitled
to receive the sum of $1,000, the Secreta
ries $1,000. Suffrage was regulated by
an act comforting it upon "every free
white male person in the Territory above
the age of twenty one years, having been
a citizen of the United States and resi-
dent of the Territory one year preceding
the election, and who has legal or
equitable title to fifty acres of land, or
owner of town lot worth 500, in said
Territory" In 1914, the payment of
county taxes was added as prerequisite.
In 1910, Madison county North Ala
bama) was declared entitled to one rep.
resentative. In 1912, call that portion
of territory lying east of Pearl, west of
the Perdido and south of the 91st degree
latitude, "was annexed to the Missis-
sippi Territory"