The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-12-04
DEAD STATESMAN
Laurel wreaths for his Tomb.

the best tribute yet offered to the name and fam
Of Brown
From the vi ksburG Commercial, June Nth. 1886
ALBERT GALLATIN BROWN.
The announcement in another column
| of the sudden and unexpected death, las
Saturday evening, of the Hon. Albert &
Brown, at his residence in Kinds county
will carry sadness to almost every house
hold in the State. OF all the sons MisSis
| sippi has given to the public service of tn,
the country, none have been more widely
known, hOnOred and beloved, than thu
faithful public servant who now sleeps tina
dreamless slumber which knows no waking
Albert q. Brown, was born in SOutl
Carolina in 1913, but while yet n child ac
companied his parents to Mississippi. His
father, Joseph Brown, located in Copial
county, where he reared considerable
family, and left u name which stands to-day
as the synOnime of honor and manliness
Young Albert early manifested the quail
ties which for more than forty years made
him conspicuous figure in the history of
Mississippi. His education completed, he
adopted the law as Il profession, but he
was not long permitted to remain in the
comparative secluson of the bar. In 1888,
the people of Copiah demanded his sevi-
ces in the legislature, to which he was
cleClcu. DurlllS HIS lfSI scSslOH ne casl u
vote that produced some dissatisfaction
among portion of his constituents, when
with the frankness and courage which
characterized his long and honorable ca
reer, he at once resigned his seat, annOun-
ced himself a candidate for reelection,
went before the people, vindicated his
course, and after an exciting contest was
triumphantly elected over his popular OPP
ponent. At the conclusion of his term in
tl,n al in, I,, Ia,
nomination of the Democratic party
for congress, and in November of
that year, he, and the Hon. Jacob
Thompson, were elected over their Wing
competitors, the Hon. Adam l.. Bingaman,
of Adams, and the Hon. Reuben Davis, of
Monroe. Gen. Brown, for he had previous
ly been elected Brigadier General of the
militia, at once took Il high stand in the ma
tiOnal House of Representatives, and i'll the
councils of his party. 1t was during this,
his first session in Congress, that he met,
wOOed and won, Miss Roberta Young, of
Washington, the elegant and accomplished
lady who SO long shared his joys and his
sorrows, and who now sits alone in that old
home from which the light has gone for
ever.
At the expiration of his first term, in
1871, Gen. Brown declined Il reelection,
but instead, became candidate for Judge
elected by II handsome majority. At the
termination of his Judicial service, in 1919,
he was nominated and elected Governor of
the State, and in 1Si7 he was reelected. As
Governor, he appointed jefferson Davis a
United States Senator, to fill the vacancy Oc-
by the death of Hon. Jesse
Speight, an appointment which the Legis-
lature endorsed by unanimously electing
Mr.. Davis. At the expiration Of his term
"a of Gt tl,ntn
ed to Congress, where he continued to
serve his constituents in the House of Rep
with marked ability and un-
fidelity until 1853, when the Legis-
ature elected him to the Senate of the
United States. Here, as in the House, Gov.
Brown took a high position, and ranked
with the leading minds of that then illus
trious body of statesmen. When he, with
Senator Davis and the Representatives of
our State resigned in 1861, to share the for
5unes of the people he loved and served so
we'll, Governor Brown was serving his see
)pd term in the Senate.
When the tocsn of war was sounded
the land, though his age, as well
Is his distinguished civil service, might
veil have excused him from military duty,
senator Brown would not be excused, but
It once raised company of infantry
inown as the "BrOwu Rebels" of which
le was unanimously elected Captain. At
ached to the Eighteenth Mississippi Regi-
nent (COl. Il. X. Burt Captain Brown and
lis "Rebels" went with that regiment
o Virginia and participated in the battle
# Bull Run, on the 18th of July, 1861, the
'attle of Manassas, on the 21st Of July, and
he battle of Leesburg, in October of the
anne year, where the gallant Col Burt lost |
lis life. In the army Capt. Brown was as
OnspicuOus for all sOldierly qualities, as
Ie had long been for ability and fidelity in
he discharge of high civic duties, but his |
areer as Il soldier was not destined to be |
long one, for the people demanded his |
ervices in another field of duty, and cleo
ed him to the Confederate Senate. There,
8 always, he served his people wisely and
yell, until the fair fabric of constitutional
berty we endeavOred to rear, went down
l darkness and in blood.
Since the war Senator Brown has had no
ctive participation in public affairs,
lOugh occasionally he gave advice to his
lends and neighbOrs, upon public ques-
Ons, whenever solicited to do so, but has
jeadily refused to be candidate for any
OsitiOn high or low. With the failure of
le Confederate Government Senator
rown considered his political career at an
I'd, and no persuasion could ever induce
i'm to reconsider that conclusion. His
ng and successful career. without par
lei in Mississippi, affords striking exam
c to the Young and ambition men of what
ay be accomplished by talent, integrity,
anliness, and devotion to duty. Without
rtune or adventitiOus aids, and moth
& but the intellect which God gave HIM,
nj the courage, the integrity, and the
anIiness he inherited from his honOred
ther, the career of Albert &. Brown was
le unbrOken, life long success. To every
lice for which he was a candidate, he was
ected. The bitterness of defeat was q
ing unknown to him, for victory perched
ION his banner as though that was its
'iding place forever. Member OF the
,gislature, Brigadier General, Represent
i've in Congress, Judge of the Circuit
)urt. twice Governor, again representa-
re for series of years, thrice Senator
soldier, and victor in three battles, are
e trophies of long and illustriOus career
which his friends can point rs rewards !
Orthy OF man who hOnored his State
d ennobled the times in which he lived.
The death of Albert q. Brown removes
storic landmark in Mississippi, breaks
TX which bound the past to the present,
d leaves void which cannot be filled.
le late distinguished Senator was emf !
ntly q man of the people, and his cOnn-
nee in the people was absolutely bound !
IS, He never distrusted the intelli-
nee, the honesty, the patriotism or the
gacity of the masses. He never hesl-
led to 90 before them on any ISSUE, anu 4
never doubted the result. This conh-
nee of his in the people was repaid by
EN- a hundred fold. They in turn never
ubted or distrusted Albert G.. Brown.
leir faith in him was like the simple faith
chIld in its mOther-it was unaltera-
and immOyeable. In 1851 the Union 4
.nsdO swept over Mississippi, prOstrating =
its wild fury the most honOred ana
lsted leaders, including Jefferson Davis L
o, A, Quitman, Jacob Thompson, Win
Ia $. FeatherstOn and a host Of others. il
bert G.. Brown alone withstoOd the 4
m. Like some giant oak, with its roots h
eply imbedded in its native soil, he stood, 4
m, unrufied and unshaken. His sub !,
le faith in the people was not misplaced; !,
N, as in every other struggle Of his life, u
" gathered around him, and with their L
N warm hearts and strong arms, they 4
elded aud sheltere1 their petted favor
from the tempest that was beating upon n
. heads of so many of his friends. This
continued to the end, and now,
,en he. 50 loved and so eOnfided in, Is but x
luIseless elOd, and his ears are sealed u
ke TO sounds Of praise or censure, there a
lcaree a home IN all the State where the e
rs Of his death has reached, in which N
re are not sad hearts and swimming \,
: over the eternal sleep Of the great -.
IBUNE OF THE PEOPLE.
The hand that traces these lines has oiten I
sped that Of the dead statesman. The g