The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-01-03
anN. Ii. 4. WALTifALL


L am one OF inc many cii"0h'
d Mississippi who think that Genera
T, Walthall ought to be elected TO th'
@ United States Senate. | have known hin
@ long and well, and If am any judge o
y such matter, there is more good timber
in him to make n Senator Of than any maj
q ever knew. Knowing that he has but few
;, personal acquaintance in the Legislature
that he did not canvass the State as nm as'
, pirant; that he has had no organ to present
" or press his name that he has not even
! allowed the newspapers of his own town ia
I freely express themselves in his behalf, and
that many members will probably make up
: their estimate of him from information at
f second hand, propose, with your perms-
sion and without his, to present him TO
them, as / and many others know him; so
, far as am able to do so in the space OF u
: letter.
Notwithstanding the amount of canvass
lug and discussion which has taken place
, in the press, believe many members VIII
= come to the Capitol with their conclusions
upon this important subject uniformed and
with fixed purpose to act upon 1t with an
eve single to the best interests OF the state.
To such, information from any source will
be acceptable.
Though Gen. Walthall has been long one
of the most popular and prominent citizens
of the State, the only civil office he ever
held was that of District Attorney of the
10th Judicial District, which he filed for
the two terms of four years each, immcd-
ately preceding the war. The ability and
fidelity with which he discharged the duties
of this office won him much praise and adj
miratiOn at the time, and are still remem-
bcred and commented on by the people of
that district. / have often heard Judge
Cothran, the Judge of the district, say that
he was the best District Attorney he ever
saw. From this position he went into the
army, and as II soldier his career was brill
liant and admirable. He went out with the
first call for troops, continued in active SER
vice in the field throughout, and surrender
ed with Joe johnson at the end. Beginning
us IL private or subordinate officer, he rose
successfully to the positions of Lieut.-Col-
onel, Colonel, Brigadier-General and Major
General. In whatever position he was
placed, he soon showed himself fitted for a
higher one, and these promotions followed,
one upon another, not as the result OF
friendship or favOritism-fOr he had neither
military nor political friends at the Confed-
crate headquarters-but as the just rewards
for brave deeds and ugly sears. No officer
mt To a for Ia n n no did |
the admiration and confidence of his COM
mand and of his superiors in rank. l have
yet to hear the first man, either under or
over him, speak of him otherwise than i'll
the most enthusiastic terms. His splendid
bearing, steady nerves, vigilant attention
and prompt action, together with his con-
slant and considerate regard for the lives
and welfare of those under him, made him
a magnetic spirit both in camp and field.
In what high esteem he was held cannot be
better shown than by the single circum-
stance that Gen. Hood, after the repulse of
our army from Nashville, selected him for
the responsible and perilous position of
commander of special infantry force Or
ganized to cover his retreat. In this posi-
ton" AS in every other, General Walthall
rose equal to the emergency and superior
to it, and covered himself with glory and
his State with honor.
Yet it may be safely asserted that General
Walthal's success as u soldier was not only
due to any peculiar military talent or genius,
but to that rare combination of q perfectly
well balanced and vigorous mind, an ardent
and enthusiastic temperament dauntless
and devoted patriotism.
OF General WalthalPs ability as Il lawyer
and political DICTATOR, need not speak.
They are known all over the State, and are
such as to well qualify him to meet such
men as Blaine and Conkling in the Senate,
and wrestle with them for the rights of the
South under the Constitution. His mind is +
of that intense order which Analyses and
whatever subject it touches-tO
think is its normal condition, and to illum-
mate, its natural action. His speech is
marked by an energy and terseness of Ian
guage, and an aptness and force of illustra-
ton which make it far more effective than
any rhetorical defamation. He has other
lNiulltits pObltluh WI .
IRE scarcely less important. The first of !
5hese are his high character and unspotted
integrity. Not the original Bayard more de- I
served the title, "Chevalicr sans peur, ct sans '
than does General Wathall, to @
whom it has often been accorded. No man c
ever had higher standards of conduct-no ]
nan ever lived up to them more rigidly.
Anotherqualityp possessed by him and pecu-
iarly fitting him for public life, is his person
ii magnetism, that subtle influence which
more tlmn intellect, more than elOqucnce, '
more than any kind of mental power, en-
lbles its possessor to lay hold of the minds t
md wills of men ndmOuld them to his own. d
lie has the invaluable capacity of attaching
men to him by other ties than those of self
interest. Go to his own town or county, or a
o any community in which he is personally !,
Known, and you will find abundant proof k
If this fact. 1t does not excite wonder :
when you know the man, for it may be said
loblemen, that, "Though he sprung from
he body of the people, nature so fine )
night well have been distilled from the
lower of antecedcnt chivalry." Il
1t is difficult for me to speak of Gen.
Yalthal without some extravaganza of
unguage, though would prefer to repress ;,
t, if could do justice to him without it =
or such is my only object. Twill not, how 4,
yer, trespass further upon your space than
o briefly state the qualifications he pos
esses which appear to me to eminently fit [
i'm for Il United States Senator. a
He has ability of the first order, allied to =
discretion and tact, keen perceptions and
II almost infalible judgment. He has a
Conservative and well balanced mind and
character marked by "That chastity of =
onor which feels a stain like wound" n
n fidelity to principle and in courage of
Onviction he was not surpassed by Hamp-
on. He is patriotic man and as true as
teel. He has high conception of the re-
possibilities of a Senator, and would dis Ii
barge the duties of the position = n
With an eye single to the public :
God and with no thought of self.