The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-06-17

the two, and had acquired at the
commencement of his career what
Brown had not, the glamour of a
military reputation. 1t was a peri
Cd in our history when military dis
tinction was exceptional, and
Mr.. Davis made the most of his.
Gov. Brown sought to avoid antag-
onizing Mr.. Davis, but that was
hardly possible. The latter, always
combative and imperious, could
lily brook a rival, and his over
Jealous friends did the rest.
In 1852 the tide of popular favor
had flowed to the compromise meas
ures and driven from public station
in Mississippi nearly every leading
Democrat except Brown, who, in his
district, was invincible. Mr.. Davis
was in the cabinet of Franklin
| Pierce. All eyes turned to Brown
to restore the ascendency of the
party in the Legislature. A United
States Senator was to be elected
from this State, and Foote, who was
then Governor and the representa-
tive of the Union sentiment, was an
aspirant for the place. Brown open
lv announced himself a candidate
and entered the field against what
appeared to be the greatest possible
odds. The State was revolutionized
mainly through his eXertions, but
when the election came on for Sena-
tor. Davis and Brown were pitted by
their mutual friends for the prize.
Brown always said that this was a
surprise to him; that he entered the
canvass with some sort of under
standing, tacit or otherwise, that he
was not to be encountered by the
aspirations of Mr.. Davis, but the
claims Ofthat gentleman were press
ed with energy and zeal. The con-
test in the Democratic caucus was
warm and close. Davis military
record and National standing was
made to do duty in every possible
phase. The people were proud of
Davis; his elevation to the cabinet
of Pierce was a compliment to Mis-
sissippi, but if Davis had the ad'
miration of the people, Brown had
their unfaltering affection. 1t is no
eXageration to say they really loved
him, and he was victorious. Brown
became a manager of men-not by
the methods which are said to.
characterize the modern machine
politicians. for he was never even
suspected of corruption, but by his
sympathy with the masses and his
thorough knowledge of their nature
and their prejudices.
He was a gentleman among gen
tlemen, but he adapted himself to
all classes, and could drink and
swear and tell anecdotes with the
uncombed. and unwashed when it
suited his purpose. He was always
the darling of the crowd, it mattered
not how, or ofwhom, it was compos-
ed. With a flow of spirits which
nothing could dampen, handsome,
fluent, witty, well posted and indie
fatigable, he was the most success
full man in handling the masses that
ever lived in Mississippi.
But he was not a statesman of
the high order that will command
the respect of posterity. 1t is sad
to consider what he was to his coun-
try and what he might have been.
More than any other man in this
State, and perhaps in the South, he
prepared the people to accept Sc
cession and famed its embers into
fame. The wrongs of the South,
the dangers to it's peculiar institu-
lions. was his constant and invaria-
bile theme upon the hastings. The
people at first listened with aston
ishment. They were mostly poor
and loved their country. T%elegraphs
and railroads had not then multi
piled the IL Of popular knowl-
edge as it has since, and they knew
little of the situation beyond what
they heard from their public men,.
They grew indignant at agressions
upon the rights of the States, for
they rightly judged that such an
assault was equivalent to an assault
upon constitutional liberty as or
ganized In this country. They fol-
the eloquent stump speaker
with their sympathy and confidence
for some turn In the tide
IF events that would restore or
Ter and tranquility between the sec
but they were made to know
hat the North could not be trusted.
Their leader spat upon Cancellation
md SECUTED compromise. In Ian
.uase intemperate and infiamatory,
,e showed how tie paths of compro-
Mise were strewn with broken pledges
On such occasions he seemed to be
,ay excellence the champion and IN
elish defender Of popular rights.
The martial ardor OF the people was
lroused, and they soon found tbem-
elves in the midst of war without