The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-11-25

their votes to the great measure of the a
ministration,-the Independent Treasur
{ and the separation of the Government fro
!, the banks. Moreover, legislative coun,
Y at home, composed of representative men
q the party, insisted on the same course. TN
thirds Of the Democratic voters of the Sta
!, refused TO vote, holding that Missississip
had already elected Representatives to t
[ 10Th Congress, and the House had so deci
! ed.
f In due time Messrs Prentiss and Wo
appeared and claimed their seats. The ms
2 ter was referred to the proper cOmmitte
and 1t reafhrmed its former report UpC
this, Mr.. Prentiss delivered the famol
speech, which made so deep an impressiC
upon the House and country, and fixed h
fame as an orator above all competitors L
was backed, of course, by the whole powt
OF the opposition by the whole Banking il
huence of the nation, alarmed by the radios
proposition of the President, by all who hl
deserted the Democratic party on that in
portant issue; and by the Nulliiers, or so
called States-rights men, affecting to cor
slider Mr.. Prentiss, (who was, in fact, Fec
eralist and Consoidationst) as the cham
pion of States Rights
Under these ombined influences, and tn
magic Of his eloquence, the House reversed
its own solemn adjudication, and declared
/ that Messrs. Claiborne and Gholson had no
/ been lawfully elected to the 18th Congress
/ Logically, after that vote, the contestins
members should have had their seats bu
/ the House, proceeded to vote upon the ques
ton of admitting them, decided that they
| could not be seated, and 50 the case went
| back to the people. While these matter.
were going on, both the sitting member
were in their beds. Mr.. Gholson was crit
| cally ill, and Mr.. Claiborne, at the outset o
| the contest, was seized with hemorrhage in
the room of the Committee on Foreign Re
lations, and lay two months under medca
treatment, owing his lite, under Providence
to the skill and assiduity of Dr. VIM. G
Austin, now the father of the faculty in New
Orleans, who finally brought him home.
Mr. Claiborne then sailed for Havana, thus
driven there a second time, by the same
enemy.
In the mean time, Messrs. Prentiss and
Word traversed the State, the former exert.
ing to the utmost his wonderful powers, and
the banks, as Mr.. Prentiss afterwards de-
clared, aiding the cause by an expenditure
of $4,000. Mr.. GholsOn declined to be a
candidate. Mr.. Claiborne simply permitted
the use of his name.
The vote stood.-Prentiss, u, 722; Word,
1907; Claiborne, 11,779; Davis, 1886
leaving il beyond doubt, that had Mr..
Claiborne been in the State, and physically
able to canvass, he would have been re-elect-
ed
On his return from Havana, he became
editor of the Natchez Free Trader, a paper of
wide circulation and established influence; a
vocation he always preferred to any other,
and which, he says is best adapted to his
tastes, and mental organization. at de-
mands," said Col. Claiborne, "the seclusion
of the closet, which | have ever preferred to
the clash and clamor of the hustIngs and the
bar. 1t best COMFORTS with the habits of
student, and my practice demonstrating both
sides of a question. and the merits, as well
as dement's of a party; whereas, the lawyer
and the professional politician examine but
one side of a case, and exert all their ener>
ges in that behalf. The journalist has a
grander mission, and, if conscientiously pur-
sued, it is the highest and noblest of all avo-
cations"
Many opportunities have been presented
to Col. Claiborne to resume political life, or
to obtain position under the National Gov
erment, but he has persistentfy declined.
He continued his connection with the Free
Trader until the election of Mr.. Polk and
then, his health requiring a residence far>
Their South, he removed to New Orleans and
became editor of the Jefersonian, and, sub
sequentiy, CO the Louisiana Courier, an old
established organ of the Democratic party.
had been the most intimate friend of Col.
Claiborne in Congress- lie yas offered an
eligible diplomatic position abroad, or
berth at Washington, but de-
clned. He soon after transferred his resi-
dence to Hancock county, Miss. On the
sea coast Col. Claiborne seems to have OBJ
tanned new lease of life, and engaged, sue
cessfully in the culture of sea-island cotton.
When the late civil war broke out, he sent
his wife and daughter to their relatives at
Natchez, and he remained on his plantation,
which was on tide water, twelve miles from
Fort Pike, in the Rigolets.
Shortly after the occupation of the Fort |
by the United States forces, guntoat, bear |
ng two companies of troops, landed at his |
loor. The officer in command, Captain, |
aid he had orders to search the house for |
flags, which, it was reported, |
lad been hOisted over the premises. Col. |
handed his keys to the Captain;
md bureaus, Wardrobes, trunks closets and |
hests were duly examined, but no flags dis
covered. The officer declared himself salts
led. Col. Claiborne then said, very solemn
Y, II confess to you, sir, that l have a flag"
"Yop need not criminate yourselfp said
he courteous officer "bqt if you persist in
his statement, my orders viii require me to
AIRY you, under arrest, to the Fort"
The reply was, "You have overlooked one
f my trunks, and l wish it to be examin-
d."
An old, weather beaten trunk, marked F.
!. c., U. s. 4, was brought forward and
pened. There were found in it, the regalia
nd insignia of a Royal Arch Mason, the
olden epaulettes of General officer, a silk
ash discolored with blood, and carefully
1lded, the old regimental flag of the Ist
regiment, U. S. Infantry, of which General
claiborne had been Captain and Adjutant.
Sir" said Col. Claiborne, ''this is the only
az | ever had if you take me to Fort Pike,
nat flag must go with me-" The officer was
9th astonished and delighted. He carried
either the Colonel nor the flag with him,
ut he made his report, and from that mo-
lent until the close of the war, though the {
ederal troops frequently passed his premi-
IS, he was treated with courtesy and kind
ess, and not the slightest spoliation of his {
roperty ever occurred. {
Col Claiborne, in early life, married Miss
lumbar, of Dunbarton Plantation, (Which
e now cultivates) near Natchez; an old
nd widespread family, that came to the
)untry in Spanish times" His only son,
Willie H Claiborne, before he was quite !
yenty~One years of age, was elected, with>
Ut opposition, to represent Hancock Co.,
the State Legislature, and while in at
ndance at Jackson, resigned, and entered
lie Confederate Army as private soldier. {
CRYING a campaign in Virginia, in this Ca
acity, he received Captains commission |
om President Davis, and was promoted to a
.aiority for gallantry on the field. He served 1
Vicksburg until its capitulation, and af-
rwards in Georgia, until the surrender of
e Southern armies. In his last campaign f
received wound, which never closed,
I'd from the effects of which he died. e
In reply to questions, as to the modes and v
,bits by which his life, often threatened v
' hemorrhage had been prolonged, Col. Q
said, simply by being determined v
live" He has been strictly temperate. t.
as never gained, nor witnessed a horse \
ce, though, said he, Il have been accused ii
being devoted to such sports. On my o
st CANVASS for Congress, Governor Run> b
is and were travelling together. We
llted for night, at the house of a worthy b
..t;st n. Nnxnhaa county yzhara thar, | 4