Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-09-18
IN MENIORIAM.
The Hon. Gus. A. Henry.

The Hon. GUS. A. Henry.
When the ship-wrecked southern
confederacy had gone to pieces in
the stormy sea which finally en-
quilted it, and the survivors of the
starved and ruined crew had made
their way to such homes as the dis
asters of the war had left them,
GAINESVILLE cherished in her midst
two venerable statesmen who had
been prominent in the political
events that transpired prior to the
vast political commissions in which
all were swallowed up. These two
gentlemen had occupied opposite
sides in the party conflicts of the
past, but were brought together by
the stress of that common calamity
which had abrogated all former
issues and necessitated united cOun-
sells to meet the pressure of the gen.
eral devastation.
Accordingly when the people of
the city and county met in the
courthouse to take counsel as to the
future, the two prominent figures
on the platform of chosen advisers
were those of Cave johnson and u.
A. Henry.
The former of these two eminent
men did not long survive the term
lnation of the war, and was spared
most of the humiliations and mise
ries of the reconstruction period by
his death, which occurred near the
end of 1866. The death of the other,
which took place on Friday, the 10th
inst, is the occasion Of the present
paper.
A memoir of our departed friend,
compiled by his colleagues of the
GAINESVILLE bar, renders it unneces-
sary for us to record anything be-
yOnd our own impressions of his
character. We became acquainted
with Major Henry after the great
political struggles in which he
achieved his great reputation were
over. We were first introduced to
him year or two before the war at
the residence of our mutual friend
the late DIR. i. b. Haskins. Not
being a resident of GAINESVILLE at
that time, we had but slight oppor-
tunity of cultivating his acquaint'
ance till, during the war, we found
him in Richmond a senator of the
confederate states. 1t was in this
capacity that he had the Opportuni-
ty of rendering US great service by
procuring for us commission that
enabled US to pay q necessary Visit
to England. We need not add that
lac gladly awaited himself of the OPP
portunity, for acts of kindness were
so thoroughly natural to him that
TO ask favor of him was to confer
one, and by no method could oneso
readily acquire his goodwill as by
needing aud requesting his aid.
1t was on our return from Europe,
in the fall of 1864, that we heard his
great speech, mentioned in the me-
moir of the lawyers committee.
This speech was made at public
meeting, which was appointed to
be held in one of the churches, but
ultimately took place in the open
air, no building being found suth-
GENTLY large to hold the vast assem-
blage. The meeting was assembled
at the request of the president, when
disaster and dependency were low
ering over the eOnfederacy, and it
was thought necessary to impress
upon the people the necessity Of raj
lying to the support of the confede-
racy with their material and per-
sOnal support. With such theme,
those who knew Major Henry as an
orator and statesman will better
conceive than we can describe the
eloquence and feryOE with which he
acquitted himself.
We saw but little of him after
this until, the last act of the great |
tragedy being played out, he re-
turned broken in fortune and pros
trated i'm his political aspirations TO
his home in GAINESVILLE, we too then |
for the first time taking up our
abode here. 1t is well known that
from this time Major Henry alb
stained from all participation in
oublic affairs. He spoke words Of
counsel and good cheer at one or
two publie meetipgsj be was always
the chosen spokesman Of the city
whenever occasions for public DEM
arose, and he was for
sbort time president Of the Louis
Vile 4 Memphis railroad company.
R1t ID was in tbs social and family
circle that the grace and beauty Of
~, i.N character shone out through sA !