The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-09-22
INTERESTING LETTER FROM COL
!. F. H. CLAIBORNE.
NArcnnz. Aug. aO. 1ss9.

IN reference TO the late Hon, ID w. Hurst |
-read them with great interest. The adj
dress Of II. @. Bridges, Esq, in a liter.
ary point Of view, is one Of the most pol
ished and attractive have ever read,
and as an analysis of the mental attri-
butes Of remarkable man, of peculiar
and contradictory idosyncracies, il is
masterly. presume, and shall be glad
to know that the orator Is one of that old
North Carolina family, SO numerous and
influential in Pike, Claiborne, and other
counties, since territorial times. never
saw Judge Hurst but once, though I
knew him thoroughly through yourself
aud other members of the Bar whom You
have 80 accurately delineated in your own
address. 1 knew his father, Hon. David
Hurst, Of Amite, in my boyhood. He
was the intimate friend Of my father, and
a frequent guest at our house, in this vi
cinity. He was an freshman by BIRTH,
well educated and full of humor, CO.
temporary with Latimer Poindexter,
Mead, Shields, and Rankin, aud able TO
shiver a lance with either Of them. A
Jeffersonian in territorial times, he be-
came an active partisan of John Quincy
Adams, and prominent in the Whig par
! ty until his death. found him in the
/ Legislature, old but vigorous, when [
] first took my seat, and as he was return.
ing to Amite via NatcIez, we travelled to
ge;her We stopped one right with mn
old friend who had made fortune keep
ing entertainment on tile "Old Natchez
| Trace He insisted next morning on
showing us the new house he had Just
| build, he prided himself particularly on
a handsome circular stairway. and invit-
ed our opinions. Iadmired it very much
and thought 1t desirable change in his
old age from the struggling and weather
beaten log house he had occupied SO long.
Mr.. Hurst said nothing. but being chal.
lenged for his opinion, said sold man,
stand by your old house. Old mon are
the first to die in new houses. You have
pointed out your new bedroom. You
will die therel You honst Of your wind
ing staircase. Why, they can't get your
coffin down it. You are very tall man
and they will have TO open window and
let you down with rope" The old fel.
low turned very pale, bid us good bye IN
silence, reluctantly moved into the new
building, died from pleurisy in six weeks
and his coffin was lowered down as Mr
Hurst predicted.
! From this venerable friend Of my boy
hood the deceased iuriat inherited the
characteristics which Mr.. Bridges and
yourself have so artistically deIineated.
They were both prompt at relartee,
caustic, critical, and loved the luxury Of
sneer.
The portraits you have drawn Of Van
nerson, Peyton, Elicit. Cassidy, Goode,
Simrall, Swift, MoNair, Stafford, King,
Lamkin, aud others. are really lifelike.
first saw Yannerson in Lynchburg Va,
when was a school boy. BE lived at
Amhurst O. H., and had there married
a niece Of VIM. H. Crawford Of Georgia,
the widow Allen, whose son, Col. Allen,
became conspicuous citizen Of Ray,
mond and Clinton, and her brother, Var
Tromp Crawford, leading member o.
the Bar "Old Van" as he was univer
sally called. Ind abundant learning and
talent, and more wit and drollery thar
any man at our Bar.
Ipresume you hear from ourold friehC
Gen. Jno. d. Freeman, formerly our At
torney General and Representative il
} Congress. He resides now in Canon
City, Colorado. is prominent at the Bar
and extensively engaged in mining agen
0 sies, railroads,a and other matters of pub
) lie concern. Freeman was favorite pm.
| pill in the Offices Of those great lawyer
{ and statesmen OF New York, Sila
Wright, and'Jno. A. Dix, and came t.
E Mississippi bearing credentials from
/: them, and from Martin Van Buren an,
= @. Q. Cambreling, 50 long Representa-
tive Of the great metropolis His Who'll
: career. private, public and official. il
9 this State, was unexceptional and distin
i guished, and no man has left Mississip
q pi with more devoted friends. He ha
! taken very high stand in ths El Dora
: do Of the West, and with his character
: istic energy has already succeeded in ei
g tablishing a free library for the use q
. the people. wish you would send hir
Z anumber Of your very able county paper
the Brookhaven Ledger, occasionally.
have transmitted the issue Of the 17th
containing Bar proceedings.
Ever sincerely yours.
J. # H. CIAmoRxE