The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-03-08
An Invaluable Bequest---Col. ]. F. H.
Claiborne Confldes His Historical
Papers to the Custody Of the State.
NArcHKz, Jan. Ii, 1852

NArcHKz, Jan. q, 1857.
/ To His EreeReucy, Goue1nor Losrrg
Mr. DEAR SIR-You are aware that for many
I years have been aceumulating materials for i
history OF Mississippi
The first fruit of those labors is before the
public in one volume, and second is nov
ready Tor publication
! have materials for two more volumes
documents illustrative Of every stage of our
progress, from the withdrawal OF the Spaniards
down to the reconstruction Of the State after
our civil war, including the papers of Winthrop
Sargent, the first American Governor; the pri-
vate journal and official letter book Of his sue.
cess9r, Mr.. G. G. Claiborne; files of newspapers
and pamphlets published here at that period !;
the letters and journal OF Maj Isaac GuiOn, who
commanded the first detachment of American
troops that occupied Mississippi: the private
correspondence aad Journals OF Sir VIM. Dun
bar, Andrew Ellicott Col. Anthony Hutchins,
George Poindexter, Gov. David Holmes, Cowles
Mead, Gen. Claiborne, and other eminent men
of that period, and all the papers connected
with the Indian war that desolated our eastern
frontier.
/ have the yoluminous correspondence of
George Poindexter, covering a public life of
near fifty years, and the correspondence of
John A. Quitman embracing the most eventful
and explosion of the Banking systematic an
nexation of Texas and war with Mexieo-Nulii-
ficatiou-and the home movements that blazed
the way to the fatal measure OF Secession.
| have likewise preserved my own extensive
correspondence for the past forty years with
men of national fame, and with most of
cur own noted politicians. This eorrespon-
dence includes numerous letters, of historic
value, from George Poindexter, William Latti-
more James c. wilkins Robert g. Walker
rb.sFar Tnt 4
SON John Black, Jefferson Davis, A. q. Brown,
Jacob Thompson, John A. Quitman VIM. L.
Sharkey, S. 5. Prentiss, A. G. MeNutt, DIR
James Hagan. Cows. Brandon Scott, Tucker.
Runnels and Pettus. VIM. Halle, Franklin E.
Plummer, David Dickson. c, Pinkney SIN tn, |
q. 5. Judge Tarpley, and all our represent
tive men of that period, down to the Inaugural
ton of civil war. Likewise letters from most /
of our officers, distinguished in that terrible /
conflict oagtreet, Bafksdale, Van Dorm, d. |
Harris. Walthall, Lee, Martin Clarke. and /
numerous others who eonsecrated themselves to /
the service of the State
There are no duplicates of the documents and /
the correspondence to which have referred. |
And without these the history of Mississippi
its inside history-the movements of politicians /
the growth and TO nation of parties-the in
itial movements that brought about great re-
sults-cannot be faithfully written.
Age, infrmity and the necessities of every
day life are pressing heavily upon me, and |
cannot hope II utilize what have gathered
with so much labor, and boarded as so much
treasure.
But our University, colleges and schools are
sending out young Mississippians
who share the pride l cherish for my native
State, and some of these will be able, with
these papers, to do the work my failing powers
disqualify me from doing.
|, therefore, place them in the hands of your
Excellency for presentation to the Legs allure,
and | hope they will be intrusted to the custody
of the University, as the property of the State,
subject, under proper restrictions, to the use of
any of her sons ! have the honor TO be,
With very great respect,
Your friend and serv't