Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-04
he Interview Win mr.. Jacob Ihemr

NJ WIN ~
MEMPHIS. February 26, 1888.
Far out of the busy hustle OF the C t. BY
the river, lives gentlemen who has passed
into the evening OF lille upon an ess'er grade
han any man who tver PLAYED an important
part in our national history. Nearly agar
ter of a century Of bis life has been spent IN
the publ C service. Many POSITIONS Of prom
lnrpcs and great power he has hlsd he was
twelve years in Congress snd four year,
Cabinet minister before war separated him
from bis old n4iionsi ss-ocistions, and evered
mis- sllegisuce TO the Federal government
Lay ug down one responsible ity then, he soon
took up another, in the council OF The
southern Coufederacy, and huaily was
10 he'd with all its power at an lmportsnt
4t4tiou close TO the Northern borders of the
United States. He was not only 3 diplo
matte agent, its envoy extraordinary and
minis er plenipotentiary; but the represen-
tatiye of its authority, military, civil, aIpio-
matte and almost legislative. He was au-
ihorized TO make war at his will,
to expend the public treasure with
out question, and to exercise al
most any and all OF the powers
rnj Iyed or assum, d by the States in rebellion.
Such license, arbitrary and discretionary, IS
vas given 10 him bas never before been dele
gated to q single man 10 the history OF ma
tons or revolutions. / asked a friend, who
had kno rn HIM long, for an explanation OF
this coufjeu He said:
"Jscob Thompson is one of those cool,
| evenly-bslanced meo, with plenty ofcoursgs
| IN an emergency, yet prudence is the pre-
| dominating element in his character. Tnis
| quality made him safer 10 council and often
10 action, than greater advocates or even
| greater statesmen"
1 Whether or not this dtfuitiou of his
| character furnishes q key to his remarkable
success in enjoying and keeping the coUti-
| depce of men is not wholly material. 1t Is
explanation enough, however, to arouse an
interest in the man even if the history OF his
life was rot set with bold figures aud impor-
| tsnt situations.
| l drove out to his beautiful home to-day
| to fad him enjoying all the comforts and
| Injuries of life. His wife, who Tag such a
well-kpown figure in Washington for many
! years before the war, sat before the broad
\ open CRATE with him, scarcely less attractive
| 10 personal appearance than when she was
1 .uch fAvorite in the social lie of the ma
| Lional capital. A beautiful gran 5daugh tsr,
csid of his deceased son, just from school
and years journey in Europs, was the re-
naming member OF the family circle when /
vas received and most cordially welcomed.
| A younger sister of this granddaughter, stIll
at school, completes Mr.. Ihompson's family.
/ [ spent several hours TO day under the old
| roof tree with the master of the house and
ais pleasant family, enjoying chat
| upon the past and present of pub
lie affairs All Of Mr.. Thompson's CON-
versation vss destructive and interesting. But
he touehed upon two periods in his public
career Cha. were especially important, aud
closely followed what he said in relation
| TO them, and I will recall the leadlB &c
| - Er.fr alateo fr hia in
Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet during the few
months preceding the war. The second tc
his operations in Cana Ia while representing
the Confederate government there.
ON THE EVE OF WAR.
| While member of Mr.. Buchanap's Cabi
oct Mr.. Thompson occupied peculiar rrla.
| tons tow ard botn the Northern aud South
ern leaders. The quality of prudeuce o
which his friend speaks seems to have i'm
pressed itself upon hem, and he was adnit
ted into condolences, and bad an infdenc,
lbat a less careful man would hav,
been denied. He seems to have in ;
quiet way welded a great influences
.ver Mr.. Buchanan. He had Judge Jot
Holt made Com missioner of Patents apC
Po,tm aster General against the Efforts o
Jsre Back, who has ever been held Re
-ponsible for Mr.. BuchanaL's sins Of bott
EMISSION and commission. Mr.. Thomp+oI
Gas Secret4ry of III Interior and from Mis-
! sissippi Mr.. Holt was from the same Stale
ut IA WASHING on most of his tins, MIR
rhompson wsnIe aCUmmissioner OF PAi+n 3
Judge Black ssI ongly urged upon the Presi
lent The apyoiutment OF friend Of lbs ffou
, Plttsburg. Mr.. Tbompson as warmly es
poused the Gangs of Holt, and, alter con
,-st OF few day., The Secretary OF the 10
r.rior was loo strong for the Attorney Cen
eral sni Holt was appointed. Not long
! aflerward Gov. Beosn, the POstmss'er-Gtn
G | raj, di- d, and al Cabinet meeting Mr.
{ Buchauan said:
: 81 want a man for the Plstofice Depart.
, uent Who has no heart. Prown was a man
OF great ability, bat be was altogether foo
! | good natured 10 Withstand the appeals and
iu,rigues of the people who had business
with his department, and thiug' want to be
straig hteued out down there. It will lake a
strong, resolute man, with none Of the milk
: | of human kindness in mis- veins to do the
work."
3 81 have Just got the man br the place
in my Department." said Mr. Thompson
'He will fill the bill exactly
/ "Who is it?" asked two or three members
! Of the C4binet in the sans breath.
"Joe Holt" Thompson replied.
There was a general lsugh around the
Cabinet table at Mr.. ThomEson's warmth in
t relation to Hollis ability 10 Iing order out
I of chao. in the POSSIBILITIES Dsomtment. Bul
, he insisted upon his suggestion. JadZe
Black presented Edward NJ. Stanton to the
President, and here sgain tn, Secretary Of
, the Interior and the Attorney General col.
lided in a wrestle with the Piesident over
the appointment of their respective friend
to the Postmaster Generalship. The contest
, | went on several dsys, but finally Thompson
was successful and Holt was appointed.
What mighty changes the wiitligig Of
I | time brings to all human kindl In less thar
J five years after this occurrence holt set
| price upon Thompson's head and sought t.
| bring him to the block. Stanton was AWAY
good friends with Black, but Black got GU
of humor with him because he sbuses
. Buchanan.
a QUIET MANS IEFLUENcE.
I tell this story as l get itfrom the actor
: themselves, not alone because it is an utter
Q estiug bit of history, but because it serves l.
: introduce in striking way another and
| still more important evidence of Mr.. ThonIp
sons influence with Mr.. Buchanan. Ia
. draft of Mr.. Buch anan's last message to Cor
i gress was up for consideration in The Cabine
8 when it was made manifest the spirit wit
which It should deal with the Southern quei
ton was an sll-important one to the publ
D men from that section, and there was gres
: division in the Cabinet upon it. The men
' bers frsm the South were anxious TO get a
|, the concessions possible, and especially d,
;, sired the message to deny the right of th
l general government to use force against
q STATE.
t ave had an earnest discussion upon tn
: question" said Mr.. Thompson to-day, wbe
reviewing the events of those day., sand ID
y Presids nt seemed exceedingly anxious to q
! all the light be could as to his powers unds
1 the constitution. Judge Black was advisin
!. him that he had the right to use the Who'll
! military force of the government 10 proteC
: the public properly and enforce the las i
3 suy State of the Union, aud that Stat
d had no right under any circumstances t
;. dissolve its relations with the Federal gov
eminent. Several other members of Ih
y Cabinet gave heir opinions. went to th
y President quietly and asked him il b
; | weuld 90 over with me the constitu,io
). ADD the debates in the convention thu
framed it, ! said 10 him that there W.
= certainly no expressed power in the iustrl
10 ment itself that gave him the right to VI
o. force against q State, and thought cou
\ convince hin from the debates th at it wi
the studiea Intention of the convention tn
D framed The fundamental law OF the land
% deny either 70 the President or Congress ar
lie such power. BE asked me TO bring the al
M thorities. went to my depsrtm. nj, got Il
report, marked the pages where this que
VI too was under discussion, aud then went
u hin with them. We looked Over the subj
ps 4 carefully together, sud then left hit
=, When L called sgain for G sbinet meeting
= ssid: 'Thopp sen, you are right on one il
port.nt poini; 1t is ciesr to my mil
he ,ha, there is no reserved er express
nv power granted by the constituif to o
!. forcs .sainst STATE Tor any purpose. "A
i, Is also apparent that the frsmers Of |
IN instrument intended TO deny bon to |
ny President and 10 Congres, any such pow
d. / am also convinc that Sra e has
- right to seeds from the Union' l was,
ny course, pleased that the President b
'm reached the conclusion ] had urged up
led | him.
RE "When the Cabinet met saw he had |
- leousii,ution and the report OF the cow,
:. ton before him on the liable. The subj
1t was soon under discu .sion, and Judge Bls
ose most earnestly urged his views upon
oil. Presided. Much Of the iual discussion '
- provoked by this phrase in the MESA
w iCoersing q State BY force of arms to
ity main in the Coni-deracy is power which
de not believe the constitution has confer
on Copgress.'
- nThis was the phrase ] Judge Black especis
ohiscled TO. Gen Cass thought it could do
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