The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-11-27
EARLY HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.

taken from letter by Col. j. L. Power
to the Magnolia Gazette. 1t con-
tains information known to cOmpara-
lively few people:
"Your correspondent has been Occu-
pying some Of his leisure time OF late
in compiling roster OF all the ofii-.
GERS Of the State government OF Mis-
sissippi from territorial times up to
date Itinvolves a vast amount OF
research, but have become So inter
estcd in the work that will not let
up until it is completed. A partial
examination has been made OF the
manuscript executive journal OF Ter
ritorial Governors Sargent, Claiborne,
Williams and Holmes, and i have
thus stumbled upon many curious
things in the early history Of Missis-
sippi that l may-if you can find
space-extract from time to time.
But my particular hobby just now is
to find out who have filled the various
offices OF the State government from
the beginning to date, and how
and when they were chosen. Since
the introduction OF Mississippi his
tories as textbooks every school boy
and girl can tell you who have been
the governors and when served: but
who have filled the position OF lieu
| tenant-governOr, secretary OF state.
auditor and other State offices ought
| to be il matter OF some interest to the
students of State history. ! find. foI
instance, one gentleman who was
elected secretary OF state in 1921 and
who served ten years, whose name
have never heard or seen before until
| found where he WAS first elected by
the Legislature on joint ballot. From
1917 to 1882 the only officers elected
by the people were governor and lieu
ex-governor all the Others on
ioint ballot. From 1882 to the con-
stitution Of 1869 the lieutcnant-gov-
ernor was dropped and all the State
officers were elected biennially. Since
then State officers have been elected
quadrennially except that under an
ordinance of the last State convention
two years were added to one term OF
four years in order that the election
of State and county officers should
thereafter occur on the same year and
day.
"IIcrc is one Of the funny things !
found in the journal of the House OF
Representatives of the Mississippi
Territory of the first session OF the
seventh general assembly, began and
held in the town OF Washington on
Monday, November 4, 1911 and OF the
independence of the United States OF
America SO. This is volume OF l9t
pages, and bears the imprint: Match
cz: Printed by p. Islcr, Printer to Tho
Mississippi Territory. 1922
"But here are the paragraphs that
have amused me, as they doubtless
will he to the readers Of the Magn0
| liza Gazette:
"'Mr. Sessions gave notice that, oil
Monday next, he should ask leave Il
bring in bill authorizing the COVER
nor of this Territory to purchase
certain number of tickets in the JET
ferson Academy lattery.'
".Mr. Turner gave notice that, OF
Monday next, he would ask leave T.
bring in the following bill: "A Bill t.
allow lottery for levce at Warren
ton
"And all through these old journal
YOU find where schools and lodge
were granted lottery franchises. II
the case OF Jefferson College the bill
was finally passed, but title change
: so that the governor Of the Territ0r
was excused from being the purchase
OF the lottery tickets.
. "Much of the time OF the earle
sessions of the Masonic Grand Lodg
: of Mississippi was occupied in discus
sions and reports on IA lottery fral
2 chise for the erection OF Masonic ha
in NatcheZ."