Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-27
THE C. S. CONGRESS.
SKETCHES OF MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE AND HOUSE.
The Hampton Roads Affair and the
Interesting Contribution to HIS
tory.

| iOlOUel a =.
| Menees. both residents Of this city, says
tie Nashville Banner. enjoy the distinc-
ton Of being two OF the surviving MEM
bers Of the Confederate Congress. Neither
was elected from this district, but re-
moved here after the close Of the war
| and began the practice Of their profess
slons-one a physician and the other a
lawyer. They have both attained Dis
tinction in their respective fields, and
have always taken an active interest In
the welfare Of the city, but neither has
held public office since retiring from
Congress.
Colonel Colyar has been especially ac-
tive in matters Of public reform, and it
was mainly through his influence that
the present form Of city government was
inaugurated and adopted.
Colonel Colyar IS rich in "reminiscences
OF the war, and especially OF the Con-
gress of the Confederacy, IN which he
served with distinction. When asked 10
write the story OF this Congress, ne
cheerfully agreed, and he has given an
article which will be entertaining and In
structiye.
Your request to write for the Banner
sketch OF the Confederate states Con-
eregs come so late that you must not eX-
pect anything more than the merest
sketch. and that from memory without
the exactness which an examination oil
records and books would produce by re-
freshlng my memory. Thlrty-hye years
OF a busy lie must necessarily, 10 some
extent, leave the memory more or less at
fault.
For years [ have declined to write upon
some Of the disputed points connected
with the history of that Interesting
period. because upon some or the ques-
tions which have greatly Interested the
public / found the memory OF other gen
tlemen who were writing on them Ola
not aoree with mine; especially, the
HAMPTON Roads affair. l do NOT reier
To what has been said by writer's Who
have written without knowing anything
about tho facts and merely wrote 10 con-
tradict what somebody said, but re-
fer IN differences of memory between
gentlemen who had equal chances o.
knowing the facts.
Won will accept this letter as my re-
collection Of the men, most OF whom are
dead. and their deeds, I'm That oreau co'--
dict between the people of the stats
~. Many Of the scenes ana much OF inc
ac,ion Of men Of that trying ordeal We're
bovever. so indeliby impressed on me
that now al the end of the third or
century I would write them down WIN
the confidence Of eXactness when Woulu
the proceedings OF q court trial OF yester-
dav were IL not that experience mas
taught me that time wears away the
memory and by degrees changes the color
Of many things.
sketch of the men composing the Con-
eress cannot be expected IN this letter,
and vet It would be wholly incomplete II
no mention were made or some OF the
strong men who exhibited such hdellty
to the cause which they with sleepless
vigilance we're striving to maintain.
Like the great generals that command
ed IN the field through that four years OF
conflict. these men, under the strain that
followed the collapse have nearly all
passed out Of sight and. sad to relate,
their worth and their sacrifices have been
well nigh forgotten.
| call up now in my memory the earnest
and faithful work, the unceasing labor, OF
men Ike John j. Baldwin. Judge Chiffon,
Oldham Conrad. Mr. Lyon James Pugh,
Humphrey Marshall. DR.. Thomas Menees,
J. ID. c. Atkins. Barksdale. and others Of
the House: and Hunter. Ben Hi. Wigfall,
G.. 4. Henry, Loudon c. Haynes, and
others OF the Senate.
Some of these would have adorned any
legislative body and connected them
selves with a living history, but they
passed away in tho shadow Of lost
cause, and the future searching histo-
rian viii only reveal their exalted
fidelity to a cause which was at last 70
man in Congress was, Henry S. Foote.
He entered the Confederates States
Congress with worldwide reputation.
He was q finished scholar. a power
full debater: he was an intense Union
man until the sharp crack of the Yam
KEGS rifle walked him out OF his
reyerie. and ne got on his fighting clothes
before he got out of bed; he had been
in the United States Senate, was the
author OF the celebrated FOote resolu-
tons; resigned his seat to run for Gov
ernor of Mississippi as a Union man;
was elected over jefferson Davis; re-
signed the Office OF Governor, went to
New Orleans 10 practice law, then went
to California, took the lead in organiz-
ing the celebrated Vigilance Committee
at san Francisco. He ran for the
United States Senate before the Califor-
MIA Legislature IN eleven months after
he entered the State, and came within
one vote Of being elected. He then wrote
a history Of Texas, then came TO Ten
nessee, made Union speeches up 10 the
last moment. then ran Tor tho Coincide
rate Congress, and was elected In the
Nashville District over Judge Nathan
Green, who was distinguished as Jurist
and a man of great ability. He had
In dfctfp Tel a1
s. s. Prentiss, and had always stood
ready to fight any man who was in
the chip-knocSing business. In the
House he was a great favorlte, for, in
deed. in social life, he was the most
charming and lovable man 1 have ever
known. say a great favorite. and
so he was until he ran away, and un-
dertook TO go through the lines that
he might get TO Washington and see
Mr.. Lincoln and bring about settle
ment Of the trouble. and this he be-
lieved he could do, and talked freely TO
me about II before he left. He was
arrested and brought back into the
House as a prisoner, but when arraigned
at the bar Of the House he made
speech. and in thirty minutes he had
wiped out all the odium, put everybody
I'm a good humor, and went free with
out a vote. Take him all in ALL he was
by far the most magnetic man that has
ever been I'm public life in this country.
He was a dangerous man 10 play tricks
on. John V. Wright, whose sense OF hui
NOR and talent as rough artist was We'll
known, sometimes took the risk. Al one
time when Foote was making fiery
speech and going for Jeff. Davis up 10
the point Of making visible all the blood
1t nlr nd vi
made one of his nimble, off-hand dashes
of a picture Of the old Governor. which
was passed around, and put the House
in such a roar of laughter that Foote
had to quit speaking, but there was not
a man I'm the House that had the courage