The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-06-17
STATE CAPITAL NOTES.
THE GAZETTE S CORRESPONDENT
VISITS LIBERTY, ANTE CO.,
And Writes Of the Things lie Saw
and Heard.
Iaokson, Mis-. Inno 10.

1t was the writer 5 privilege 70
visit Liberty, the county seat df
Amite. on Friday, 9th, and d
participate in the closing exercised
of Liberty Male and Female COLI
lege, of which Rev. N. Smylie
is president. The chapel was
packed with a most appreciatiye
audience, and very many wore
on the outside. The music, rec
itations, essays by the three
young ladies who graduated, the
presentation Of medals, etc.
made up a program that deeply
interested the audience until II
O'Clock p. m.
The town il fifteen miles east Of
Gloster. II has an ancient look,
but not SO the people, for they
are as bright and progressive as
any to be found in the state.
When we quoted from Lowry &c
McCardle's History that Liberty
IS a handsome village, - the au.
dience INDUCED in loud smile;
but when J finished the quota
ton, "and has always supported
and encouraged schools" | read
fact long since admitted by all
who have kent up with the edu-
cational progress Of tho state.
Among the other old and very
highly esteemed citizens IL was
our pleasure to meet, was Major
George +. Webb, who was
member of the House Of Repre-
sentatives in 1867, and was chair
man Of the judiciary committee.
He is now upward Of eighty years
but he was on the platform, and
presented two Of the medals won
by the students. About year
ago, we found a letter Of his in
the archives Of the capitol, dated
December 2, 1910, addressed 10
tthe Secretary Of State, requesting
duplicate Of lost or mislaid COM
mission issued to Peter o 'Flana-
gan, elected lieutenant Of the
Mississippi Militia in the Liberty
beat, the said Flanagan having
served in the war with Mexico.
The old court house at Liberty
was built in 1871. II contains
some Of the oldest records in the
state. The expenditure Of about
three thousand dollars would in
sure these records in case Of fire,
and otherwise improve the build
ing.
The Southern Herald, publish
ed by our friend a. G. Stratton.
is one Of the best county papers
in the state.
We found at Liberty the first
monument to the Confederate
dead erected in the state, perhaps
in the south. 1t is a tall and hand :
some shaft, its four sides bearing
the names of the soldiers Of Amite
county who were killed in action,
or died Of wounds, in the civil
war. or this monument, and
those whom it commentaries, we
shall make mention in the near
future.
Amite county, Of which Liberty
is the capital was established oath
February ,1S09-eight years prior
to the admission Of the state into
the Union. it was one Of four
teen counties represented in the
convention that adopted our first
constitution, August Is, 1917,
when it was represented by Hem
ry Hanna, Thomas Bachelor,
John Benton, Thomas Terrence
Angus Wilkinson, William Lat.
| imore. The last named was one
Of the three commissioners APP
pointed February IL, 1921, by the
legislature which met in Colum-
bia, Marion county, to locate the
seat Of government, which they
| did in a locality then known al
"Le Fleur's Bluff" but since th'
adoption Of their report known al
, Jackson. The two other commits
sioners were Thomas Kinds AM
James Patton. 1t is from Thorn
as Kinds that the capital count,
took its name; and the legisla