The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-19

crate states mad been estapilSheu' ."
February, 1861, ne was appointed post
master general and at once entered on
the discharge OF tao duties of the place,
devoting all the time not absolutely o.
sential for rest TO the development or
system which should give the peop.e oi
the new nation a secure and speeay mal
service. OF course he was terribly han
dicapped ana many OF his haest enorts
went for naught. but It was no fault OF
HE, for he worked hard enough
Though holding civil onico, he was
present and parucipa Cd in several bat
ties. He commanded the battalion oil In
fantry which supported three batteries
OF siege guns on ana near the MEADOW
Bridge road, on which General Sher dan
Attempted TO enter richmond afser nc
had gotten In the rear Of oe In 1854.
ktter the c moderate officials left Rich
mond In 1865, Mr. Trenholm, who mad been
seriously III for SINE time, became UNI
able to longer con, niue mis- duties, ana
resigned as secretary Of the treasury.
President Davis. with the approval ana
consent Of the other members Of his caoi-
net, appointed Judge Reagan 10 the va
cancy ad interim and from thai time IN
I'll the end Of the Contedelhcy ne dis
charged the nominal duies of both posi-
lions lie was captured with his chief
and was sent to Fort Warren, in Boston
hsrbCr. where he was retained as prs
cner for some months, bit was tnaiiV
paroled and returned to his home IN
Texas. where no took up blrming as u
means OF livelihood until conditions we're
such that ne could resume the practice
of law,
Early in 1S75-ten years after his cap
ture by the Federal troops-his disablli-
ties were removed by act OF congress. ana
in the fall OF the same year he was Tor
the third time elected "a member Of tho
congress of the United States, shortly
after which, and before he had taken his
seat, he was elected a delegate TO thn
State constitutional convention, when
framed the constitution which yet d es
duty for Texas. He was chairman OF the
judiciary committee which passed upon all
the resouti MS submitted to the conven-
! tion. He was excessively elected 10
congress in 1877, 1879, 1891, 1883, 1885 and
1887. but did not serve the last term 10
which he was elected, having been in the
meantime elected United States senator.
During the time he was in the honse he
was for twelve years a member OF and Tor
eight years chairman OF the committee oil
commerce, and as such he framed the
present Interstate commerce law and did
much to secure It's adoption in the face
OF most strenuous opposition. After serv-
ing portion OF his term as senator, he
vas prevailed upon by Governor j.. .
l1ogg 10 resign and accent tho position
ef chairman nj thn ctate rail way commits
Reagar began it's life in 1891 Judge
lie To- nad devoted many years of hit
rates and the pos 9f The problem of ratlro8e
was peculiarly fitted to fill, since demon
I str3ted by the record he has made a
railroad commissioner. lie was reap
pointed by Governor Culberson and wa.
then elected to the place for six years, o.
which he has stll two years to serve
| During the sixty years he has been en-
gagged in the public service Judge Reagan
has kept UP his firm. and he now has
fine one OF some 500 acres near Palestine
in Anderson county, TO which he will re-
tire on giving M his office Judge Rea.
gan is by no means a wealthy man hui
he has enough to keep him comfortable
for the years that are vet 10 be his
His retirement Is still in the nature o
service to the people of the South. tol
he intends to devote his time to the prep.
aration Of his memoirs as a member o
the Confederate government. a work whicf
he has been strongly urged to undertake
Tor many years past. He Is the only sur,
viving member OF that government. ant
his reccllections ot the men who were hi.
colleagues and of their acts as officials
are necessary to comprehensive histor,
on the Confederacy, which Is to be WRITER
in the future. They will prove of intere.
aud OF value not only to Southerners, but
TO the people OF the entire Union-of the
world, for that matter.