Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-04-12

Inc present capitol was nrSt occu-
pied by the Legislature in January,
1889.
Although l cannot speak from per-
sonal observation Of any Of the excit-
ing scenes that took place in the Old
Capitol from 1889 to 1855, when I first
saw it. we may we'll imagine the great
discussions incident to the Union and
Planters Bank bonds, the chartering
of gigantic banking and railroad
schemes, the Mexican war, the sensa-
tional absconding of Richard s.
Graves, State Treasurer; the resigna-
tion and arrest of Gov. Quitman in
1851, for completely In an expedition
to Cuba-his ideas of expansion were
just forty-seven years too previous
the great speeches made in this cham
Der by Jefferson Davis, Albert G..
Brown, Sargent s. Prentiss, Henry s.
Foote, j. F. H. Claiborne, William L.
Sharkey, Wiley P. Harris, Henry T.
Elicit, ]. A. P. Campbell, Edward Tur-
ner, James L. Alcorn, Walker Brooke,
G. 3. Hooker, Ethelbert Barksdale,
David G. Glenn, L. j. Gholson, o. R.
Singleton, Thomas ]. Wharton, J. M.
Acker, Locke 3. Houston, and other
great leaders of those days. Prentiss
represented Warren county in 1886
and 1897.
Gen. Andrew Jackson was the guest
Of the State in 1910 and received an
ovation in this chamber. Henry Clay
addressed the people from an open
carriage in front of this building in
1874 On Monday night, October IL,
1852, Col. A. X. McClung delivered
before the Legislature his grand eu-
logy on the life and character of
Henry Clay. Louis Kossuth, the Hun
garian patriot, visited Jackson the
same year, as the guest of Gov. Foote,
and was doubtless rendered a public
reception at the mansion or in this
chamber
This Capitol, when l first saw it in
April, 1855, had been occupied only
sixteen years. 1t was then considered
one of the most elegant public build
ings in the country, and nearly all the
architects who competed for the new
Capitol have complimented its general
plan and style.
John j. McRae was the first Gov
ernor Of Mississippi had the pleasure
of seeing. His friends in East Missis-
sippi loved to call him Johnny McRae
of Chickashay. He kept open house
at the mansion. He had many public
receptions and Pearl river water was
not the only beverage. He left the
mansion perhaps wiser, but certain
ly poorer man. He served his State
faithfully and we'll in the House Of
Representatives at Washington and
fllled a vacancy in the United States
Senate.
Gov. McRae was succeeded by Will
liam Melville of Madison-an accom-
plished, courtly gentleman of the old
school. He was sharply criticised at
one time for his alleged too free use
of the pardoning power. In answer
ing this charge, in his message to the
Legislature, he asked: would you
have me inscribe upon the prison door,
Mercy Never Enters Here?"
Gov. Melville was a gentleman of
ample fortune, and having thirteen
beautiful daughters, life at the man
sion was not regulated by the salary
attached to the Office. Thirteen, it Is
held by some, is an unlucky number.
But the balance of the family were
boys; and our distinguished towns
man, Hon. Thomas A. Melville, is a
fine specimen of the latter.
The first great speeches that l re-
member having heard in this chamber
were by Jefferson Davis and Henry S.
Foote, in November, 1858. Mr.. Davis,
being in the city, was invited to ad-
dress the Legislature on the questions
Of the day. This hall was packed to
its utmost. The speech had many
hints about dangers ahead, and the ne
cessity of preparing in times of peace
for times of war The Importance of
completing the fort at Ship Island was
urged
Gov. Foote was also in the city, and
so on the following night his admirers
insisted that he be heard. If he ever
had any admiration for Mr.. Davis. no
one was able to discover It. After a
sharp gubernatorial campaign, Foote
came out ahead by majority of 8
votes. Mr.. Foote had just returned
from California, and felt that he had
a right to give the people of Missis-
sippi the benefit Of his views on pub
lie questions. He made no reference
to Mr.. Davis or to the speech of the
night before, but he said: Another
thing, my fellow-citizens, desire to
warn you against: Don't listen with
too much admiration to military
speeches in times of profound pedceP'
The issues Of the presidential cam
paign Immediately preceding the Civil
War were all discussed before great
audiences in this chamber. The Know
Nothing orators were especially elo-
quent and aggressive. "Put none but
Americans on guard" was the plat
form.
The secession convention met in this
chamber on January z, 1861. William
S. Barry of Lowndes was chosen presi-
dent. You will find in the roll of dele
gates such names as ]. 2. George,
Wiley P. Harris, L. @. G. Lamar,
Henry T. Elicit, Thomas H. Woods, 8.
H. Terral, ]. Shall Yerger, Daniel B.
Wright, ]. w. Clapp, Samuel Benton,
Harvey w. Walter, T. A. Marshall,
Walker Brooke and other great and
good men of the day. Rev. G. X. Mar
shall offered prayer
No body of men ever assembled for
more serious business, and none ever
gave more faithful expression to the
feelings and sentiments that prevailed
among the constituency they repre-
sented. To Mr.. L. @. G. Lamar was
conceded, by general consent, the po-
sition of leader. He was then in the +
very prime Of his physical and mental
powers-in his 37th year.
have a vivid recollection of him as
he arose in his place Immediately after
the organization of the convention and
read a resolution providing for com
mittee of fifteen with instructions to
prepare and report as speedily as pos
sible an ordinance providing for the
withdrawal Of the State Of Mississippi
from the Federal Union, with view
to the establishment Of new Confed-
eracy, to be composed Of the seeding
States" The committee was auDoiut- Z