Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-04-10

pause. waved IL and with tears in his
eyes and a tremor in his voice. re-
marked that II was the first flag un-
turled in the young republic. The
members saluted IL by rising. the vast
audience uniting In shouts OK applause.
lluminations and artillery salutes In
Jackson and elsewhere throughout
the State expressed the popular ap-
proval Of this drama In the history OF
our State.
On the day that the ordinance was
passed. January 3, the convention met
at 10 a. m. went into secret session at
1850 a. M. and continued therein un-
til 1880. Action upon the ordinance
occupied one hour, so that the vote
was taken at 5: 80 D. m.
IL may be interesting here TO note
that the popular war song. The Bon
ME Blue Flag. That Bears a Single
Star was the product OF this episode.
Harry Mccarthy. a comic actor. was
then holding forth in the old theater
on Spengler's corner. He wrote this
song Immediately after the scene at
the Capitol; the next day my fingers
put II in type. and that night II was
sung for the first time by its author.
The ordinance, after being hand.
somely engrossed on parchment, was
signed on the 18th of January-the
Governor and the members OF the
Legislature being invited to be pres
ent. The counties were called in al
phabetical order. DR.. ]. !. Thornton
OF Rankin positively refused to sign.
but he was among the first to enroll
his name to fight for II. The Southern
fa1 h,I
fender than Col. ]. J. Thornton.
In connection with the ordinance.
the convention adopted "An address
setting forth the declaration Of the
immediate causes which induced and
justified the secession of Mississippi
from the Federal Union.
The convention placed the State on
war footing and elected the follow
ing delegates to the Montgomery con-
vention, to assist in framing consti-
tuition for the new Confederacy: w.
p. Harris, A. NJ. Clayton. w. s. Barry,
James I. Harrison, J. A. p. Camp
bell
Jefferson Davis received IS OF the
90 votes cast for maior-general and
the following were elected brigadier-
generals: Earl VanDorn. Charles
Clark. James L. Alcorn and C. H. Mott.
After being in session seventeen
days the convention adjourned sub
feet to the call of the president. Re
assembled March 25. and by a vote OF
rs to 7 ratified THE Constitution OF
the Confederate States"
Several substitutes for the ordi.
nance to ratify were offered and
promptly voted down. There was also
much discussion and many able
speeches for and against the proposi-
tion to refer the question OF ratifica-
ton or rejection to the people.
Your speaker was admitted to all
the secret sessions OF the convention.
and have in nv possession the most
important speeches. which are still un-
published
The sole survivors OF the conven-
tiOn OF 1861 are: Judge S. II. Terral,
Judge Thomas II. Woods of Meridian,
Hon. ]. A. Orr Of Columbus. DR.. T. d.
lsom of Oxford. Col. NJ. d. l.. Stephens
OF Water Valley and James NJ. Nelson
OF Pike. now residing in Texas.
This old Capitol had a rough expe-
rience during war times. On two Oc-
casions the Confederate flag was
hauled down and the Stars and Stripes
fioated from its dome. Many Of its
most valuable books were mutilated or
carried of and the tramp OF Federal
soldiers resOunded through these
chambers and passages.
In June. 1862. the public archives
were removed to Columbus and the
Legislature met there in February,
1865. and at Macon in August. 1864.
witnessed the assembling OF the
Legislature on May 20, 1865, as called
by Gov. Clarke. 1t was in session only
4 few hours. the members having re-
ceived a friendly hint from the officer
In charge of the garrison here that
instructions for their arrest were ex-
pected from Washington. They ad-
journed sine die, and in short order.
and took the dirt roads homeward
The walking was good. under the cir
cumstances. A few days thereafter
saw squad OF soldiers enter Gov
Clarke's Office. heard the officer in
charge demand possession, and heard
the Governor express his opinion of
the whole business. In a few weeks
thereafter he was hurried of to the
Fort Pulaski and confined in case
mate.
Judge William L. Sharkey was ap-
pointed by President Johnson Pro
visional Governor of Mississippi He
called a delegate convention in August
to so change the Constitution and
statutes as to adapt it to the new
order of things. Hon. ]. Shall Yerger
Of Washington county was chosen
president and your speaker secretary.
The delegates included many of the
wisest and most conservative men in
the State. But the Constitution. as
amended, was not recognized at Wash
ington, and the Senators and Repre-
sentatives elected that fall were not
seated. The Legislature that followed
declined to ratify the Fourteenth
Amendment. That was ''the milk in
the cocoanut."
This convention. the election and re-
election of Gov. Humphreys, his re-
moval from Office 'as an impediment
to reconstruction" the expulsion of
his family from the executive mansion
by an armed file of soldiers, the mill
tary rule and misrule that followed
and the Black and Tan Convention
and Constitution Of 1868 are quite
fully discussed in paper prepared for
and published by the State Historical
Society.
One Of the first communications ad-
dressed to the Black and Tan was
from the superintendent of the Jack
SON Gas Company, who required de-
posit before he would turn on the gas
They notified him very promptly that
they didn't want his gas; that they
could make their own, and they made
it through four weary months, at an
expense to the taxpayers of nearly half
a million dollars. II you will examine
their proceedings you will find the
word compensation" of very frequent
occurrence.
These episodes, with the reconstruc-
tion regime, continued through seven
long years; the impeachment of Gov.
Adelbert Ames. Lieut. Gov A. K
Davis and State Superintendent of
Education T. w. Cardoza; the revolu-
tioL OF 1875 directed by James e.
George and Ethelbert Barksdale-all
made hot times in old Mississippi, to
fully describe any one chapter of
which would reouire more time than