The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-07

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active part In the proceedings OF thai that
body. In 1s4s 81 he received 4 permanent
license to practice Law, and soon obtained
4 respectable business. in 1852 he was
chosen Judge OF the Ninth ] Judicial district
i 81 Texas for5the term Of six years, but ~
1856 he resigned that pos Ion only to (. nte5
reelected for another term OF SIX yea rs:
855In 1857 Mr.. Reagan was elected TO the Il
United States Congress, defeating theE
Know Nothing or " American candid dat late,
who was the sitting member. by q large
ma iorlty. In 1850 he was reelected 70
| Congress. Before this last election 4 he
ljhad taken grounds against nlibusterlng
and the opening OF isRthe African slave
trade. He was denounced by politicians
and newspapers with great bitterness N
consequence OF his attitude on these q yes
tions, but met the issue squarelyi N y q
vigorous canvass be foro tho peop PIE, ana
to the surprise Of many was elected ny
an Overwhelming majority. 5 t IN
This brought him into the midst of the
fierce controversies of the four years i'm
nediately4p preceding the Civil War Of 1861
49, x II O recognized that there! was q oral
question behind the antt-slavery gitu-
ton, although he felt that t was urged
largely for political g fleet in elect on; and
In the manner In which It was conducted. I
and with reference to It's nntecedent facts,
1t was. {in,Fhis opinion, cruelty unjust and
full OF danger; especially In view i the e
fact that African slavery had been plant
cd In this country by the mother country
and by other leading civilized powers o.
Europe-that 1t existed In all the .Amerl-
can colonies at the date of the Decara-
ton Of llndependence, and In twelve OF
the original thirteen States at the date
OF the adoption Of the Constitution; that
the convention which framed the Constl-
tuition Of the United States recognized
the right of property In African slaves,
provided for the return Of fugitive slaves
when they escaped from servlce end mndc
provision for5the continuance OF the a fri
| can slave trade for twenty years after
the adoption OF the Constitution. Renee,
| when the calamity of war came, he felt It
| his duty to follow the fortunesf Of his own
State and people.
Member of Cabinet.
Mr. Reagan was chosen. n member or
| what is known as the Secession ConYen-
! ton or Texas In 1861, and proceeded d.
! rectly to Austin and took his seat therein.
! He, with others. was elected n mem
| her OF the provisional congress OF the
Confederacy. and aided In the formation
of the Confederate Constitution. In
1 March. 1861, he wns appointed postmaster
Il EcHeTalEol lIe SoHtcuc' acS Wy - Ss1oci''
i Davis, In February, 1862, after tho adop-
\ tion OF the constitutional government by
4 the sccedng States, lie was reappolnted
i postmaster-general,a and served In that pb
i sitlon until It's fall In 1865. i In the last
months Of the Confederacy Mr.. Tra,',
holm, secretary OF the treasury resi- gnet
on account OF serious illness, and Presl
dent Davis appointed Mr.. Reagan secro
tary OF the treasury nd Interim at tn
same time insisting on his continuing t
z perform the duties OF postmaster general
I May 40, 1865, he was made q prisoner Q
! war. along with President Davis. AMI