The Washington herald., 1907-12-10
BIRTHDAY. OF MISSISSIPPI
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

was not acted upon. Then Thomas JEFF
ferson was elected President, and ne ap-
pointed William Charles Cole Claiborne
10 be governor. Claiborne settled the DIFF
fcuIues oeeasioned By Sargent's misrule
and definitely bound the people 10 Amer
lean loyalty He remained in charge until
Jefferson purchased Louisiana, when he
became successfully governor Of Louisi-
ana Territory Of Orleans Territory, and
governor Of the State OF Louisiana
/ When Claiborne went 70 MississIppi the
whole Territory had about 1900 popula-
top The seat Of government was then
at Washington. six miles east Of Nachez-
Here Claiborne founded Jefferson College.
and here the capital remained until com
| mission selected the site Of the present
| city OF Jackson, in 1S21 u was from here
that acting Gov. COwles Mead issued his
manifestOes against the expedition OF Col.
/ Aaron Burr, and from here were issued
1 the orders which resulted IN the capture
Of Burr and his trial for treason
| In March. 1871 President Madison signed
| the act enabling Mississippi 70 form a
u NcA+NNANNNA'AA anu fDL1lr A4LD LLe n-DN-
\ The convention met IN Washington in
/ July. II was this convention that de-
! cided 20 name the State Mississippi in
I stead Of Washington, by a vote Of seven
/ teen 10 tWenty-three. David Holmes was
elected the first governor, and on De-
/ cember 10, iSlI, Congress ratified the new
/ constitution and Mississippi was ad-
mitted.
Statehood brought prosperity. Settlers
came in rapidly. cotton plantations null
/ tiDled. and the slave population increased
at a wonderful rate. The planters were
wealthy men OF high education from the
Eastern States, and within twenty years
after statehood Mississippi had taken a
/ high rank among the States in the con-
trol OF national affairs Then came. the
war with Mexico. Mississippi quickly
raised a regiment and Jefferson Davis
was elected colonel He Immediately re-
| signed his seat in Congress and hastened
10 take command He led the Mississippi
! regiment in the famous fight az BueDa.
Vista and won undylng military laurels
\ for himself and his followers President
! Roosevelt al Vicksburg n few weeks ago
/ recalled this fact. referring 10 Mr.. Davis
/ as the gallant soldier Of Mississippi who
/ afterward became the favorite son Of al
| the South
/ The healing of the wounds left By the
4 cIVll~ war IS the most marvellous part
| of the marvellous history OF the United
/ states. But even healed wound leaves
a scar i VIII be many years before the
/ people OF the United States, either North
! or South, can look upon the name Of JET
! ferson Davis wholly without prejudice.
I lH-ra 70. -, -r-.-
I history, the name Of jefferson Davis IS
| inseparably connected with Mississippi
Mississippi sent him 70 Congress. put him
/ at the head OF her troops. upheld his
| policies when he was a member. OF the
| Presidents Cabinet and sent him 20 tbe
/ United States Senate. When Mississippi
seeded FROM the Union she sent jefferson
| Davis 70 the Confederate Senate. not
/ then organized. He was chosen by tha
whole South 20 be the leader OF its peo-
\ pie, and became the President Of tha
1 Confederate States
Differ as men may in their opinion os
! Jefferson Davis, no other name is such
an enduring proof Of the real liberty OF
/ the people Of America IN the greater
I part OF this nation Davis is looked llpon
I as an arch rebel IN another part ulsr-
nlncent monuments are erected 10 his
/ memory, his birthday IS a legal holiday
ana his name is revered by ali the people.
! Wide as this difference Of opinion IS II
( proves that the Ans rican people. are free
I 70 think as they please. The South cav
build a thousand monuments 10 Jefferson
/ Davis without opposition from those
/ who hold the name to be the epitome Of
| all that is disloyal-
Mississippi seeded. Her sons fought
| through the long civil war. Her soil was
stained and her rivers reddened By tbe
blood OF Southern son and Northern
brother. Her plantations and farms were
/ laid waste. her resources We're all DESTROY
/ ed, and her industry was absolutely par
] alyzed- The war ended, but despite the
fact that the great Grant had said. LET
use have peace there was no peace.
/ President Johnson named William I.
Sharkey as provisional governor in 1865.
An election was held and Gen. BENJAMIN
q. Humphrey was chosen governor and
was sworn in by Sharkey. But the Pres
/ ident and Congress Were at Ioggerheads.
| and Congress would not recognize the
/ new government as organized by the Pres
/ ident OF the United States. Gen. Ord.
/ commanding the military district Of which
Mississippi was a part. called a con-
| stitutiOnau convention 70 meet in Janu-
/ aTy, 1858. The constitution as submitted
by this convention was defeated al the
/ polls II was then modified and It's more
| drastic features eliminated. after which
il was adopted IN 1859 With amendments
/ IN lSG and 1919. il remained in force. until
/ the adoption Of the constitution OF 1850.
! Negoes and carpet-baggers held the
reins Of government The tax rate on
land was 10 cents on the 500 IN 1852. was
! increased TO 40 cents IN 1S7l. and during
Gov Ames' last administration. in 1874.
1t was increased 10 $40 on each 500 Of
assessed valuation. The county levies
were some times even greater. The peo-
pie would not bear the indignities heaDed
upon them. and in $50 they revolted. The
result was that Gov. Ames resigned and
fed from the State while resting under
articles Of Impeachment. Since that day
Mississippi has been left TO work out
her own salvation. President Hayes soon
withdrew the Federal troops and the
nightmare Of reconstruction was at an
end.
Mississippi again turned 10 agriculture.
It's lands are rich and its products valu-
able. The population is more than half
negro, nearly all Of whom are engaged
in agriculture. The State is intensely
Democratic, and one OF its most gifted
SONS. John Sharp Williams is now leader
of the Democrats in the National House
i-of Representatives No State in the
Union has had more difficult problems TO