Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1907-07-27
SENATOR {. W. PETTUS
Of ALABAMA DYING
NOTED SENATOR FELL UNcoN-
ScIoUs FROM BREAKFAST
CHAIR AT HOT SPRINGS,
NORTH CAROLINA.
Oldest Member Of Senate
Veteran of the Civil War and Prom
inent In Alabama Politics For
Many Yesrs-Sketehes Of
His Career Are Very
interesting.
Special 70 the Herald.

Special 10 the Herald.
Hot Springs, n. c., July 27.-Sen-
ator Pettus of Alabama is dying at
this place. He fell unconscious from
his breakfast chair.
Edmund Winston Pettus, United
States senator from Alabama, was
born in Limestone county, Ala, July
6. 1921. and is the oldest member
of the senate in point of years. He
was descended on his mothers side
from Captain Anthony Winston, of
Virginia. a distinguished soldier OF
the revolution. He received his edu-
cation in the common schools of his
native state. supplemented by course
at Clinton College, Tenn. After grad
uating from college he studied law in
the Office of William Cooper. then one
OF the most famous lawyers of Ala
bama. Mr.. Pettus was admitted to
the bar in 1912, and commenced the
practice of law at Gainesville, Ala.
as the partner of Hon. Turner Reavis.
The first public office he held was
that Of solicitor for the seventh dis
trict, to which he was elected in 1874.
He enlisted in the army at the out
break Of the war with Mexico, and
came out of the conflict with the
grade OF lieutenant He had fought on
foot, in the saddle, in the open and in
the chaparral.
In 1919. when the cry of Gold in
California" started caravans across
the continent, Mr. Pettus resigned his
office as solicitor. and. with a party of
his neighbors. he made the journey
from Alabama to California on horse
back, and returned in the same way
two years later.
On his return to Alabama he was
elected judge Of the seventh circuit.
hHl fesigned that ore -Trll---4s5e So
1 removed to Selma, where he has con-
/ tinued to make his home. He re-
sumed the practice of law as a mem
| Der of the firm of Pettus, Pegues &
/ Dawson.
In the Civil War he took up the
sword for the South. He entered the
/ Confederate army as major of the
Twentieth Alabama infantry, and soon
( afterwards was made lieutenant col
onel of that regiment. In October,
/ 1863. he was made a brigadier general
of infantry When Grant invested
Vicksburg General Pettus was within
the beleaguered city. Grant had taken
redoubt which threatened the cap
ture OF the town. Only the retaking
of the redoubt would save it. General
! Pemblerton called for volunteers to
storm the stronghold. The force was
put in command Of General Pettus.
He took it and held it.
After the close of the war General
Pettus returned to his home and to
the practice of law. Senator Pettus
was seventy-five years of age when he
/ entered the senate, and It is said he
was spurred to become a candidate
] by the injudicious criticism of an old
| friend. Senator Pugh. 1t was during
President Cleyeland's second term
that Mr. Pettus sought an oppoint-
ment as United States district attor-
ney in Alabama He asked Senator
Pugh's aid. He was then seventy-two
years OF age, but Senator Pugh de-
clined to commend him, because he
was too old.
Maybe am too old for the Office
mentioned he replied, but | am not
too old TO go to the United States SEN
ATE. and / serve notice on you now
that ! shall be your successor"
In the following November Mr. Pet
tus was nominated by the democratic
party. and elected by the legislature
Of Alabama United States senator for
the term commencing March 4, 1897.
After his nomination the opposition to
his election was merely nominal. He
received the entire vote of his party.
! Upon the expiration of his term in
1903. Senator Pettus was reelected,
and it was tacitly understood among
the political leaders of Alabama that
Senator Pettus was to be kept in the
senate as long as he should live.
With two exceptions Senator Pettus
was a delegate TO all the democratic
national conventions held since the
war. and when n delegate was chair
man of the Alabama delegation.
Senator Pettus has always been ac-
| tive. and a few who saw him on the
/ floor Of the senate would pick him as
I the oldest member OF that body. He
was born when Monroe was president.
he was a grown man when Clay and
/ Webster and Calhoun we've in the
senate. and thus his life has spanned
a larger period OF stirring events than
that Of almost any Of his contempt
raries in the senate.
The critical illness Of Senator Pet.
tus recalls TO mind the fact that his
friend and colleague, Senator Morgan.
Of Alabama. died only a short while
guU