The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1911-07-14
IIJDGE JONES
MAKES REPLY
W RoundIy Scores Governor Gil
christ for Unwaranted Attack
DEFENDS HIS RECORD
II. Iudge Says tie Would Not Disparage
~ faithful People by Calling Governor
Albert W. Gilchrist Jew
Titusville, Fla, July 5, 1911

Editor DeIand News: :,
please permit me, as well Tor my
.omilv as for myself, to thank you
nratefully for the generous interest
so', have taken lately in my unlocked
Then please give me space to reply,
.s briefly as can, to Governor Gll-
aHrst's letter in your last issue.
W Notwithstanding | have written,
uttered, nor instigated one word in
criticism of his doings respecting me,
an clad you published his private as
well as his public letter.
Even in response to multitude OF
lst,ers depreciating his frantic but un.
invoked luminosity toward me, and as
s,ring me of regard and sympathy, |
returned no word of complaint. really
fsIt that the coarse and cowardly gibes
If a vulgar boar. hundreds OF miles
awav could reflect no dishOnor on me
PERSONALLY. and as the people had al.
ready perceived that the attack on me
was a covert and tentative stab at the
urinary system, | thought it would be
foolish.
$40 stir the grievance OfCOmmOn man
Where age doth cloak the purpose. y
But when | am pursued vindictively to
nv very hearthstone, surely l am Justl-
fed in saying something in my own de-
fence -,
OF course cannot do this without be-
inc personal as to myself, and hUmbly
crave YOUR pardon and that of your
readers for this apparent offence
against wel-known rule of good man
ners.
My father was Virginan. He was
in the Texan army and became private
secretary to President Mirrabeau b.
Lamar. He was an anti Houston man
and was opposed to the annexation OF
Texas by the United States. When
General Houston succeeded in bringing
Texas into the Union my father left
and eventually came to live in Florida.
where | was born on the 10th of Decem-
Der, lS49. ~
Ny fathers brother, Judge William
Jefferson Jones, a wealthy man, was
Secretary of State under President
Lamar and became the first chief just
Ice OF the Supreme court of Texas in
the days of the republic. He, too, was
opposed to annexation and quit pubic
life when General Houston accomplish
edit.
Now both these brothers were Wig
orous and lung-lived men-albeit both
Of them were afflicted with a defect Of
the motion nerves known to the doc
tors, think, as paralysis agitans. Who
their ancestors " re is immaterial.
Thomas Jefferson il alleged to have
said that his great-grandfather mig hit
have been sheep-stealer for all he
knew or cared, and we learn from
Voltaire that it is the weakness of un-
worthy mediocrity to cOnjure up exalted
lineage when fortunately lifted to high
places.
My father was a warm personal
friend of President Davis and was APP
pointed by him Register of the Confed-
crate Navy. In the fall of 1864 was
appointed a masters mate in the navy
Just before was fifteen years old. |
was examined by strict and competent
medical man, and Notwithstanding .!
mad the hereditary nervous defect OF
my family | was pronounced physically
capable for service and was duly sworn
Y by Judge Henry }. Stewart of
hamilton county. Then was ordered
70 report at Wilmington, N. c., for sea
service. but before all this could be
zone Wilmington fell and was thus
cut on from seeing whether was
100 shaky of hand to aim a gun or not.
Meantime my father officially issued,
=. mad to do with all the letters of
nMarque and Reprisal ordered bv Mr..
Jaws. 1t is wei, known that a strong
party IN the North were camOring for
resident Davis to be tried for piracy
~ tae basis of these letters of Marque.
ny father was charged with destroying
me record of his office and imprisoned
.nat ne might be compelled to testify
vuo.ncernlng it, and kept confined under
uusPeakable circumstances until Cen
s.ai Grant ordered him released. My
iiather had been an editor and as a boy
u nad read the anti-bellum TRADE OF
ATrace Greely against the South.
Nil; ~ iSI2, contrasting Greeley's course
VIII General Grants conduct at Apo
Sa s1tox, and having in mind my fathers
S;"eaaverance, it seemed to my young
!1Ssement to be comparison between
uemon and saint. Wrong though it
~ 10y nave been, espoused the cause
ueneral Grant and stayed not my
"a,'a 70 90 all could against Greeley.
al. n;'ser the contest was over good men
sn u was mistaken and needing their
rJa"sei stopped short in the course,
wr u taxing it for granted that ! was
ana ,SS', x. are not fifty years of fidelity
1I w , sufficient for amendment?