Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 70

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Mississippi > Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II > Part 70

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The house committee made a majority report that the new mem- bers were entitled to seats at this special session of the old legis- lature. But their chairman, James H. Maury, made a minority report, saying that according to the apportionment of 1833 the senate had twelve members, the house 37 from the old counties, but if the 16 new counties should each have a representative, the number of senators would be less than one-fourth the representa- tives, which would be repugnant to the constitution. Also, the proposed members did not have the constitutional qualification of residence in their counties. He advised the legislature to adjourn, and wait until a new legislature could be elected without violation of the constitution. But the house proceeded to admit the new members. On account of this the senate resolved January 27 that the body assembled as a house was not in verity the house, and the alleged legislature was not the legislature authorized by the con- stitution and laws, and proposed to adjourn sine die. The house unanimously refused to concur. Mr. Williams proposed that the members all resign and go before the people, which was rejected. The senate refused to recognize the existence of the house further. The house ordered the doorkeeper to make the doors and windows fast and deposit the keys with the secretary of state. The gover- nor proclaimed January 31, that the best interests of the State required adjournment of both houses, which was accordingly de- clared. Thus the reelection of Poindexter was defeated until a new legislature could be elected in the fall of 1835. (See Lynch, Bench and Bar, 167-74.)

State treasury disbursements in 1835 were $53,246, $40.000 of which was for judiciary and state house. The total expenditures for education were $1,000, including the Literary fund and Semi- nary land fund. The balance in the treasury was nearly $89,000. Gov. Runnels deposited in the Planters Bank, notes of lot pur- chases at Jackson for about $20,000 and borrowed nearly $19,000 on his individual note to use in building the state house, but many

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of the notes had to be sued for collection. It was difficult to collect notes given in payment for seminary lands also, though secured by responsible sureties, said Auditor Mallory. Suit was ordered against Hadley, the late auditor, for $3,150. At the same time speculation was at its height and the credit of individuals and of the State was being strained to the breaking point. At this moment, however, there was no thought of danger. The bonds of the State of Mississippi were quoted at a large premium in the market at London, and there was no thought that they were not as good as gold or better.

In the campaign of 1835 the battle was over Jackson and Poin- dexter. Poindexter desired reelection. Jackson did not, but the success of his friends meant the election of his choice as a suc- cessor, Martin VanBuren, in 1836. VanBuren's chief recommen- dation was that he represented New York, a State that had been friendly to Jackson as a candidate, through influences set in motion by Aaron Burr, or by the organization that Aaron Burr created. The election of a New York man would be almost as great a rev- olution as had been the election of Jackson himself-a man neither from Virginia or Massachusetts. If the South had been able to overcome the resolve of "Old Hickory," the candidate would have been John C. Calhoun. The subjects most talked about in the Mis- sissippi campaign were the United States bank and the tariff. The cause of Jackson, in the campaign, was managed by William M. Gwin, United States marshal, and presented on the stump by Rob- ert J. Walker and Henry S. Foote. The Whigs made a vigorous fight, with S. S. Prentiss and Adam L. Bingaman as their great leaders, and Charles Lynch their standard bearer as candidate for governor. Gov. Runnels was the Democratic candidate for re- election. He was a devoted supporter of Jackson and opposed to Calhounism and Poindexter; but he was opposed by Franklin E. Plummer, ostensibly a candidate for senator, but really a represen- tative of the coalition of State banks and "nullifiers." and for this reason very likely also because the issue threw the Jacksonian Democrats so close to the Whig position in politics that Lynch profited thereby, the latter won by a small margin. The vote was, Lynch, 9,867; Runnels, 9,441.

At the session of January-March, 1833, the legislature fixed the time of its future convenings as the first Monday in January. The next session therefore, was in January, 1836. The time of the in- stallation of the governor was not fixed by the constitution or by statute, the constitution providing merely, that he should hold office "two years from the time of his installation." Gov. Runnels had waited for the session of the legislature in November, 1833, to begin his term of office, and he decided that his term ended November 20, 1835, regardless of the change of the legislative session. The succession, according to the new constitution, was first the president of the senate and next the speaker of the house : but the legislature had expired also, a new legislature having been elected in 1835, and the ultimate step provided in the constitution

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was necessary. Consequently Gen. Dickson, secretary of state. called a special session of the newly-elected senate, which, meet- ing on December 3, elected John A. Quitman president by a major- ity of one, on the 7th ballot, next day.

Ruralhill, a hamlet in the western part of Winston county, 15 miles west of Louisville, the county seat and nearest railroad town. McCool is the nearest banking town. It has a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 93.

Rushings Store, a post-hamlet of Lauderdale county, situated on Okatibbee creek, 10 miles north, northwest of Meridian. Pop- ulation in 1900, 40.

Rusk, a postoffice of Lee county, on the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R., 8 miles southeast of Tupelo, the county seat and nearest banking town.

Russell, a post-hamlet of Lauderdale county, on the Alabama Great Southern R. R., about 7 miles east of Meridian. Population in 1900, 48.

Russell, Irwin, was born at Port Gibson, Miss., June 3, 1853. He possessed the poetic temperament to such an extent that he was not fitted for the rush of a practical world, and his waywardness caused his life to be filled with sorrow and suffering, although he had at his command all that affection could suggest. He died at New Orleans, December 23, 1879. His poems were published by the Century company after his death. "The opinion of an uncritical mind ought not to go for much, but it seems to me that some of Irwin Russell's negro character studies rise to the level of what, in a large way, we term literature." (Joel Chandler Harris.)

Russellville, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Warren county. Population in 1900, 25.

Russum, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Claiborne county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 6 miles south of Port Gibson, the county seat, and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 62.

Ruth, a post-hamlet of Lincoln county, and a station on the N. C. & M. R. R., about 10 miles east of Norfield. Population in 1900, 20.

Rust University. Rust University, at Holly Springs, was estab- lished in 1868 by the M. E. Church for the education of colored peo- ple. It has commodious buildings and large grounds, valued at $100,000 ; has a library of 4,000 books and 300 pamphlets. Its work is divided into two main departments, collegiate and preparatory. The preparatory department does not offer the elementary grades. No agricultural, engineering or professional courses are offered, but there is a good normal course and a domestic science department for the girls. The college course leads to the bachelor's degree. In 1901 there were 132 men students and 127 women, of whom 91 were taking the normal course.

Ryals, a postoffice in the southeastern part of Pike county, about 28 miles east of Magnolia, the county seat. Tylertown is its near- est railroad and banking town.

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Rye, a postoffice of Monroe county, located on the Buttahatchie river, 15 miles east of Aberdeen, the county seat.

Sabine Expedition. This was one of the most exciting incidents in the course of events leading up to the Florida Acquisition (q. v.). After the acquisition of Louisiana, the United States claimed eastern and western boundaries of that province on the Perdido and Rio Grande, including Mobile and San Antonio. After some negotiations France declined to aid the United States in these pretensions and sided with Spain, whereupon Spain seemed dis- posed to pass from negotiations to military force. She was also disturbed by the Aaron Burr project to revolutionize Mexico. This was manifest as early as the fall of 1805. (See Williams' Adm.) At a later date the Spanish proposition, if the United States desired the Floridas, was to take back Louisiana west of the Mississippi river, from which it may be inferred that in 1805 the Spaniards did not entertain seriously the American pretensions west of Red river. American ships were being taken in the Atlantic by Spanish pri- vateers and by French and Spanish privateers in the West Indies.

Santiago, Cuba (or St. Jago, as it was written then), was a scene of robbery, plunder, perjury and cruelty, in which American seamen were the continual sufferers. Mr. Jefferson's gunboats and militia were ineffectual to save the American coastwise trade between New Orleans and the Atlantic ports from destruction.

In July, 1805, there were yet many Spanish officers and officials at New Orleans, part of them composing the "commission of the limits of the province of Louisiana," under royal orders of August 20, 1804. Brig .- Gen. Caso Calvo was at the head of this commission, and Captains Stephen Minor and Thomas Power were associated with it in military capacities. Baron Bastrop, owner of a great concession on the Ouachita, which Aaron Burr was presently ne- gotiating for, industriously spread the report that Louisiana would soon return into the hands of Spain. As Bastrop was a close friend of Casa Calvo's, the prediction seemed to have significance. Casa Calvo himself made a trip into Texas, fomenting resistance. In October, 1805, small detachments of Spanish troops on the Texas frontier occupied Nana and Bayou Pierre, near Adayes, an old Spanish post, in the vicinity of Natchitoches. Major Porter, of Fort Claiborne, (Natchitoches) under orders from Washington. sent a detachment to Bayou Pierre to compel the Spanish to retire beyond the Sabine, which, upon menace, they did.

The Mexican government was informed of Burr's intentions to found a state in the debatable country and foment a revolution in Mexico. Colonel Herrera was ordered to the Sabine with the Texas militia. The government of New Orleans, as a first step of defense. compelled Morales and Casa Calvo to depart. The gov- ernor of Pensacola guarded against the plot of Col. Caller by for- bidding the transmission of the United States mails, and putting the Mobile fortifications in order. (See Washington County.) April 26, 1806. Gen. Dearborn, secretary of war, wrote Gov. Williams. "Under existing circumstances, it is considered advisable to take

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some precautionary measures in relation to our Spanish neighbors, it is desirable that you should have the militia of your territory in as good order and as well prepared for actual service as circum- stances will permit, especially those of the county of Washing- ton."

John Pitchlyn reported that the Spaniards at Mobile, on May 16, had about 1,100 Choctaws in council, had given them powder and lead, and asked them to come again in three moons to hear a talk from "the great mingo at Pensacola."

In the summer of 1806 the whole West, including Natchez and New Orleans, was aflame with the spirit of war against Spain, for the extension of republican government. Miranda was preparing an expedition at New York for the promotion of revolution in Ven- ezuela, and great interest was felt in Mississippi in this project, as in various succeeding enterprises of the same nature. In July, Viana, with about 700 men, crossed the Sabine and again took post at Bayou Pierre. Governor Claiborne was a guest at Con- cord, near Natchez, when he heard of this. He had a conference with Acting-Governor Mead, and they made a memorandum for joint action, August 17 (Claiborne's Miss., p. 265) in which they agreed to support the United States troops under Major Porter ; Claiborne to go to Natchitoches and call out the militia of his ter- ritory, Mead to put his militia in training and prepare to support the mayor of New Orleans as well as defend Mississippi territory, and send at least a hundred men to Natchitoches. Claiborne went on to the frontier and began negotiations with Herrera, but dis- covered that while Porter had orders to drive out the Spanish, something was not as it should be. "My present suspicion is that all is not right," he wrote to Mead. In fact the major had been ordered by Gen. Wilkinson to remain quiet. Wilkinson, then at St. Louis, had been instructed in May to repair to the territory of Orleans and take command of all the troops that might be furnished, and "by all means in your power, repel any invasion of the terri- tory of the United States east of the River Sabine, or north or west of the bounds of what has been called West Florida." But he waited three months at St. Louis. It may have been natural laziness, but by coincidence, at least, Aaron Burr wanted time to complete his arrangements. Wilkinson arrived at Natchez Septem- ber 7, and next day wrote to Dearborn he would "drain the cu! of conciliation to maintain the peace of our country ;" promised to discourage the warlike plans of Claiborne and Mead until he had "penetrated the designs of the Spaniard:" then, if forced to appeal to arms, he would drive the Spaniards beyond the Rio Grande. At this time, according to Monette's history, the general ordered the commandant at Fort Stoddert to hold himself in readiness to invest Mobile with his troops, supported by two hundred militia of Tombigbee, under Col. Caller, "who was then actively engaged in preparations for the capture of Mobile." Wilkinson spent two weeks traveling to Natchitoches, ordering up the militia from New Orleans and Natchez. Writing to Senator Smith, of Ohio, Burr's

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friend, he said that "with sufficient support" he counted on taking possession of the viceroyalty of Mexico.

But the Spanish, perhaps, gained an understanding of what was involved. Herrera suddenly retreated beyond the Sabine, Septem- ber 27, leaving no pretext for war. On the same day Burr was at banquet at Nashville with Andrew Jackson, and their friends were cheering the prospect of a war that was vanished, and Gov. Mead was making ready an expedition that should find no foe.

To furnish his quota of militia, Gov. Mead, on September 25, ordered to rendezvous in the Jefferson district, October 4, Capt. Farrar's troop of dragoons, Capt. Newman's company of Natchez infantry, Capt. Poindexter's company of Mississippi Blues, of Adams county, Capt. Davidson's dragoons of Jefferson county, and a similar order for rendezvous at Fort Adams was sent to Col. Ellis, of the Adams district. These orders were promptly obeyed. The people were particularly anxious to put an end to Spanish gov- ernment on the coast by taking advantage of the encroachments that had been made. Farrar's troop was the first to report ready for duty ; October 6 Gen. Wilkinson's requisition of militia was filled and the men crossed the river and started forward. They took 80 of the rifles at Fort Dearborn, which left only about 150 with which to make the conquest of the Floridas, which somewhat depressed Gov. Mead's ardor. The field and staff officers of the battalion were: Ferdinand L. Claiborne, major; Thomas H. Williams, captain adjutant and quartermaster : Frederick Seip, surgeon ; Her- itage Howerton, quartermaster sergeant; Joshua Knowlton, ser- geant major. The companies were commanded by Capts. Benjamin Farrar, cavalry ; George Poindexter, Alexander Bisland, Basil An- drews, William T. Voss and Ralph Regan, infantry. The Natchez Herald of the 7th said that Capt. Thomas Hinds' dragoons from Jefferson would follow to Natchitoches in a few days, also a com- pany of mounted infantry from Wilkinson county. In the organi- zation work Maj. William Scott, brigade inspector, and William B. Shields, aide-de-camp of the governor, were active. Claiborne, on reaching Rapides, was met by orders directing the infantry to return to Natchez, and Farrar's troops to proceed to Natchitoches.

It is one theory regarding Wilkinson that when the hope of war vanished, he decided to abandon Burr, whose operations would now be embarrassing, and proceed with an eye solely to his own profit. He wrote the government Oct. 4 he would march to the Sabine, to wipe off the stigma of Spanish possession ; but he had not moved Oct. 8, when Samuel Swartwout arrived with the famous cipher message from Burr. Next morning Wilkinson confided to Col. Cushing that he had discovered that Burr was engaged in a plot of treason, the separation of the west from the United States. A week later, September 14-15, when Swartwout left for New Or- leans, the Mississippi cavalry arrived at Natchitoches, and among them was Walter Burling, a planter near Natchez, who was an intimate friend of the general. Wilkinson confided to him also the "discovery," and made Burling his aide-de-camp. It was now an-

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nounced that the general, menaced by treason in the rear and a for- eign foe in front, had decided to advance and make terms with the Spanish, so that he might be free to turn upon the domestic enemy. Then began the tremendous distortion of the Burr expedition, and the spreading of the alarm that made even Cowles Mead, the pro- fessed enemy of Wilkinson, become an auxiliary to the general in proceedings that from the distant viewpoint of the present, have a strong tinge of the ridiculous. The general prepared to ruin Burr as he had ruined Col. Morgan and his New Madrid enterprise. Whether he did this solely for personal profit or as a "good Span- iard," can be nothing more than a matter of conjecture.

The Mississippi infantry arrived at Natchez, October 15, pro- ceeded to Washington and were discharged. (Natchez Messenger, Oct. 21.) The Jefferson troops, however, remained with the gen- eral, and when Wilkinson had reached the Sabine, Oct. 29, Mr. Burling carried the letters between the general and the Spanish officer. The result appeared Nov. 5 in the Neutral Ground treaty, which was heralded as a great diplomatic victory, but the terms of which Wilkinson refused to disclose at the Burr trial. It was in fact, says one student (W. F. McCaleb, "The Aaron Burr Con- spiracy"), a move that compromised the western pretensions of the United States, made ridiculous the claim to the Rio Grande frontier, and was "a phase in an unsurpassed scheme of imposture and rascality." Wilkinson, accompanied by Burling, returned to Natchez, Nov. 11, and hurried to Concord, the home of Capt. Ste- phen Minor, of the Spanish regular army, where the general's wife lay, near to death. A few days later, Burling left for San Antonio to buy mules. Mr. Burling was a wealthy planter who had never dabbled in the business of such adventurers as Philip Nolan, and people wondered. He traveled overland, under a Spanish military escort, to the city of Mexico, had an interview with the viceroy, and thence proceeded to Vera Cruz and by boat to New Orleans, where he arrived before Wilkinson's departure for Richmond. This was subsequently explained by the general. He sent his "dear and honored friend" to "penetrate the veil which concealed the route to the city of Mexico," and as a cover gave him a passport declaring that he traveled to Mexico to inform the viceroy of the plot of Aaron Burr to invade that country. Burling also carried a passport from Captain Minor, dated Natchez, Nov. 17. Burling reached Mexico in January, and laid before the viceroy, Iturrigaray, a letter from Wilkinson, in which, the viceroy wrote to Cevallos, Spanish minister of state, "you will see he lays great stress on the measures he has taken at the risk of his life, fame and fortune in order to save, or at least to protect this kingdom from the attacks of the insurgents. He finally comes to what I had antici- pated. the question of payment for his services. He asks for $85,- 000 in one sum and $26,000 in another." The general also desired compensation for expenses. The viceroy answered that the gen- eral gave him no information that was not old : that he could not pay such sums of money without orders from the king, and wished

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him "happiness in the pursuit of his righteous intentions." When Burling returned, Wilkinson sent President Jefferson a bill for $1,500 as the expenses of the trip, and to this extent one govern- ment was found open to conquest by Messrs. Burr and Wilkinson. Mr. Burling's report of his journey, and description of the country, is printed in the memoirs of Gen. Wilkinson. Authorities: Missis- sippi Territorial Journals, American State Papers, McCaleb's "Aaron Burr Conspiracy," (quoting Spanish archives), Claiborne's Mississippi.

Sabino, a postoffice in the western part of Quitman county, about 7 miles southwest of Belen, the county seat.

Sable, a postoffice of Clarke county, 14 miles north of Quitman.

Sabougla, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Calhoun county, a short distance south of the Yalobusha river, and about 15 miles from Pittsboro, the county seat. Grenada, 18 miles west, is the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 150.

Safety, a hamlet of Kemper county, situated on Sucarnoochee creek, about 9 miles north of Dekalb, the county seat. Population in 1900, 65. The postoffice was discontinued in 1906 and mail is addressed to Minnieola.

Sage, a hamlet in the southern part of Union county. It has rural free delivery from Pontotoc.

Sageville, an old village of Lauderdale county, now extinct. It was located near the present station of Okatibbe. (See Lauder- dale county.)

Saint Anns, a post-hamlet in the west-central part of Leake county, on Yokahockany creek, 10 miles west of Carthage, the county seat. Kosciusko is the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 59.

Saint Elmo, a post-hamlet of Claiborne county, on the Natchez- Jackson division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 12 miles east of Port Gibson, the county seat. Hermanville is the nearest banking town. It has a church and a store. Population in 1900, 62.

Saints Rest, a post-hamlet of Sunflower county, 6 miles west of Indianola, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 42.

Sale, John Burress, was born in Amherst county, Va., June 7, 1818, son of an eminent preacher, Alexander Sale, who moved with his family to Lawrence county, Ala., where John B. was educated at the LaGrange college. At 19 years of age he was admitted to the bar, and two years later was made judge of probate. In 1845 he made his home at Aberdeen, Miss., forming a law partnership with John Goodwin, to which James Phelan was admitted in 1854. In 1861 he raised a company of volunteers, which became a part of the 27th regiment, of which he was elected major, and later lieuten- ant-colonel. He was judge-advocate of the Army of Tennessee six months and was then promoted to colonel and ordered to re- port to Gen. Bragg as chief of staff. Bragg was at that time, February, 1864, and later, charged with the conduct of military operations of the armies of the Confederate States, under the direc-

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tion of President Davis. After his return home in 1865 he resumed the practice of law, associated with Senator Phelan and later with Col. W. F. Dowd. He died January 24, 1876.

Colonel Sale was genial with his friends, but in general he was reserved almost to haughtiness. "His mind, like his tall person, was of a massive, ponderous order, and moved slowly but effec- tively. A man of more immense application and labor never exis- ted." (R. Davis' Recollections.) He was generally regarded as one of the ablest lawyers in the history of the State.

Salem, an old town in Tippah (now Benton) county, which was a place of some importance during the 30's and 40's. It was incor- porated in 1837, had a population of about 200, and supported about a dozen business houses, two hotels and a prosperous female school. It was finally absorbed by Ashland, the county seat of Benton, a few miles to the east. (See Tippah county.)

Salem, a post-hamlet of Benton county, 6 miles west of Ashland, the county seat and about 14 miles northeast of Holly Springs, the nearest banking town. It has two churches. Population in 1900, 32.

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Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 70

Author: Dunbar Rowland Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020