USA > Mississippi > School history of Mississippi; for use in public and private schools > Part 6
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3. Indigo was the second staple product of Mississippi. The disagreeableness of manufacturing the dye and the ravages of ar insect caused the culture of it to be abandoned about 1795.
4. The invention of the Whitney gin made cotton the third
77
BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM
ctaple product of Mississippi. The Mexican cotton seed was brought to this country in 1806.
5. The screw press was then invented, and cotton was better prepared for market by being packed in square bales.
6. As early as 1800 Sir William Dunbar attempted to manufac- ture cotton seed oil.
CHAPTER XI
BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM IN MISSISSIPPI
91. Catholicism the Established Religion .- As early as ¥722 the French government, for religious purposes, had divided the Province of Louisiana into three divisions; two of these covered the whole of the present State of Missis- sippi, besides parts of adjoining States. Two years later the union of Church and State was strengthened by the passage of a law, " compelling owners to bring up their slaves in the faith of the Catholics, or, if the owners were -tot good Catholics themselves, their slaves should be owned by the government. Jews were expelled and no other religion was tolerated." In most things the Spanish government was tolerant in its treatment of the inhabitants of the country, but such toleration did not extend to matters of religion. Catholicism was the established religion, and public worship was generally denied to all Protestants. Irish priests who spoke the English language were pro- cured, however, to make Catholicism more attractive to the inhabitants. We are told by a man who resided at Natchez, when the country was under Spanish control, that the priests exercised much influence, and were generally loved.
92. Establishment of the Congregational Church in Mis- sissippi .- The Rev. Samuel Swayze (swa'zy), a Congrega-
* See Goodspeed's Memoirs of Mississippi, Vol. II., Chapter XII .; also, Jones' History of Methodism in Mississippi; Lorenzo Dow's Journal, and Johnson's Life of John Johnson.
78
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
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BATON ROUGE'
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN 1706
tional minister, who settled in what is now Adams county (1772), was probably the first Protestant minister to live within the present limits of the State. He came from Morris county, New York, and with other mem- bers of his religious faith settled on the Homochitto (hỗ mỗ chit'to), at what is now known as the Kingston Settlement. Here, until the death of their faithful old pastor (1784), these good people continued their form- er mode of worship, "often in the face of great peril." Rev. John G. Jones tells us that when the Spaniards con- quered this district in 1779 the priest burned all the Bibles and Protestant books that were found, and that the Rev. Samuel Swayze "often concealed himself and his Bible in the hollow of a large sycamore tree, standing in the midst of a dense cane- brake, on the margin of what is still known as 'Sammie's Creek.' "
In 1775 the Rev. Jedediah Smith, a Congregational
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79
BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM
minister from Massachusetts, settled in Claiborne county, Mississippi, with his ten children, from whom descended many influential families.
93. Beginnings of the Baptist Church in Mississippi .- In 1780 several emigrants from the Great Pedee River, in South Carolina, settled on the south side of Cole's Creek, in the Natchez District. Before leaving South Carolina several of them had become Baptists, and one of their number, Richard Curtis, Jr., had been licensed to preach. Owing to the dangers of persecution from the Spaniards, they maintained only private worship for the first ten years after their removal. In 1791 they met at the request of Richard Curtis to organize a church. Seven of them signed a covenant consisting of only three simple articles of faith, and thus organized the Salem Baptist church. Richard Curtis was chosen pastor. Their first place of worship was a small house built of logs. In 1793, or the year following, Stephen de Alvo, a Spaniard, renounced the Catholic faith and united with the Baptist church. About the same time another inhabitant of the district boldly denounced the Catholic church. The Spaniards thus became offended, and determined to make an example of some of the leaders. The church record states that this faithful minister was told that he must either stop preaching or lose his property and be driven from the colony, but his zeal for the cause was so great that he willingly obeyed God rather than man. He offended the governor still more by officiating publicly in a marriage ceremony-an act contrary to the law. To keep from being sent to the silver mines of Mexico for life, he and two other members of his church finally had to flee to the United States. Curtis remained away from his family two and a half years. In 1797 John Hannah, another Bap- tist minister, preached in Natchez, but was beaten and imprisoned for engaging in a dispute with some Irish
80
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
Catholics, and making himself otherwise offensive to the Spanish authorities.
94. Beginnings of the Episcopal Church in Mississippi .- The Rev. Adam Cloud, a Virginian by birth, who settled on St. Catherine's Creek in the present county of Adams (1792), was the first minister of the Protestant Episcopal church to make his home in Mississippi. For a short time he was permitted to baptize, to bury the dead of the Protestant families of the neighborhood, and to preach occasionally. He was then arrested, sent in irons to New Orleans, and finally banished from Spanish territory. After an absence of several years in South Carolina and Georgia he returned to Mississippi, and settled in Jefferson county. where in 1820 he organized the first Episcopal church ir Mississippi.
95. Beginnings of the Methodist Church in Mississippi .- In 1798 the South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church sent the Rev. Tobias Gibson to labor in the distant field of Mississippi. He reached his destination early in 1799, and promptly visited all the important settle ments between the Walnut Hills (Vicksburg) and the north ern boundary of the Spanish territory (31º). He was giver a hearty welcome by a number of Protestants, among whom he preached with great success. All of his public services were held at first in private homes, school houses or build- ings erected for other purposes. The only church building in this part of the country was the little log house known as Salem church, that had been recently built by the Baptists on Cole's Creek. The first Methodist church was organized in 1799, in the town of Washington, which was afterwards ($126) capital of the Mississippi Territory. Ran- dall Gibson, the cousin of the missionary, was the first to offer himself for membership. This church was organized with a membership of eight, two of whom were colored
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BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM
slaves. Local churches were organized at other places during that year, and before January 1, 1800, the total number of Methodists in the Territory had increased to sixty. The Rev. Randall Gibson and the Rev. James Griffing were the first ministers who were licensed by the Methodist church to preach in Mississippi.
96. Beginnings of the Presbyterian Church in Mississippi. Although a large number of Presbyterians lived in the southeastern part of Mississippi during the period of Spanish rule, no church of this faith was established until later. In 1800 or 1801, a committee of three ministers-the Rev. James Hall, the Rev. William Montgomery, and the Rev. James Bowman-was sent by the Synod of North Carolina to the southwest to prepare the way for establish- ing churches where a sufficient number of Presbyterians could be found. They spent the year preaching in Mis- sissippi and in Louisiana before organizing any churches. The Rev. Joseph Bullen, a native of New England, deserves to be called the " Father of Presbyterianism in Mississippi." He settled in Jefferson county (1804), and at once founded a church at the settlement called Uniontown. This was the first Presbyterian church established in the State. Soon afterwards he established a second church in the Bayou Pierre (bī'õõ pē air') settlement. In 1812 there were eight regularly organized Presbyterian churches and four minis- ters of that faith in Mississippi.
Summary
1. During the period of Spanish rule Catholicism was the established religion, and Protestant worship, though permitted at irregular intervals, was discouraged, and in many instances positively prohibited.
2. The Rev. Samuel Swayze, a Congregational minister, who came to this country in 1772, was probably the first Protestant clergyman to settle in Mississippi.
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(82)
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BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM
3. In October, 1791, the first Baptist church in Mississippi was organized on Cole's Creek, with the Rev. Richard Curtis as pastor.
4. The Rev. Adam Cloud, the first Episcopal clergyman to settle in Mississippi, came to this part of the country in 1792, and established a church in Jefferson county about 1820.
5. The Rev. Tobias Gibson, the first minister of the Methodist Episcopal church in Mississippi, reached this country in the spring of 1799, and in that year organized a church at Washington and at six or eight other places.
6. In 1800 or 1801 the Rev. James Hall, the Rev. William Montgomery, and the Rev. James Bowman, ministers of the Presbyterian church, did evangelistic work in Mississippi, and in 1804 the Rev. Joseph Bullen founded at Uniontown the first church of that faith in this part of the country.
CHAPTER XII
TRANSITION FROM SPANISH TO AMERICAN CONTROL
(1795-1798)
97. Failure of Spanish Intrigues .- It has been seen that for a period of twelve years (1783-1795) the government of Spain refused to accept the boundary (31°) established between Spanish West Florida and the United States by the Treaty of Paris. During this time every plan was tried · by the Spanish government to strengthen its power and influence and to weaken that of the United States in the Mississippi Valley ; efforts were made to satisfy the inhabi- tants of the territory under dispute by mild laws, and to win the citizens of Tennessee and Kentucky partly by bribery and commercial favors and partly by showing that Spain still controlled the navigation of the Mississippi River. During this period hundreds of immigrants were moving into the Natchez District from the United States, and enjoying the liberality of Spain without forgetting their love for republican principles. Year by year their number
S4
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
increased, until they finally constituted a majority of the population. It then became necessary for Spain, in order to free herself from other troubles, to yield the points of difference between herself and the United States.
By the Treaty of San Lorenzo (October 27, 1795) it was agreed, among other things, that (I) the United States should own all that part of the present State of Mississippi north of the thirty-first degree of north latitude; (2) the troops and settlements of either party in the territory of the other, according to this boundary, should be removed within six months; (3) the boundary line should be run by a joint commission appointed by the two powers; (4) the naviga- tion of the Mississippi from its source to the ocean was to be free to the inhabitants of both countries .*
98. Revolt Against Spanish Authority (1797) .- Andrew Ellicott was appointed by President Washington to repre- sent the United States in running the boundary line. Although he did not reach Natchez until sixteen months after the signing of the treaty, instead of six months, as prescribed by that document, his arrival was contrary to the wishes and expectations of the Spanish authorities, who were determined to prevent, if possible, the treaty from going into effect. Ellicott soon became impatient because of the delays and excuses of the Spanish officials, and began to arouse the people. He defiantly unfurled the flag of the United States; secretly found out how the inhabitants felt about the treaty and encouraged them to assert their attachment to his government. He sent a secret letter to Lieutenant Pope, who was then on the Mississippi River with a company of United States troops, and asked him' to come to Natchez. Upon the arrival of these soldiers
* See Hinsdale's Southern Boundary of the United States, in the Report of the American Historical Association, for 1893, pp. 319-366.
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FROM SPANISH TO AMERICAN CONTROL
Ellicott arranged for a military parade, which was intended to have a strong effect on the people.
The Spanish governor made several attempts to stop these influences and to gain the good-will of the people, but in vain. The people saw, heard, and imagined enough to keep them in a constant state of agitation. Finally, upon the imprisonment at Natchez of a citizen of the United
-
VIEW OF FORT AT NATCHEZ IN 1796
States who had made himself very disagreeable to the Spanish government, the inhabitants rose in revolt, and the governor, with his officials and several Spanish families, fled to the fort for refuge. Within twenty-four hours after the beginning of the outbreak at Natchez, active opposition to the Spanish government had spread over the greater part of the district.
99. A Declaration of Independence .- The inhabitants were then encouraged to sign a written statement declaring that by the late treaty they were no longer subjects of Spain, but citizens of the United States. This " declaration of independence " was signed by a large number of the citizens,
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HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
who thus pledged themselves to the American cause. A number of military companies had organized and elected officers, and others were forming. The governor had strengthened the fortifications and added to his forces from every possible source.
As the withdrawal of the Spanish officials to the fort left no legal governor in the district, it became necessary for the
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TOW Vand FORT of NATCHEZ IN 1796
MISSISSIPI
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people themselves to take control. It was agreed that a meeting of the principal men of the district should be held at the home of a Mr. Belk, who lived about eight miles from Natchez. At this meeting a committee was chosen to make arrangements with the governor for restoring peace and tranquility.
100. An Embryonic Constitution .- On June 22, 1797, this committee submitted the following propositions to the governor :
(1) The inhabitants of the district of Natchez are not to
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FROM SPANISH TO AMERICAN CONTROL
be prosecuted or injured for their recent conduct. (2) They are to be neither embodied as militia nor called upon to aid in any military operation, except in case of an Indian inva- sion, or the suppression of riots, during the present state of uncertainty. (3) The laws of Spain, in the above district, shall be continued, and on all occasions, be executed with mildness and moderation, nor shall any of the inhabitants be transported as prisoners out of the government on any pretext whatever ; and the inhabitants shall be considered to be in an actual state of neutrality during the continuance of their uncertainty. (4) The committee aforesaid do engage to recommend to our constituents to preserve the peace and promote the execution of justice.'
This document has been rightly called an " embryonic constitution."* The first two propositions correspond to a bill of rights, which wisely guarded the personal liberties of the inhabitants and judiciously freed them from oppres- . sive military service. It not only provided for freedom from punishment for past conduct, but guaranteed protec- tion for the future. The third article, though giving due recognition to Spanish laws and customs, guarded against the carrying of legal processes beyond the district. But more important still, this article showed that the people, through their representatives, had sat in judgment upon their legal status and declared themselves in "a state of neutrality." The fourth and last article relates to the peace of the community and to the execution of justice.
101. The Restoration of Peace .- The governor readily accepted these propositions, and peace was restored. The committee was then dissolved by common consent, and the governor left the fort and again took up the duties of his office. The day after leaving the fort the governor., at the request of Mr. Ellicott, issued a proclamation for
' See Goodspeed's Memoirs of Mississippi, Vol. I., pp. 89-90.
1
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HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
the election of a Permanent Committee. We are told that the election of this committee was intended to put the finishing stroke to the Spanish authority in the district ..
102. Dissensions Among the Inhabitants .- Before the election of this committee, however, dissensions had arisen among the inhabitants of the district .* One faction was led by Colonel Anthony Hutchins and the other by Andrew Ellicott. In the heat of contest the members of each faction charged their opponents with evil motives, and declared their conduct to be villainous. Mr. Ellicott was very much disliked by many of the best people of the dis- trict.
103. Election of the Committee of Safety and Correspond- ence .- After a vain attempt to dissolve the Permanent Committee, Colonel Hutchins, aided by some citizens of the United States, several of whom held coinmission under the government, had another committee chosen (September 2, 1797). This newly elected body was called the Com- mittee of Safety and Correspondence. It chose Colonel Hutchins as its agent to Congress. Both of these elections had been held with the approval of the Spanish governor, who expected by dividing the inhabitants to regain the power he had so lately lost. He did not see that, although the two parties might differ in respect to points of govern- ment, they were all strongly attached to the United States.
104. Memorials .- Each of the committees, claiming to represent the desires of a majority of the inhabitants of the district, then prepared a memorial to the Congress of the United States, presenting the views of its faction as to how the district should be governed. The Permanent Com- mittee recommended the establishment of a government similar to that of the Northwest Territory; the Committee of Safety and Correspondence asked for a different form
* Read in this connection Claiborne's Mississippi, Chapter XIX.
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FROM SPANISH TO AMERICAN CONTROL
of government-one that would permit the people to elect their own officers. Congress finally established a form of government which was in accord with the wishes of the Permanent Committee (§III).
105. Opposition to a Spanish Governor .- In November, 1797, it was announced that Colonel Grand Pré (grän prā) had been appointed governor of the Natchez District to
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succeed Governor Gayoso (gā yō'so), who had been made governor-general of Louisiana. The Permanent Committee immediately declared that it would not receive him as governor, and stated that any attempt on his part to take the office would be resisted by the inhabitants. He did not, therefore, enter upon the discharge of his official duties.
106. Withdrawal of the Spanish Government (1798) .- In response to the complaints of the Spanish government to the Secretary of State against the conduct of Commissioner
90
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
Ellicott and Lieutenant Pope, Captain Guion (gi'on), of the United States army, reached Natchez December 6, 1797, with orders to take charge of the district upon the with- drawal of the Spanish authority, and to hold it until the arrival of a legally appointed governor. The efforts of the Spaniards to prevent the treaty from going into effect and to hold the district of Natchez soon aroused his anger. He finally notified the acting-governor that such conduct would no longer be permitted, and that the Spanish officials must surrender the district by March 31, 1798. On the morning of March 30th the Spaniards embarked for New Orleans, and the flag of the United States was raised over the fort and saluted by the discharge of fifteen guns.
A few days later Fort Nogales (no ga'les), at the present site of Vicksburg, was turned over to Major Kersey, and occupied by a detachment of American troops under his command.
107. Establishment of the Boundary Line .- Shortly after the withdrawal of the Spanish forces from Natchez prepara- tions were made to survey the boundary line between the territory of the United States and the Spanish Floridas. The Spanish government was represented by Stephen Minor as commissioner and Sir William Dunbar as astrono- mer. The government of the United States was repre- sented by Andrew Ellicott as astronomer and Major Thomas Freeman as surveyor. A sufficient number of men to fell the trees and to guard the commissioners was sup- plied by the two governments. .
108. The District Under the Command of Major Guion .- Captain Guion, who had been promoted to the rank of major, governed the district from the time of the withdrawal of the Spanish authority until the arrival of the first terri- torial governor. In February, 1798, he entertained for a few days Louis Phillippe (loo'e fe leep'), then Duke of
·
91
FROM SPANISH TO AMERICAN CONTROL
Orleans, but later (1830), king of France. In a letter to the Secretary of War (June 13, 1798), Major Guion wrote that the people of the district were above the average in character and intelligence, and were eagerly looking for the laws and officers of government to arrive. He stated that the inhabitants were orderly and quiet, with a few exceptions, but that the arrival of the governor, judges, etc., would add much to their satisfaction and to his ease.
Winthrop Sargent, the newly appointed governor of the Territory, arrived at Natchez on August 6, 1798, and took control of the government.
Summary
1. After twelve years of intrigue against the United States, Spain, in order to get out of more serious troubles, signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo, by which she gave up her claim to that part of Mississippi above latitude 31°.
2. With the vain hope of being able to keep this treaty from going into effect Spain tried to gain by delay what she had lost by diplomacy.
3. The people of the Natchez District, encouraged by Andrew Ellicott, the American commissioner for running the boundary line, rose in revolt against the Spanish authorities, and drew up a " declaration of independence," and "an embryonic consti- · tution."
4. Dissensions then appeared among the inhabitants, and two rival committees were chosen, each of which presented memorials to Congress.
5. Upon the demand of Captain Guion, an officer in the army of the United States, the Spanish forces finally retired from Natchez and Fort Nogales.
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