The Facts of Reconstruction | Page 9

fact. The Judges
of the Supreme Court were E.G. Peyton, H.F. Simrall and J. Tarbell,
who in Mississippi had no superiors in their profession, and who had
the respect and confidence of the bar and of the people without regard
to race or politics. Judge Peyton was the Chief Justice, Simrall and
Tarbell being the Associate Justices. The first two were old residents of
the State, while Mr. Justice Tarbell was what the Democrats would call
a "Carpet Bagger." But that he was an able lawyer and a man of
unimpeachable integrity no one doubted or questioned. During the
second administration of President Grant he held the important position
of Second Comptroller of the United States Treasury. The Circuit Court
bench was graced with such able and brilliant lawyers as Jason Niles,
G.C. Chandler, George F. Brown, J.A. Orr, John W. Vance, Robert
Leachman, B.B. Boone, Orlando Davis, James M. Smiley, Uriah
Millsaps, William M. Hancock, E.S. Fisher, C.C. Shackleford, W.B.
Cunningham, W.D. Bradford and A. Alderson. Judges Brown and
Cunningham were the only ones in the above list who were not old
residents of the State. After leaving the bench, Judge Chandler served
for several years as United States Attorney. Judge Niles served one
term as a member of Congress, having been elected as a Republican in
1875. His son Henry Clay Niles is now United States District Judge for
the State, having been appointed to that important position by President
Harrison. He was strongly recommended by many members of the
bench and bar of the State; and the very able and creditable way in
which he has discharged the duties of the position has more than
demonstrated the wisdom of the selection.
The Chancery Courts as organized by Governor Alcorn and continued

by Governor Ames were composed of men no less able and brilliant
than those who composed the Bench of the Circuit Courts. They were:
J.C. Lyon, E.P. Harmon, E.G. Peyton, Jr., J.M. Ellis, G.S. McMillan,
Samuel Young, W.G. Henderson, Edwin Hill, T.R. Gowan, J.F.
Simmons, Wesley Drane, D.W. Walker, DeWitte Stearns, D.P. Coffee,
E.W. Cabiness, A.E. Reynolds, Thomas Christian, Austin Pollard, J.J.
Hooker, O.H. Whitfield, E. Stafford, W.A. Drennan, Thomas Walton,
E.H. Osgood, C.A. Sullivan, Hiram Cassedy, Jr., W.B. Peyton, J.D.
Barton, J.J. Dennis, W.D. Frazee, P.P. Bailey, L.C. Abbott, H.W.
Warren, R. Boyd, R.B. Stone, William Breck, J.N. Campbell, H.R.
Ware and J.B. Deason. The above names composed those who were
appointed both by Governors Alcorn and Ames. A majority of those
originally appointed by Governor Alcorn were reappointed by
Governor Ames. Of the forty appointments of Judges of the Chancery
Courts made under the administrations of Alcorn and Ames, not more
than about seven were not to the "manner born." The administration of
James L. Alcorn as Governor of the State of Mississippi is one of the
best with which that unfortunate State has been blessed. A more
extended reference to the subsequent administration of Governor Ames
will be made in a later chapter.
CHAPTER III
THE REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION OF 1869
Although it was not charged nor even intimated that my acceptance of
the office of Justice of the Peace was the result of bad faith on my part,
still the appointment resulted in the creation for the time being of two
factions in the Republican party in the county. One was known as the
Lynch faction, the other as the Jacobs faction.
When the Constitution was submitted to a popular vote in November,
1869, it was provided that officers should be elected at the same time to
all offices created by the Constitution and that they, including members
of the Legislature, were to be chosen by popular vote. The county of
Adams (Natchez) was entitled to one member of the State Senate and
three members of the House of Representatives. Jacobs was a candidate

for the Republican nomination for State Senator. The Lynch faction,
however, refused to support him for that position although it had no
objection to his nomination for member of the House. Since Jacobs
persisted in his candidacy for State Senator the Lynch faction brought
out an opposing candidate in the person of a Baptist minister by the
name of J.M.P. Williams. The contest between the two Republican
candidates was interesting and exciting, though not bitter, and turned
out to be very close.
The convention was to be composed of thirty-three delegates,
seventeen being necessary to nominate. The result at the primary
election of delegates to the convention was so close that it was
impossible to tell which one had a majority, since there were several
delegates,--about whose attitude and preference there had been some
doubt,--who refused to commit themselves either way. In the
organization of the convention the Williams men gained the first
advantage, one of their number having been