Clarion-Ledger clipping
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AN AMUSING INCIDENT.
Why Senator Isham Stewart Voted Against Moving the Capitol.
During the reign of Republicanism in Mississippi a great many amusing incidents occurred about the State House, and among them was this one:
The State Senator from Noxubee county was a regular old cornfield darkey that answered to the roll call of Isham Stewart, and could neither read nor write, yet stood high in Republican circles. In his dress he was never accused of being very proud, but usually looked somewhat ancient, and boasted of it as though proud of the distinction.
One day when asked by a newspaper reporter, who was making a tabulated statement of age, profession, birthplace, religion, etc., replied: “I was born way over yonder in Noxious county, (meaning Noxubee) and to do best of my rickerlection I am 95 years old or somewhars dare abouts, but has forgotten which, but am certain dat ’twas one or tother; I am a hardshell Baptist minister of the gospel – and preached hard for a living till was called to the Legislatur to help make good and wise laws for de government of de bellious white folks.”
One day during a session of the Legislature that tried to move the Capitol to Meridian, Isham was seen walking in the rotunda, looking in that wise and meditative manner which so often characterized the “wise and doughty Senator from “Noxious county,” and soloquizing thus: “Well, dat duz beat me; day am talkin’ ’bout movin’ dis ‘ere house – dat sho’ does sprise dis Senitor. Well now dey jes’ can’t do it – why I ‘clare ‘fore God dey couldn’t hitch oxen enough to dis ‘ere house to move it ‘cross de riber, much more to move it way ober yander to Merigion. Why, since I cum’ to think of it, dat town am ’bout 600 miles way frum here at tuther end of de railroad, and it takes de kars all day to go dar – now how could dey move dis ‘ere big State House dar? Well, dey des can’t do it; dat am de fac’, and I’se gwine rite up and vote agin it.”
The “pint” was carried and “de Capitol” is at Jackson yet.
Why Senator Isham Stewart Voted Against Moving the Capitol.
During the reign of Republicanism in Mississippi a great many amusing incidents occurred about the State House, and among them was this one:
The State Senator from Noxubee county was a regular old cornfield darkey that answered to the roll call of Isham Stewart, and could neither read nor write, yet stood high in Republican circles. In his dress he was never accused of being very proud, but usually looked somewhat ancient, and boasted of it as though proud of the distinction.
One day when asked by a newspaper reporter, who was making a tabulated statement of age, profession, birthplace, religion, etc., replied: “I was born way over yonder in Noxious county, (meaning Noxubee) and to do best of my rickerlection I am 95 years old or somewhars dare abouts, but has forgotten which, but am certain dat ’twas one or tother; I am a hardshell Baptist minister of the gospel – and preached hard for a living till was called to the Legislatur to help make good and wise laws for de government of de bellious white folks.”
One day during a session of the Legislature that tried to move the Capitol to Meridian, Isham was seen walking in the rotunda, looking in that wise and meditative manner which so often characterized the “wise and doughty Senator from “Noxious county,” and soloquizing thus: “Well, dat duz beat me; day am talkin’ ’bout movin’ dis ‘ere house – dat sho’ does sprise dis Senitor. Well now dey jes’ can’t do it – why I ‘clare ‘fore God dey couldn’t hitch oxen enough to dis ‘ere house to move it ‘cross de riber, much more to move it way ober yander to Merigion. Why, since I cum’ to think of it, dat town am ’bout 600 miles way frum here at tuther end of de railroad, and it takes de kars all day to go dar – now how could dey move dis ‘ere big State House dar? Well, dey des can’t do it; dat am de fac’, and I’se gwine rite up and vote agin it.”
The “pint” was carried and “de Capitol” is at Jackson yet.
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Clarion-Ledger, “Clarion-Ledger clipping,” Mississippi State University Libraries, accessed December 22, 2024, https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/items/show/958.
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