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Show Governor: I was a slave of Col. W. G. Henderson. Boys together as we were, he is the centre 01 the ten-derest ten-derest associations of my life. Arrived Ar-rived at manhood's estate, I was still intimately connected with him in the relation of his body servant. When he was wounded at Upperville, Va., en route for Gettysburg, he languished in the Valley of Virginia in the hands ol the Federal authorities until it was my privilege to take him away, secretly, secret-ly, through the lines to his own people. peo-ple. The affectionate relation of our childhood ha ving ripened into a fixed friendship in our manhood, has been invigorated still further by a mutuality mutual-ity of service and devotion which makes him dear to my soul. My friend and loving master is a candidate for the office of circuit judge of the first district. He is a man of unblemished honor, is a lawyer of high standing at the bar, and, having stood out for you boldly during the late canvass, is a good republican. Now, Governor, I, by the mysten ous providence of God, am a member of the legislature; I want no office, no honor, save that of standing here in my place as a duty to my race. But I believe my position gives me some claim upon the patronage you are about to dispose of; and I now place, ' without reservation," all the credit of that claim to the account of my earnest prayer that you appoint to the judgeship judge-ship of the first district the playmate of my boyhood, the companion of my manhood, the generous f riend of my whole life my former master, Colonel Henderson. loping you will grant this first and last prayer which I, as a member of this house of representatives, make to you as Governor of Mississippi, I have 1 the honor to be your excellency's very humble servant, Amurose Henderson. |