Ethelbert Barksdale

January 4, 1824 (age 69)

Smyrna, Tennessee, United States

Ethelbert Barksdale wrote for the Yazoo Democrat in 1845 and for the Jackson Mississippian from 1850 to 1861. From 1854 to 1861, the Mississippian was the official organ of the state. In 1859, he was an ally of Jehu Orr as a delegate to the state Democratic convention. The following year, he served on the Platform Committee of the Charleston Democratic convention, and he later wrote a justification of the Mississippi delegation's walk out to the people back home. In the fall of 1861, he was elected to the Confederate Congress, and he continued to represent the Seventh Congressional District in the Confederate House throughout the war. He served on the Foreign Affairs, Printing, and Ways and Means Committees and headed the committee to report the proceedings of Congress. Barksdale was consistently a Jefferson Davis spokesman in the House. In 1862, he helped pass the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus as a part of the war effort, and he sponsored a mild retaliatory bill following the issuance of Lincoln's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Barksdale directed the movement to expel Henry S. Foote from the House. In May 1864, he led the move to extend the funding bill for the Confederate States, and in November 1864 he spoke for the president when he claimed that a peace initiative could not originate in Congress. In 1865, he opposed the exemption of overseers from military service, and he and Williamson S. Oldham introduced a bill to arm the slaves. After the war, Barksdale returned to private life in Mississippi where he became a farmer. He contributed to the Mississippi political revolution of 1875 by supporting the drive to impeach Governor Adelbert Ames. In 1876, he farmed in Yazoo County and served as a presidential elector on the Benjamin Tilden Democratic ticket. He also edited the Jackson Clarion, which was the Democratic party organ from 1876 to 1883. From 1877 to 1879, he was chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, and from 1882 to 1887, he served in the U.S. House. In 1890, he was the Alliance (Populist) candidate for Congress, and in 1892, he supported the subtreasury plan.

Ethelbert Barksdale

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journalist lawyer politician

Background

Ethelbert was born on January 4, 1824, in Smyrna, Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. He was the son of William and Nancy Hervey Lester Barksdale, and brother of William Barksdale.

Education

Little is known about Barksdale's early education.

Career

Ethelbert Barksdale wrote for the Yazoo Democrat in 1845 and for the Jackson Mississippian from 1850 to 1861. From 1854 to 1861, the Mississippian was the official organ of the state. In 1859, he was an ally of Jehu Orr as a delegate to the state Democratic convention.

The following year, he served on the Platform Committee of the Charleston Democratic convention, and he later wrote a justification of the Mississippi delegation's walk out to the people back home. In the fall of 1861, he was elected to the Confederate Congress, and he continued to represent the Seventh Congressional District in the Confederate House throughout the war.

He served on the Foreign Affairs, Printing, and Ways and Means Committees and headed the committee to report the proceedings of Congress. Barksdale was consistently a Jefferson Davis spokesman in the House. In 1862, he helped pass the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus as a part of the war effort, and he sponsored a mild retaliatory bill following the issuance of Lincoln's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Barksdale directed the movement to expel Henry S. Foote from the House. In May 1864, he led the move to extend the funding bill for the Confederate States, and in November 1864 he spoke for the president when he claimed that a peace initiative could not originate in Congress. In 1865, he opposed the exemption of overseers from military service, and he and Williamson S. Oldham introduced a bill to arm the slaves.

After the war, Barksdale returned to private life in Mississippi where he became a farmer. He contributed to the Mississippi political revolution of 1875 by supporting the drive to impeach Governor Adelbert Ames. In 1876, he farmed in Yazoo County and served as a presidential elector on the Benjamin Tilden Democratic ticket.

He also edited the Jackson Clarion, which was the Democratic party organ from 1876 to 1883. From 1877 to 1879, he was chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, and from 1882 to 1887, he served in the U.S. House. In 1890, he was the Alliance (Populist) candidate for Congress, and in 1892, he supported the subtreasury plan.

Achievements

Ethelbert Barksdale was the father of Mississippi secession and its most vocal proponent. He was a longtime newspaperman as well as politician, a vocational combination that was common under the journalistic standards of the nineteenth-century S.

Politics

Barksdale supported John C. Breckinridge for the presidency in 1860 and said that he would favor secession if Lincoln were elected.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

"He is full of fire and prone to fly off the handle... there is a dangerous glitter in his eye."

Connections

Barksdale married Alice Harris in 1843. The couple had at least three children.

Father:: William Barksdale
Mother:: Nancy Hervey Lester Barksdale
Brother:: William Barksdale
Brother:: Harrison Barksdale
Brother:: Fountain Barksdale
Sister:: Virginia Barksdale Barksdale Wade
Wife:: Alice-Jane Harris Barksdale
Son:: Harris Barksdale
Son:: Edwin Barksdale
Daughter:: Ethel Barksdale Harrington
ally:: Jehu Amaziah Orr

References

Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy
1977

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