Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1912 — COURTHOUSE TO GO [ARTICLE]

COURTHOUSE TO GO

Old County Building at Cassville, Mo., to Be Replaced. In Old Edifice, Subsequently Captured by Federate, the State Se- . ceded From the Union—Was Built in 1854. Cassville. Mo.—By voting bonds for $40,000 to which will be added a bonus of SIO,OOO collected by the citizens of Cassville, Barry county is to have a new courthouse and tlue old building, which is a relic of the Civil war will pass Into history. The old courthouse, which was a two-story brick building, was used by both the Union and Confederate armies. Had the fight not been so warm in this section the Confederates might have claimed it by right of discovery, for they were the first te ocsupy it. The building was first used by the Confederates as a meet‘lug place for the legislature which was convened here October 31, 1861, after being driven out of Neosho by the approach of the federal army. It was at this session the state was seceded from the Union and much other important business was transacted. The. articles of secession were written and Introduced by the late Senator George Graham Vest. The meeting was attended by seventyseven members. W. S. McConnell, the member of the legislature from this county, beiWg forced to attend to make the quorum. Mr. McConnell’s refusal to attend at first was because of the fear of the federal troops and sympathizers who were in this country in great numbers. 1 Got. Claiborne F. Jackson, who was elected governor in 1860, was at the meeting and after the acts of secession were passed made a speech from the south door of the old courthouse informing the people of the action of the legislature and notifying the people that they then composed a part of the Southern Confederacy. Senator Vest also delivered an address. After the speaking and Jollification the appointments of Maj. Gen. Ster-

ling Price of the Missouri state guards and N. W. Watkins, Thomas A. Harris, John B. Clark, W. Y.Slack, A. E. lateen, J. H. Mcßride and James S. Rains, as brigadier generals were confirmed. General Slack was killed at the battle of Pea Ridge, gbout 20 miles south of Cassville. The session lasted for eight days, adjourning November 7, because of the approach of federal troops, to meet in New Madrid in March, 1862. The meeting at New Madrid was never held, however. At. the meeting of the legislature Mlles Vernon of Laclede county presided, he being named for the place by M. C. Goodlet of Johnson county. John T. Crisp of Jackson county was secretary; Jonn T. Tracy of Cole

county, assistant secretary; James McCoun of Johnson county, enrolling clerk, and M. R. Johnson, sergeant at arms. Charles H. Hardin, later governor of the state, was a member of the senate and was the only one voting against the secession of the state in that body. A meeting of the legislature was also held at Pineville, but no record was kept of what was done at that meeting. = During the meeting of the legislature the command of Gen. Sterling Price was stationed on Fort Hill, on which Is now located the Cassville high school building. The old courthouse la, perhaps, the oldest one in the state, having been constructed In 1854.