SC1896_FF1_094

Page 92
Such was the state of party feeling in those days
that two or three members who preferred him
personally to either of the other candidates, & who
voted for him on several of the first ballot-
ings [ballotings], voted against him, on the last one; be-
cause [because], as they said Colo. John Williams of Knox-
ville [Knoxville], that excellent man & [pure?] patriot & other
anti-Jackson men, were voting for him.
Thos. P's health during the fall was alarming
so much so that he & his wife, came to the de-
termination [determination] to spend the winter in the south. Ac-
cordingly [accordingly] they left Ten. about the 1st of Decem-
ber [December], travelled on horseback to Natchez; from
whense they went by water to New Orleans
where they remained during the winter and
retuned by water to Nashville in the spring of
1828 & from thence by land to Winchester
with the determination to settle in and
make Huntsville his permanent residence.
[1828 written in margin]
His health was not improved during the winter
but he was in pretty good spirits.
Sometime, during the year 1827, Mr. Wills
the editor of the "Huntsville Democrat"
was killed by James M. McClung, Esq. an a-
piring [aspiring] politician & a prominent member
of the Huntsville bar. It was believed by many
to be a clear case of murder in the first degree.
The Solicitor or Attorney Genl. of the Circuit was
James White, son of the Hon. Hugh L. White of
Ten., & a cousin of Mr. McClung's. He of course de-
clined [declined] prosecuting him. Anderson Hutcherson, Esq.
consented to accept the appointment of Solicitor
Pro Tem so far as to prepare the indictment.
Mr. McClurg was closely identified with one
of the political parties at Huntsville; he was