Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/769

Rh his position as supreme justice to run as an independent candidate on a platform embodying the Union sentiment. After a heated canvass he received a majority of about 3,500, and was inaugurated November 15, 1860, in his address on that occasion deprecating hasty action, but asserting that Arkansas should unite her fortunes with the other Southern States in case of any encroachments upon their rights. When the issue was upon the State, he was emphatically a war governor, and energetic and faithful in the discharge of his delicate and important duties. By a defect in the constitution of 1861 his term was shortened from four to two years, and on account of the resulting controversy he resigned November 4, 1862. and declined renomination, maintaining that he was entitled to hold for the four years. Governor Rector is still living at Little Rock, at the age of eighty-one years (1897).

Thomas Fletcher, who succeeded Henry M. Rector as governor of Arkansas, was born at Nashville, Tenn., about the year 1817. Entering upon the study of law, he became of prominence in that profession and in the activities of political life, and during the administration of President Polk was appointed to the office of United States marshal, with his headquarters at Natchez, Miss. In 1850 he made his home in Arkansas, and soon occupied a leading position. He was president of the senate of Arkansas during the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth sessions, from 1858 to 1863, and was president of the Confederate senate held at Washington, Ark., in October, 1864. After the close of the war he was a member of the State senate of 1874-5. In 1878 he began the practice of the law at Little Rock, but his career was soon afterward terminated by his death, which occurred in 1880. His service as governor of Arkansas continued from the resignation of Governor Rector until the inauguration of Harris Flanagin, who was chosen at a special election held November 15, 1862, his tenure of the office being by virtue of his position as president of the Senate.