To remedy this evil, a statute was
recommended by Governor Poindexter and enacted into a law, compelling
suit to be commenced by all adverse claimants by a certain day. This
effectually cured the evil, and a suit to establish titles is now very
rare in Mississippi. As a judge he was able, prompt, impartial,
unrivalled in talent, and, at the same time, unsurpassed by any lawyer
in the State in legal learning. His administration of the laws was
eminently successful. The country was new, with the exception of a few
counties, and, as in all new and frontier countries, there were many
bad and desperate men. To purge these from society it was necessary
that the criminal laws should be strictly enforced. To do so required
decision and sternness in the character and conduct of the judges. Very
soon after Poindexter was placed on the Bench he manifested these
attributes in an eminent degree.
The stern, impartial justice administered to these lawless men, soon
created quite a sensation with the class to which they belonged, and
threats were freely thrown out against his life; but these had no
effect in intimidating him, or in changing his conduct.
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