HON. JAMES H. PILES,
of Panola county. I am sorry to have no memorandum near me of this subject, and I am compelled to write from an imperfect knowledge. Mr. Piles is a native of Ohio, but came here in 1868. He was elected to the Legislature in 1869, served on several of the most important committees, and chairman of one of them. He takes an active part in all matters of legislation, and carries a great deal of weight on the side he enlists. His course in our first Legislature – under the reconstruction acts – gave perfect satisfaction to his constituents, and he was returned in 1871 by an increased majority. His experience of four years as a legislator gives him great weight, and he now commands an influence in the House second to very few. In appearance, he exhibits a predominance of Indian blood. His hair is of excellent quality, and hangs close to his cranium! He has a face which might be called handsome, finely adorned with a pair of large black eyes, and a heavy black moustache. He dresses in fine style, does not appear to be more than a yard and-a-half high, is a graduate of the High School of Springfield, Ohio, and doubtless is the best informed in literature of any of the colored members.