The several Governments which had claimed and held jurisdiction over the Territory of Mississippi had issued grants to companies and individuals for large tracts of country in different portions of the State.  These grants had not been respected by the succeeding Governments, or else the records had been lost or carried from the country for a time; hence very many conflicting claims made insecure the titles of the proprietors now settled upon these tracts, and were fruitful of endless litigation.  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.  He went on fearlessly to administer the law, which at that time, instead of imprisonment, inflicted severe corporal punishments for many crimes most common in a new country.  These were branding with a hot iron in the hand or on the cheek, whipping on the bare back, and public exposure in the pillory.  Not a court went by without some one of these punishments being inflicted upon a male malefactor.  Public opinion had begun to look upon these penalties as barbarous, and in very many cases great sympathy was manifested for the culprit.

This sentiment frequently operated with the jury, who were disposed to deal leniently with the accused.  This was resisted by Poindexter, and effectually—­for so clearly did he impress the minds of jurors with what was their duty, that few escaped where the proof was sufficient to convict; and once pronounced guilty, the extreme penalty of the law was surely awarded.  The beneficial influence of this stern and inflexible administration of the laws was soon manifest, and the more orderly of the population unhesitatingly gave their approbation and support to the judge.  He sustained in court the dignity of the Bench, restraining alike the license of the Bar and the turbulence of the populace.  To do this, he was frequently compelled to exercise to the full the powers of his office.