The North-Carolina standard., 1845-09-17

| ne Leter-Books manuscripts and correspon
dence of Thomas Burke. a member of the Con
tlnental Congress, and Governor of North Caro-
lima in l7sI12 presented to the Society through
DR.. James Webb, Of Hilsborough, by Miss Mary
w. Burke, daughter and only child of Governor
Burke, at present residing in Marion, Alabama
/ This is the most interesting, extensive, and
valuable collection of papers which has rewarded
| our exertions to collect Revolutionary records
Ample materials are here afforded for the eIuci
datIon OF The hitherto most obscure period of our
| Revolutionary history. From the era OF the
Mecklenburg Declaration, to the capitnlation al
Yorktown. there is none on which our future an.
nalists will dwell with more patriotic pride
| Among the letters to Gov. Burke, will be found
Communications fromGen. Greene, Gen. Wayne
Gen, Lee. Gen La Fayette, Count Rochambeau
! (:he EngEsh.) Gen. Leslie, Maj Craig, comman.
dant Of the British forces at Wilmington, and
from Gov. Caswell. Gov. Nash, Gen. William
Casweu, General Butler. Gen. Robert Howe,
Gen. Davie, Gen. Allen Jones, Cornelius Har-
mott, William Hooper; Archibald Nc Lain. North
Carolina Whigs.l and characteristic despatch
from Col David Tanning, the most energetic, re-
morseless and cruel of American Tories.
Letters of Charles w. Harris, Principal Pro-
fessor in the University in 1895 and 1896. 1.-THE
series commences in 1893 and closes IN 1901.
The letters were addressed, with few exceptions.
to his uncle, the late Charles Harris NJ. D., and
to his brother. Robert w. Harris They reflect
considerable light on the history of the Institu-
tion, and that of the political parties which at
that time divided the State.l Presented by Chas.
w. Harris, esq. Mill Grove, Cabarrus county.
List, so far as ascertainrd, of the Members that
have represented each County in the General
Assembly of this State, from 1776 to the present
time. Prepared under the direction Of Col. John
H. Wheeler late Public Treasurer of this State.
and presented by him to The Society.
| As means of more fi,Ilv carruinC ont IFS de.
signs, the Historical Society has begun inter-
change ofcourtesies with various kindred associa-
lions in different States Of this Union; and with
this view, the Introductory Address. delivered be-
fore this Society on the 5th June, 1874 by L. Sill
liman Ives. DID, L l. D., Bishop of the Diocese
of North Carolina, together with several PAM
phlets of historical value in North Carolina, have,
under the direction of this Society been arranged
and bound for the purpose of being transmitted to
their archives
Having thus given some account Of the opera
tions of this body since its organization in Janua-
ry, 1874, this report will be properly concluded
by adVerting to its prospects for the future. A
method Of giving increase of effect to the pros
ecution Of its grand object, is evident drsidera-
tum. The particular means by which this intrn-
ton shall be carried out, has not as yet been de-
termined. Among the various schemes which
have been suggested however, it is supposed that
the following is the most feasible That branch
Associations be constituted through the different
sections of the State, the members of which shall
be appointed by the parent Society, or by its Pres
idpnt. In the absence of better plan, it is conf
IDENTIFY believed that the efficiency of this Tnsu-
ton will, in this way, be greatly increased AL
though the contributions yet received have ex-
ceeded our warmcst hopes, 1t must be clear that
from our peculiar constitution, much valuable ma
terial may never reach onr archives. Many per-
sons in the State NAV never, not until too late,
so much ms hear of the existence of local body
Of such limited numbers as ours some may un-
reasonably distrust our motives; others again, be
wholly unaware Of the value of manuscripts in
their possession. To remedy this evil, it will be-
proper to invest some among the nrighbors of
these persons with more than merely an intelli-
gent interest in success. This end, it is con-
ceived will be best attained by Incorporating them
into our number, and in this way, clothing them
with er o6fcio authority to make COLLECTIONS in
our name: at the same time it is believed that a
membership will inspire them with a peculiar in
terest in the welfare and prosperity of the Histori-
cal Society. That in every portion OF the State.
there will be found gentlemen who are willing
and even happy to act under such, q commission.
our pride in the North Carolinian character will
not permit US to doubt. North CaTolinan mo-
d'sty has for so long time been made the butt Of
ridicule by the forward sons of other States that
at last the heretofore silent pride of her citizens
in her ancient sobriety and tlme-hallowed charac-
ter for honor, begins to presentan appearance
which is better defined, and more tangible Af
ter our Revolutionary conduct had, for years to-
gether, formed the subject OF rallery and derision
on every hand and again and again been thrown
in our teeth as matter of never dying reproach
and disgrace: after ave had. repeatedly, but in
vain, endeavored to defend our reputation by the
argument that 1T was no part of human justice to
visit the transgressons of the parents the heads
OF the children: have at length, every other
refuge proving insufficient taken courage to ex.
anime the authentic records of our Revolutionary
days. and, to our unspea kable surprise, have dis
covered that, so far from their exhibiting the
smallest ground for the accusations recklessly
made on our patriotism, every thing contributes to
produce the belief that there was State engaged
in that great struggle, which was "more fixed or
more forward" than that of North Carolina. Il
is for the vouchers of this fact long suspected and
which every days experience goes to render more
undoubted that the Historical Society is now en-
gagged in making assduous search. So far as it
has vet gone, fresh light has been found to break
upon the eye at every step; the confirmation
grows more and more irrefraoable. - ,f
In the end of its association, it must be clear
that the members of the Historical Society can
not be more particularly interested than are any
other intelligent citizens of the State All should
unite in the production of an issue in which all
are equally concerned Bs a sort of 'sOasaser on
the part of her citizens, North Carolina had for.
feittd her old erenown almost beyond the power OF
rocoverv. and o0I., con6denfiu % snhmitted