Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-03-27
From Picketts History of Alabama.

William Rufus King is native of North CaIcl'''i'
He was born on the 9TH April, l7S6. MS I. H.
William King-was planter, IN fone The north of
cumstances whose ancestors came IRON Ine
IrsIand and were among the early settlers on Idiie
river in the colony of Virginia. he was n,g"y 60
teemed for his many virtues. ana was ,be feder
~ .ons,;tntion The mother of Mr.. King was oes-
cended from a Huguenot family, which had ben orlV
en- from France by the revocation oil the eolc' u
Nantz. I,;ou ., the
University of North Carolina, to which he was sem
at the early age of twelve years. On leaving 1la1
institution, where his attention to his stuules' anu
uniformly correct and gentlemany dePonmen'' nay
commanded the respect and regard OF his fellows ao
the appreciation of the professors, ne eneIeu "e i
Office Of William Duffy, distinguished awe;
siding in the town of Fayetteville, Nof'n ~
and in the autumn of 1905 obtained license " 20
lice in the supefor courts of the State In ioUo "e
was elected a member of the legislature oL TIC S
from the county of Sampson IN when ne was ooL ~
He was again elected the year following Ous T nc
meeting of the legislature, he was chosen sollc'oI
bv that body, and resigned his seat Col. hlng con-
tnued in the practice of his profession until ne was
elected member of Congress from the w llmng'oh
district, which took place in August, lSlO, wnen ne
was but little more than tweny-four years OF age
but, his predecessors term did not expire oeIoie
the 4h Of March, 1911, Col. King did not take MS
seat in the Congress of the United States until Tue
autumn of that year, being the first session OF Inc
Twelfth Congress. This was most important Pc
Rod in the history of the country The governments
of England and France had for years rivaIieo eacn
other in acsdesruciive of the neutral rlghts ana lu
nous to the commerce of the United States. Every
effort had been made-but in vain-to procure an
abandonment of orders in council on the one manu.
and DEGREES on the other. which had nearly CUT up
the commerce of the country by the roots ana large
majority of the people felt that to submit longer to
such gross violations of their rights as neutral ma
ton would be degrading, and they called upon me
government to protect those rights even at inc
of war. In this state of things COL King took MS
= &c DoDp onfof Iu0c
inply ranged himself on the side of the bold and pa
trotic spirits In that body who had determined 10 re-
pei aggression-come from what quarter IL mlgnt-
and to maintain the rights and honor OF Inc county
The withdrawal of the Berlin and Milan DEGREES by
France, while England refused to abandon her orders
in council put an end to all hesitation as to which OF
those powers should be met in deadly Strife In June,
1919, war was declared against England, Mr. King
advocating and voting for the declaration He contln-
ued TO represent his district in Congress during the
continuance of the war, sustaining with all his pow
every measure deemed necessary to enable the
government to prosecute II to successful termlha-
ton; and not until the rights OF the country were
INDICATED and secured, and peace restored TO the
land did he feel at liberty TO relinqush the highly
responsible position in which his conhGIng consult
uents had placed him. In the spring of 1916 Col.
King resigned his seat in the House OF Representa-
tves, and accompanied William Pinckney of Mary
land as secretary of legation, first to Naples, and
then to st. Petersburg, to which courts Mr.. Fnck-
ney had been appointed minister plenpotentlary COL
that time visited the greater portion of Europe max
ing himself acquainted with the Institutions OF the
various governments, and the condition OF their peo-
pie. On his TO the United States he deermIn-
ed TO move to the Territory of Alabama, which de-
termination he carried into effect in the winter Of
lsls-'l9, and fixed his residence in the county OF
Dallas, where he still resides. few months after
COL King arrived in the Territory-Congress having
authorized the people to form a constitution and es-
tablish State government-he was elected mem
Der of the convention. Col King was an active,
talented and influential member of that body, was
placed on the committee appointed to draft constr
tuition, and also selected by the general commit
tee together with Judge Taylor now of the State of
Mississippi, and Judge Henry Hichcock-now no
more-to reduce it TO form, in accordance with the
principles and provisions previously agreed on This
duty they performed in manner satisfactory TO the
committee. The constitution thus prepared was sub
mtsd to the convention, and adopted with but slight
alterations.
On the adjournment Of the convention Col. King
returned his former residence in North Carolina
where most Of his property still was, and, having
made his arrangements for its removal, out his
return for Alabama. On reaching Mifiedgeville, in
the State of Georgia, he received letter from Gov
Bib, of Alabama, informing him that he had been
elected senator in the Congress of the United States
and that the certificate of his election had been trans
mitted to the city of Washington. This was the
first ntmation which Colonel King had that his name
even had been presented the legislature for that
high position and njurously it would affect his
private interess-n the then condition of his affairs
he did not hesitate to accept the honor unexpect
eddy conferred upon him, and, leaving his people to
pursue their way Alabama he retraced his steps,
and reached the city of Washington few days be-
fore the meeting of Congress. His coeague-the
Hon. John w. Waker-had arrived before him.
Alabama admitted as State, and her senators,
after taking the oath to support the constitution of the
United States were required to draw for their term
OF service, when Maj Walker drew six years and
Colonel King four. At the time tt Alabama became
State of the Union the Indebtedness of her citizens
for lands sold by the United States-under what was
known as the credit sysem-was nearly twelve mil
lions Of dollars. 1t was perfectly apparent that this
enormous sum could not be paid, and that attempt
TO enforce the payment could only result in ruin to
heretofore adopted for the disposal of the public do
main was wrong, and law was passed reducing the
minimum price from two to dollar and twenty
five cents the acre, with cash pay mens. This change
was warmly advocated by our senators-W alker and
King.
At the next session law was PASSED authorizing
the purchasers of public lands, under the credit sys
tem to renquish to the government portion Of their
purchase, and to transfer the paid the part
relinqnshed, so to make complete payment on the
part retained. At a subsequent session another law
was passed. authorizing the original purchasers of the
lands SO rellnquished to enter them at fixed rate
much below the price at which they had been orio-
nally Sold 10 the exertions of Senators King and
Walker, Alabama is mainly indebted for the passage
of these laws. which freed her citizens from the heavy
debt which threatened to overwheln them with ruin
and also enabled them to their possessions up
on reasonable terms.
Col. King was elected senator in 1929 in 1928, |
In 1884 and in 1910. His firm but conciliatory course
insured for him the respect and confidence of the
Senate and he was repeatedly chosen to preside over
that body President Dro tenl the duties of which