New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-17
SIX ETCHES OF LECTURES,
NETWORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
North Carolina.
By REV. y. L. HAWKS, DID.

hyered before the New York Historical Soce-v Ios,
evening st the Metropolitan Hall by Rev F. L. HAwys
ID. ID. The attendance was large and highly respect.
able. Al o'clock p. Hon Luther Bradi.h the
Preident, accompanied By the officers Of the Society
appeared upon the platform who al once proceeded TO
Introduce the lecturer for the evening Rev Dr. HAWKS
Rev. DR. Hawks, upon coming forward, was warmly
received, and proceeded 20 say: He a bad man
WHO was ashamed Of an honest parentage because it
wes poor and humble lie was no better wac was
a'hamed of his country, because it, history recorded
few or none Of the bloody trumphs Of ambition but
told the simple story of peoples unobtru.ve
in civilization and hon ely comfort lie was sorry for
the man who, if his countymen were frank and honest
did not love his country he would not trust that man
He was there before them 10 speak Society whose
chosen object Of pursuit History. 1t was being
therefore tina; he should seek for BIZ subject in History
But this American Society and that fact mar
rCwed HE range q choice TO American History
lie would Of course speak of that portion of
american History which he had studied most
end knew best. That, then, would be the portion
of the Republic in which he born and rec red His
theme North Carolina and all he had % tell was
a simple story Of of the incidents in her career
lie did not suppose they known to all for the ca
Of North Carolina had been singlltrly uaob'ru
siye modest and quiet and her true history vet re-
moined 10 be written. lie would canldly admit that
what lie about say had been coectel to that
end. There were three memorable incidents in that
history. First twas on the shores Of North Carolina
that the first English colony planted. Second
The frat blood shed in battle with the troops of the
British Government in support of the principles
Of the American Revolution was the blood of
North Carolina ard the first battlefield was
the soil Of that State Third TIE frat
Declaration of Independence ever promulgated
in any Of these Colonies came from North Carolina
more tlan yenr before the National Declaration Of
July 4, l71G With the first two particulars he would
not trouble his audience-hc would, perhaps occupy
too much OF their time before he disposed of the third
Without further preface lie would begin his story and
to q correct understanding Of it, it necessary they
should be informed of the condition of both North Caro-
Ina and its hardy nhabitan's The traveller who at
this day journeyed southerly, upon the Gu .tomary
route but little OF North Carolina save numerous
hills Of sand and forests Of pine lie would be did 10
escape from her boundaries and apt in the retro
spect to ray that all barren For nearly hun
dred miles from her present the land was
evidently formed by the retrocesson Of the Ocean
from its former limits leaving here and there vast
tracts of land, coveredin some places with extensive
ind valuable forests Of pine But westward of this
cient boundary, for the extent of more than three
Tennessce there existed a very different region,
comprising IN agreeable diversity of hill and
dale, spread out over fertile soil, and still,
in many portions. covered with magnificent old
forests The hills gradually swecd into mountains
until their remote portions presented in all directions
scenes of wild grandeur and subnity and at last
embosomed in the region that had been well called
"The Switzerland Of North America" The middle
part Of the State was setlei by Presbyerans from the
North of ireland, Of the class known the Scotch
Irsh descendants of those who had cmgra,el from
Scotland and settled upon the escheaed estates OF the
Earls OF Tyrone and Tyrconne in the reign of James
l. Some of those early settler OF North Carolina came
into the colonies by the Delaware and settled on The
east of the Allegheny mountains, but subsequently
moved to North Carolina, and others came in by way
OF Charleston The first emigration took place some
where near $780, though ngress did not become rapid
until 1850 At the time which he spoke, the aspect
OF the country not the as at this day Large
praries over which waved uxuriant growth of grass
then spread out afar where stood thriving villages
and cultivated farms The streams were often bon
dered at that day by the "cane-brake, within
which the game found food and shelter BY the sides
of those streams, high above the expan ling prres
the smoke from the settlers log cabin might be of;en
seen curling aloft AT first the log cabins stood in so
tary seclusion-eght fifteen miles were deemed
n distance constituting quite near neghborhood But
scattered the people, there was one artificial
feature in the landscape that showed Itself from the be-
ginning If they sought in some place most convenient
of access to ALL they TO find the meeting
house for the worship OF God Even at this day the
Wondering ruins Of those rustic temples OF worship
remained while near 10y rose the imposing modern
edices of brick TO supply their place Around them
were the green mounds and hillOcks of the couu-
II tba nd
the hsmle, sleep" The most prominent feature
in the character of the people was the III
tcnsiiy of their religious feeling. They seemed
70 have united in their mental organization, the inn
rulsive srdor of the Irish with the cool intellectual
shrewdness of the Scotch. The one tempered the
other: they mentally Jealous and mentally
practical They choose to understand subject nrst
and when the mind apprehsnded what they
thought TO be right and true they throw themselves
into the support of it body and soul. They were as
stern enthusiasts as the old Covennnters but they
knew better the ground of their enhusiasm and they
! were dariney brave women as well as men Inc
peope In those days knew but little OF the operations
of the Colonial Government there being no mails and
TO newspapers in their section OF the country News
Of whist going on in the world without, they re-
ceiyed when they came 10 attend the village charch
on Sabbath Sometimes the pastor and sometimes tee
Justice Of the peace the doctor read 10 the Assem-
hcd citizens a condemnation Of the little news they re
oeived from Philadelphia, New-York, sc he would
a.k bis audience to imagine themselves up among
those hills of which he had been speaking, on pleas
ant spring morning Of l775-'o fancy themselves IN
The village of Charlotte, in Meckinburg County
would be obvious that from some cause or other there
had been brought together very large assemoiase
and an unusual excitement appeared TO prevail some
Of the clergy would be speaking with deep ear
nesncss TO gray haired men, who drank in with greedy
cars all that they uttered while on the outskirts oil
the circle mstrons and younger women heaEkensa
with bresthless attention 10 what passing. Again
pe,r by might be seen groups OF middle-aged men
engaged in earnest conversation man, whose dress
i.,1c, ,,to, no