Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-07-30
cor. BENToNs HIsToRY.


duct governed in all his actions by reason and Judg-
ment and deeply imbued with Bible images, tins
virtuous and patriotic (whom Mr. Jefferson called
!" the last of the Romans had longed liked the term
of his notical ssfFnce At the age which the Psalm
list assigns for the limit of manly life The days OF
our years are threescore years and ten; and ii by
reason of strength they be fourscore years. yet is
their strength labor and Sorrow Tor 1t is soon cut OFT
and we 6y away" He touched that age in 1928,
and true to all his purposes he was true to his re-
solve in this and executed it with the quietude and
indifference of an ordinary transaction. He was in
the middle of third Senatorial term and in the full
possession of all his faculties of mind and body; but
his time for retirement had come-the time fixed by
himself but fixed upon conviction and for well con-
sidered reasons and memorable to him as if fixed by
fate To the friends who urged him to remain to the
end of his term and who insisted that his mind was
as good as ever, he would answer that it was good
enough yet let him know that he ought to quit Of
fee before his mind quit him, and that he did not
mean to risk the fate of the Archbishop OF Grenada
He resigned his Senatorial hOnors as he had worn
Them meekly unosteutatiously, in letter of thanks
and gratitude to the General Assembly OF his State,
and gave repose at home that interval OF thought
and quietude which every wise man would wish TO
place between the turmoil of life and the stiffness OF
eternity He had nine years of this tranquil enjoy
ment and died without pain suffering June 18th,
1887 characteristic in death in life. 1t was eight
o'clock in the morning when he felt that the supreme
hour had come had himself ful-dreSsed with his ha-
bitual neatness, walked in the room and lay upon
the bed by turns conversing kindly with those VINO
about him, ana showing Dy MS COHuuCC NJ
was ready and waiting but hurrying nothing. 1t
was the death of Socrates all but the hemlock and
in that full faith of which the Grecan sage had only
a glimmering He directed his own grave on the
point of sterile ridge, (where nobody would wish
to plough) and covered with pile of rough lint
stone, (Which nobody would wish to build wlth9
deeming this sterty and the useessness of this rock
the best security for that undsturbed repose OF the
bones which is still desirable to those who are ndlt-
ferent to monuments
In almost all strongly-marked characters there is
usually some incident or sign in early life which
shows character and reveals to the close observ
er the type of the future man. SO 1t was with MI.
Macon. His frmncss, his patriotism, his set-denal,
his devotion to duty and disregard of office and emol
ument his modesty integrity, selfcontro and sub
lection of conduct to the convictions of reason and
the dictates of virtue all steadily eXemplltied IN
long life all shown from the early age OF elgh-
tecn in the miniature representation OF individual
action and only confirmed in the subsequent public
exhibitions of long, beautiful and exalted career.
He was of that age and student at Princeton Col
lege at the time of the Declaration OF American indie
pendence A small volunteer corps was then on the
Delaware He quit his books, joined it, served a
term returned to Princeton and resumed his stud
les. In the year 1878 the Southern States had be-
come battlefield big with their own fate and pos
sbly involving the issue of the war. British fleets
and armies appeared there strongly supported by
the friends of the British cause and the conquest OF
the South was fully counted upon. Help was needed
in these Sates and Mr. Macon, quitting college, re
turned to his native county in North Carolina, joined
Carolina then the theatre of the enemys operations
He had his share in all the hardships and disasters
of that trying time at the fall OF Fort Moultne,
surrender of Charleston, defeat Of Camden, and IN
the rapid winter retreat across the upper part of
North Carolina. He was in the camp on the left
bank of the Yadkn when the sudden flooding of that
river in the brief interval between the crossing of
the Americans and the coming up of the British ar
rested the pursuit of Corvallis and enabled Greene
to allow some rest to his wearied and exhausted men,
this camp destitute ofevery thing and with gloomy
prospects ahead, summons came to Mr.. Macon from
the Governor of North Carolina requiring him to at
tend meeting of the General Assembly, of which he
had been elected member, without his knowledge
by the people of his county He refused to go; and
the incident being talked of through the camp came
to the knowledge of the general Greene was a man
himself and able to know man. tie felt at once
that if this report true, this young soldier
no common character and determined to verify the
fact He sent for the young man, inquired of him,
heard the truth, and then asked for the reason of
this unexpected conduct-this preference for a suf
fering camp over a comfortable seat in the General
Assembly? Mr.. Macon answered him, in his quaint |
and contentious way, that he had seen the dces OF
the British many times, but had never seen their |
backs and meant to stay in the army till he did. |
Greene instantly the material the young was
made of and the handle by which he was to be work
ed. That material was patriotism; that handle a |
duty; and laying hold of this handle he quick
ly worked the Young soldier into different conclu-
sion from the one that he had arrived at He told !
him he could do more good as member of the |
General Assembly than soldier; that IN the army
he was but man. and in the General Assembly |
he might obtain many with the supplies they needed,
by showing the restitution and suffering which he |
had in the camp, and that it his duty to go.
This view of duty and usefulness was decisive Mr..
Macon obeyed the Governors summons; and by his |
representations contributed to obtain the supplies |
which enabled Greene to turn back and face Corn |
wallis fight him. cripple him, drive him further back
than he had advanced, Gor Wilmington is south of !
Camden,) disable him from remaining in the South, |
(of which ND to the battle of Guford, he believed |
himself to be mastery and sending him to Yorktown,
where he was captured, and the war ended.
The philosophy of history has not yet laid hold of
the battle of Guilford, its consequences and effects.
That battle made the capture at Yorktown. The G.
vents told in every history; their connexion and
dependence in none. 1t broke up the plan of Corn
wallis in the South and changed the plan of Wash
ington in the North. CORVALLIS to subdue the |
Southern States, and doing it until Greene turn
ed upon him at Guilford Washington was occupied
with Sir Henry Clinton, then in New York with 12-
600 British troops He had formed the heroic design
to capture Clinton and his army (he French feet
Operatng) in that city, and thereby putting end
to the war. All his preparations were going on for
that grand consummaton when he got the news ofthe
battle of Guford, the retreat of CORVALLIS to Will
mington, his inability to keep the field in the South
and his return northward through the lower part of
Virginia. He saw his advantage-an easier prey
and the same result, if successful CORVALLIS or
Clinton, or either of them captured would put end
to the war. Washington changed his PLAN deceived
Clinton, moved rapidly upon the weaker general
captured him and his 7, 900 men, and ended the war
The of Guilford put that capture into Wash
ingtons hands, and thus Guilford and Yorktown be-
cOnnectpd. and the IF shows