Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-05-14

Early history OF North Carolina, by the Hon. ID. l..
SWAIN President of our University was delivered yes
terday at Masonic Hall, the first portion in the FORE
noon of the day, the remainder at night We regret
that the very extended nature of the discourse, the
multiplicity of the incidents bearing upon Colonial
History detailed by this distinguished lecturer, pre-
clude US from giving report at all satisfactory to
President SWAIN to the hearers of the lecture to
oursef This however is but of small moment, as
we presume that the lecture will oe published, when
people will have an opportunity of getting more
thoroughly acquainted with these details illustrating
as they do bright pages in our early history.
He said that erroneous impressions prevailed con-
cering of the leading events of the revolution
airy of this section, and, in confirmation, read
voluminous extracts from Gov. Tryon:s Letter Book
and other documentary authority. This Letter book,
recently discovered by gentleman of Wilmington
in Harvard College, after the researches of Bancroft
Sparks and others had failed to ascertain its exs-
tencc, contained mass of information respecting
the time with which it was contcmporaneous. The
celebrated act OF the patriots of New Hanover and
Brunswick in forcing Houston, the stamp master of
Gov. Tryon, to take solemn oath not to attempt to
execute his Office was not borne out by Tryon's
Letter Book. Houston had resigned his Office be-
fore the event narrated by Wheeler and others took
place. and Pennington was the stamp master. The
details of the incident different from those given
by the historians, but the evidence afforded by the
hostile Governor Tryon himself clearly established
the brilliancy of the act and the ardent patriotism
Gov Swain alluded to another incident highly
honorable to the people of this section in refusing
the cxorbitant demands made by the crown officers
for provisions for the ships of war; then in port
and read documentary evidence, all going to show
the determined character of the opposition by the
Cape Fear people to the illegal acts of Tryop and
his emissares. They had demanded unusual
amount of -four and provisions for the use Of the
Kings men, but this demand had been persstently
and decidedly refused. The correspondence on this
subject read by the Governor but which, we believe,
has never peen published, shows the spirit which
actuated the gallant of that era and is of itself
sufficient to dignity the transaction one of great
gallantry and patriotism.
Governor Swain produced large number of let
tiers brown and dscolored by age, from men of the
Revolutionary era, and read few of these for the
edifcation of the audience
We feel that if we should attempt to 60 beyond
our present intention of giving general notice
of this highly interesting and instructive lecture
that we should do great injustice to the theme and
to the lecturer. 1t is not easy in the absence of
notes to correctly report speaker, especially where
as in the present from the nature of the subject
great accuracy is required. We forbear, therefore,
with the expression of the wish that this valuable
contribution to the history of the State may soon be
pubshed> WI Herald.