Newbern weekly progress., 1860-06-26
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 25, 1860.
A Trip Up the Road-Wake County Poll
tfcs-Cedar Fork Academy, etc.

9 o'clock by special train to Goldsboro; wheth
er the special train was sent up for our especial
accommodation or not we are not able to say. pro-
bably, however; it was intended for others well
as ourself as there were several other prominent
gentlemen along.
We arrived at Raleigh before 2. NJ, where
we remained till next morning. Speaking in a
business or commercial sense We found Raleigh
tiat-very iat-no business of consequence doing,
but groups might be seen at every corner and be-
tween corners, and from the eager, earnest, excl
ted manner and elevated tones of each and every
one it was easy to be seen that each citizen felt
the immense palue of the Union, and that it de-
volved upon him to save it. At every turn we
could hear " Ellis" Pool "Ad Valorem,'' " Bal
timore Convention" &c. No one seemed to have
anything to do or to be disposed to do it if they
! had;-we believe even the negroes and the child
rem about the State Capitol feel the importance of
their position in saring the Union.
While in the City we saw and conversed with
Messrs. Wilson, Syme, Whitaker and Avent all
sangune of the success of their favorites and wide
awake to the Importance of the services to be per-
| formed by them to the Union. Poor Union I!
it has been imperried million times, but thanks
! be to the spontaneous patriotism of our Country
| there have always been found those who were
able ready and willing to save, to the uttermost
confines, and from their excessive benevolence
| they even bring days of political pentecost,
every now and then, when sinners, abolitionists,
fire eaters and others, are made the subjects of
miraculous power and sauing grace. Great art
thou, o political machine. and wondrous are thy
works May our friends of the press gang be
long spared to usefulness and happiness, and-to
save the Country when the crisis requires 1t; and
if this is overcome feel confident that there
will be another crisis at about the end of four
years, if not sooner
On Thursday morning we left Raleigh for Ce-
dar Fork Academy, where we had accepted an
invitation to deliver the Annual Address before
the students and visitors On our arrival we
found the exercises going on, and we must say
that the reading of essays by the young ladies
and declamations by the young gentlemen were
not only highly creditable to them but reflected
much credit on their teacher, Mr., r. w. York
These exercises, however, being concluded at
about - o'clock pic mic dinner was spread IN
the grove, by the Ladies, of which all were invited
to partake, and Of which all did partake, and
though the crowd numbered several hundred per
sons there was enough and to spare. The dinner
seemed to be enjoyed by all, and at its conclusion
the assemblage again resumed their seats in the
Church where the closing scenes were enacted.
First came. presentations Of medals to students
for victories achieved over their class mates in
particular branches. We attempted no notes of
the proceedings but recol}ect that the first was
presented by X. p. Battle. Esq, in a very appro
nriate and fascinating little speech; the next by
Hon. S. H. Rogers. the next by Rev b. York
and still another by Mr.. J. E. Rhem, of Craven
all Of whom accompanied the medals with appro
pirate and encouraging remarks.
Then came the Annual Address which
40 niaates Then a few concluding remarks by
the worthy teacher and the first year of Cedar
Fork Academy had concluded its lobors, and in
deed all concerned. teacher, trustees end pupils
have iust cause to he proud Of the beginning.
They have erected neat and substantial build
ing and closed the first year with between forty
and fifty scholars.
At about three or four o'clock the assemblage
dispersed to re-assemble at night for a social par
tv. We accepted kind invitation to accompany
Col Hiram Weatherspoon home where we pass
ed the time pleasantly till time to return for the
evenings entertainment. The party was largely
attended, and when we left, at about o'clock, |
all seemed to be happy. Well, youth generally
is happy and this was exception to the rule.
We left about o'clock for Morrisville where we
nassed the night at the residence of Williamson |
Page. ESQ, and at 6! o'clock Friday morning we
left bv the cars and reached home at P. M same
day.
MANY chan oes have come over that part of Wake
county where we passed last Thursday since we
bade it adieu in 1S41. The associates of our own
childhood's sports, many of them, have been called
from earth to test the realities of another and we
hone brighter world, while those who remain
instead of the sportive, innocent children, which
we left them, have grown to manhood and wo-
manhood but the 20 years have had most salu
tarv effect School houses and churches have
sprung up where then all was waste. Intelligence.
morality, virtue and religion reign where
then vice, sin and ignorance did most abound.
Nav we not hope that the institution of learning
recently established at Cedar Fork may tend to
their still greater moral and mental elevation.
But for the fact that our presence was absolute
ly required at home should have remained
some days to mngle more with our old friends
and to ramble again among the scenes of our inno-
cent childhood we desired to visit again the spot
where maple boughs rustic above the last resting
place of one who was nearer to us than life itself;
but such sad though coveted pleasure was denied
u.s. We hope however at some day not very
distant to be able to spend some time among our
friends in Wake and to revisit places hallowed
in our memory by the associations of our child
hoods history.
In consequence of sickness in his family Rev.
Mr. Skinner. of Raleigh, could not be present at
Cedar Fork to preach the Annual Sermon. but
that duty was performed by Rev. B. York in a
most happy manner His discourse was very ap-
propriate to the occasion and eminently practical.