Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-20
The Conventions of 1885 and 1861.

The Convention OF lS35-the first and only body
of the kind ever assembled in this State-met in
Raleigh on the 4th day of June, 1885. 1t was COM
posed of lie delegates, being two for each County.
The Convention of 1861 conditonally called by
the Legislature but rejected by the people at the
polls, would have consisted of 100 members, chosen
not by Counties but according to federal population
The Convention of 1885 was called to deliberate
solely on State affairs. So perfect was the Union at
that day, and so well contented the people in
all quarters with the operations of the federal gov
eminent, that voice raised in the Convention
the subject but all seemed to believe, and to act
on the belief that the Union, like the sun in the
heavens, would continue in its course and that its
dissolution was hardly within the range of human
probability. Wemay imagine the patriotic earnest
ness with which the great men of that body would
have warned their countrymen against the dangers
of disunon, if it had been given to them to see the
condition in which we are now placed That warn
ing would have been in entire accord with what we
all know of their character for prudence, rmness,
and wisdom. There would have been nothing of
rashness, or haste, or violence in it, They would
at least have advised deliberation and dignity, and
they would have characterized precipitation" in
such a crisis as unwse and dangerous
OF the members Of the Convention of 1885 there
are still living the following: A. B. Mcmillan and
George Bower, of Ashe David Outlaw, Of BERTHE;
David L. Swain, of Buncombe; B. S. Gather, of
Burke; ID. NJ. Barringer and c. Melchor of Cabar-
rus; Calvin Graves, of Caswell; jeremiah Pearsall,
of Duplin W. p Williams, of Franklin R B. Gill
liam and Josiah Crudup, of Granville John NJ
Morehead, of Guilford John Branch, of Halifax
Kenneth Rayner, Of Hereford; Henry Cansler, of
Lincoln; Asa Biggs Of Martin James L. Gaines, of
Montgomery; Alfred Dockery, Of Richmond; E. T.
Brodnax, of Rockingham; Thos. l. Faison, of Samp-
son; Ii. G. Spruill, of Tyrrell; Kimbrough Jones,
of Wake; w. N. Edwards of Warren James W.
Bryan of Carteret; John L. Bailey, of Pasquotank;
Samuel Calvert of Northampton; S. T. Sawyer. of
Chowan; Josiah Collins, jr., of Washington; and
Council Wooten, of Lenoir. There may be others
who are living, but We do not know the fact
But three of the members OF the Convention of 1885,
we believe, have been chosen delegates to the late
Convention, to wit, W. P. Williams, of Franklin;
Edward T. Brodnax, Of Rockingham and Weldon
N. Edwards, of Warren.
Two ofthose who would have been most prom-
nent in the Convention of 1861 are Bedford Brown
Of Caswell and George E. Badger, of Wake. Mr.
Brown entered public life during the war of 1872
having been elected to the Commons from Caswell
before he was twenty-one years of age. He was &C.
tive in his support of the war and of Mr.. Madison
Mr. Badger represented the town of Newbern in the
Commons during the session. We believe, of 1917.
These distinguished and now venerable men have
always differed politically but in the late contest for
the Union they stood side by side and shoulder to
shoulder. Both were bitterly assailed by the dis
unionists, aud both were triumphantly sustained by
the people The people, in honoring them as CO.
workers in the Union cause, have shown that in a
great crisis like the present party is but "sma
dust in the balance" when weighed against the
country. Rome in her best days could boast of no
purer, ADLER or better men than George E. Badger
and Bedford Brown. Let the young men of the
State look to them as models in eoquence, states
manship, integrity, and patriotism.