Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-09-07

Ibis sn0Dl0 udOlt you WA1at@tJ WIN Jo-~
into the active business Of life. There
YOU will daily learn wisdom and practice 4
yirtaie-will both adorn and dignity every
relation you,lnay bear in public and do
nestle life and death will only transfer
Won to a higher scene, where the virtuous
principles, the cultivation of which will
have been here commenced, shall be pro-
secuted with nobler powers and complete
success, and where the day of eternity
shall see you at once glorious and humble,
obedient and happy forever. =
-, Retiring of Mr.. Macon.
= Philosophic in his temperament and wise in his
conduct, governed in all his actions by reason and
Judgment and deeply imbued with Bible images,
this virtuous and patriotic man (whom Mr.: Jeffer-
son called the last of the Romans had long tix-
ed the term Of bis political existence at the age
which the Psalmist assigns for the limit of manly
life: "The days of our years are threescore years
ard TEN and if by of strength they be four
sore years yet is their strength labor and sorrow,
fs it is soon cut off, and we fly away" He touch.
rAthat age in 1928; aud true to all hie purposes,
he was trucetp bis resolve in this and executed it
with the quietude and indifference of an ordinary
transaction He was in the middle of q third Sen
atorar term, and in the full possession of all his
faculties of mind and body but his time for retire
ment had come-the time fixed by himself; but
fixed upon conviction and for well considered rea.
sons and memorable to him as if fixed by fate. To
the friends who urged hint 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 to let him know that be ought to quit
Office before his mind quit him. and that he d'd not
mean to risk the fate ofthe Archbishop of Grenada.
He resigned his Senatorial honors Is he had worn
them-meekiy, unostentatiously, in letter OF
thanks and gratitude to the General Assembly OF
his State and gave to repose at home that IN
terval of thought and quietude which every wise
man would wish to place between the turmoil OF
life and tho Stiffness of eternity. He had nine
years of this tranquil enjoyment and died without
pain or suffering June 29th 1887 characteristic
in death as in life. 1t was eight o'clock in the
morning when he felt that the supreme hour had
come had himself full dressed with his baoitual
neatness walked in the room and lay upon the bed,
BY turns conversing kindly with those who were
about him, and showing by his conduct he 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 Greciad sage had only
glimmering. He directed his own grave on the
point of a sterile ridge (where nobody would wish
to plough and covered with pile Of rough flint
stone, (Which nobody would wish to build with.)
deeming this stertility and the useessness OF this
rock the best security for that urdsturbed repose
OF the bones winch Is still Desirable 10 tnOSe VIM
are Indifferent to monuments.
In almost all strongly marked characters there is
usually some incident or sign, in early life, which
shows that character and reveals to the close OBJ
server the type of the future man. So it was with
Mr.. Macon His tirmness his patriotism. his self
denial his devotion to duty and disregard of Office
and emolument; his modesty, integrity, self con-
troll and spbection Of conduct to the convictions Of
reason and the dictates Of virtue all SO steadily OK
emplifed iii long life, were all shown from the
early age of eighteen in the miniature representa-
subsequent PUBLIC exhibitions Of Long, beautiful,
and exalted career.
Hewas of that age, and student at Princeton
college, at the time of the Declaration Of American
Independence. A small volunteer corps was then
on the Delaware. He quit bis books, joined it,
served term. returned to Princeton, and resumed
bis studies. In the year 1778 the Southern States
had become q battlefield, big with their own fate,
and possibly involving the issue of the war. Brit
sh fleets and armies appeared there, strongly sup
ported by the friends of the British cause and the
conquest of the South was fully counted upon
Help was needed in these States; and Mr.. Macon
quitting college, returned to his native county in
North Carolina, joined militia company pri-
vate, and marched to South Caroina-then the thea
ire Of the enemy's operations He had his share
IN all the hardships and disasters of that trying
Charleston, defeat at Camden; and in the rap'o
winter retreat across the upper part Of North Caro-
lima. He was in the camp on the lett bank OF the
Yadkin when the sudden flooding of that river, IN
the brief interval between the crossing Of the Amer
leans and the coming up of the British arrested the
pursuit of CORVALLIS, and enabled Greene to allow
some rest to bis wearied and exhausted men. In
this camp, destitute of every thing and with gloomy
prospects ahead, q summons came to M macon
from the Governor of North Carolina, requiring
him to attend meeting Of the General Assembly
of which he had been elected member, without
his knowledge, by the people of his county. ID
refused to 60: and the incident being talked o
through the camp, came to the knowledge OF La
General Greene was q man himself, and able Il
know man. He felt at once, if this report wal
true, this young soldier was no common character
and determined to verify the fact He'sent for ths
young man, inquired Of him, heard the truth ant
then asked for the reason of this unexpected con
duct-this preference fof> suffering camp over
comfortable seat in the General Assembly Ar
Macon answered him, in his quaint and sententiou
way that he had seen the faces of the British man.
times but had never seen their backs, and meant t.
stay in the army till he did Greene instantly saw
the material this young man was made OF, and tn
handle by which be was to be worked. That mate
rial was patriotism; that handle sense of duty
and laying hold of this handle, he quickly WORKED
the young soldier into different conclusion freu
the one That ne nad arrived At he TOLD MN n
could do more good as member of the Genera
Assembly than as soldier; that in the army b
was but one man, and in ths General Assembly h
might obtain many, with the supplies they needed
by showing the restitution and suffering which h
had seen in the camp; and that 1t was his duty +
90 This view of duty and usefulness was decisive
Mr.. Macon obeyed the Governors summons an
! by his representations contributed to obtain tn
supplies which enabled Greene to turn back an
face Cornwallis-fght him, cripple him. drive hir
further back than he had advanced (for Wilmihgto
is south of Camden,) disable him from remaining
the South (of which, up to the battle of Guilfort
he believed himself to be master y and sending biz
to Yorktown, where he was captured, and the wa
| ndod