Wilmington journal., 1873-07-11
college, North Carolina,

DAV1OSOm COlIeRee NOEtn CtAfOAAAasSs
Editors Chronicle and Sentinel:
AS you have alluded in undeserved
terms of praise to my part in connec-
ton with the commencement services
of Davidson College, it has occurred
to me that a few notes on the past and
present of this institution might be in
teresting to some of your readers. At
all events I am satisfied that Davidson
College ought to be more extensively
known by the Christian people of tins
Southern territory. The parents of
the country ought especially to be
made acquainted with the moral dis
cipline Of this seat of learning.
Mecklenburg county, n. c., has
grand record. 1t is known and cele-
brated in the wars preceding the found
ing of this vast Republic. It was the
scene of bloodshed and the theatre of
victory and glory. Its brave sons
stood foremost in the fight when the
troops of CORVALLIS were marshalled
on its soil. Not far from the spot
where Davidson College nov stands
may be seen the camping ground Of
the 23d regiment of the Kings troops,
under command of Lord CORVALLIS.
During my recent visit [ saw Il sol
dier's button which had been picked
up in the field where the troops of the
British chief eucan.ped before the bat
tie of Lexington. The button bears
the figures % very distinctly, and the
three ostrich feathers crest of the
Prince of Wales. The motto Ich Die,l
is not legible, though the final letter
n remains unobliterated. The Prince
of Wales being Duke of Cornwall, and
holding large annual revenue from
that Duchy, has worn the motto and
crest which are found on this iron but
ton for several centuries.
The legend is that this crest was
borne by the old blind King of Bohe-
mia in the battle of Crecy where he
fell, and the Duke of Cornwall adopted
it, adding the motto Ich Diem, to COM
memorate that event. But the county
of Mecklenburg has a more noble re-
cord than that of battle and bloodshed.
This ambitious and self-relying county
was the first republic in the British
Empire after the days of Oliver Crom-
we'll. Thirteen months before the
Constitution of the United States was
drafted by Jefferson, the Mecklenburg
constitution was drawn up and Cap
tain Jack commissioned to bear 1t to
| Philadelphia. OF this noble act of in
dependence and self-rule, the Hon.
Alexander H. Stephens, in his admira-
BILE history of the United States, Chap.
XIV, says
| BATTLE OF LEXINGTON.
con the Goth of May, 1775, the day
after receiving the news of the battle
at Lexington, q convention of dele
gates from the several Captains com
panies of the militia of Mecklenbure
| county convened in Charlotte, and
threw off all allegiance to the British
crown and declared North Carolina to
be a sovereign and independent State
Her last Royal Governor, Josiah Mar
tin, was Immediately afterwards com
PEELED, by the people of Wilmington
and the lower waters of the Cape Fear
to flee for safety on board his Majesty''
ship-of-war THE Cruiser whence ht
issued a proclamation, in which he de
nOunced the resolutions in Mecklen
burg as the most reasonable proceed
ing that had taken place on the cont
nent.
"On the Goth of August, 1775, she
assembled a Provincial Congress al
Hillsboro', which recognized the abdi
cation of the Governor, and made al
an effective organization of the militia
for the public defense.
am not surprised that this county
feels little proud of her history, fol
it is without precedent or a parable
in the records of this OF any othe,
country It's brave militia and stal
wart yeomen chased the lass fragment
of imperial despotism from it's sacred
soil and planted the flag of freedom
and independence on the spot where
CORVALLIS had, till recently, been Ell
camped.
But Mecklenburg has yet a noblel
record. Soon after the Constitution
of the United States was adopted anC
independence declared, the inhabitant.
of this county began to turn theil
minds to the cause of education, being
convinced that the stability and per
manence of the new republic depended
to great extent on the enliehtenmen
of the people. Indeed, it might bt
added that as early as 1770, and thu:
before the revolution, the Scotch -Irisl
Ito use an Americanism) who composed
the principal element of the 20, uIa
ton, noted for their thirst for knowl
edge and sound learning, and being
chiefly Presbyterian, were eager to Sc
cure home training for their sons a.
the best means of infusing a spirit o
patriotism and self-rule into the mind.
of the rising generation.
Accordingly, in 1870, these Irisl
Presbyterians obtained a charter from
the Colonial Legislature for college
to be called
''TIIE QUEENS MUSEUM,
which was afterwards repealed by
royal proclamation Yet this insult tt
the sturdy descendants of John Kno,
and his followers did not quench thei1
thirst for sound learning. The,
sought by all constitutional means tt
secure from Britain the right of train
ing their youth under the care of theil
own church, and even conceded to the
/ Colonial Government the right q
placing an Episcopalian at the head O.
the institution, but the spirit of British
| Eplscopacy was SO intolerant in thai
day, alike to the Roman Catholics ani
Presbyterlans of the Empire, both il
| England and the colonies. as to refuse
the privilege to the Presbyterians O
Mecklenburg county.
Their indomitable spirit, however
was not su5dued by repeated repulses
for after struggling till 1777, they OBJ
tanned new charter for their college
under the title of
LIBERTY HALL.
And the college continued to flourish
till 1850, when the troops of Lord
CORVALLIS took possession of it, and
for forty years Mecklenburg remained
| Shiloh without an ark of education
the British troops having writteh Ich.e.
bod on its ruins.
In 1920 an effort was made to resus
oltate the college, but 1t proved unsnc
cessful. The name underwbich th,
charter was sought was that Of
WESTERN COLLEeH.
But having failed, Mecklenburg re-
NAMED till 1885 without it's desired
boon-a collegiate institution.
The next effort was made in 1895 bv
a resolution introduced into the Pres,
bytery of Concord, by the late Rev. Dr.
Morrison, which, being carried. q
charter was obtained in 1893, recon