Wilmington journal., 1876-01-07
r9FWILMINGTON JOURNAL
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
HURrON CfkAIGE.


nrondest pages of her history. The
aaath of BURTON CRAIGs, which occur
uo5 in Concord at the residence of hi,
n-in-law, A. B. Young Esq., or
Thursday last, leaves a wide gap in
the already attenuated ranks of the
older general; on of our eminent pnb-
lie man.
No son of North Carolina has left a
more honorable or more consistent
record. and Lone whose public services
hear closer inspection. A devote +
disciple If the strictest school of Sta J
Rights, his course in Congress, in the
Secession Convention, during the war
and since it's close, was in accordance
with those doctrines. His retirement
from public life sfttr the war was not
more complete than it was agreeable to
him He buried his political aspira
tions and his public life in the same
pravn which entombrd the great prinr
ciples of Constitutional liberty and
State Sovereignty, of which he bad a.
ways been an eloquent and sn abe
supporter. He did not complain be-
canse the Government had placed the
solemn ban upon bis citizenship and
kept it there even unto his death. The
ment he had served, and the Laws be
had obeyed, had been destroyed and a
gripning mockery had been set up in
their stead. He bore the frowns of
the Government with patti nee but
with fortitude. While he never was
heard to murmur, he never abandoned
lifelong principles. When the storm
came the supple reed bent before it's
irresistible force, but the stately oak,
its limbs, one by one, severed from The
trunk, finally succumbs, torn up ruth
lessly by the roots.
BURTON CRAIGE was born in the county
of Rowan on the 18th day of March,
1911, and appears conspiouously in
public life to the close of the late war
which has crushed the spirits and
broken the fortunes of the bravest
and strongest He graduated at Chap
ell Hill in 1929. In 1882 he was a mem
ber from the town of Salisbury to the
House of Commons, and in 1884 from
the county of Rowan. He commenc-
ed life as both lawyer and an editor
editing for some time a paper proba-
bly, the CdtaaUb0 Jo,n7aaI) and figured
prominently and triumphsntly in the
a strong and enthusiastic advocate of
Southern and States rights. In 1886,
he was married to Elizabeth, daugh-
ter of Col James Erwin, of Burke
county. In 1913 he was the Demo-
cratic candidate for Congress, but was
defeated by the Hon. H. NJ Barrincer
He was elected, however, few years
afterwards and represented his con-
stituents in the National House of
Representatives for thr, e consecutive
terms, and was a member when North
Carolina seceeded. He promptly re
signed his seat, ard zealously cast his
lot with his native State. He was a
delegate to the Secession Convention
and was the author and introducer of
the ordinance of Secession, which
Carolina and the other States It was
offered as an amendment to an ordi-
nance introduced by Mr.. BADGER de-
claring the separation of North Caro-
lima from the United States. We well re-
member the able debate and the excite
ment attending it, and the still wilder
excitement which followed the adop-
ton of Mr.. CRAIGE's ordinance by
vote of seyenty-two to forty. The
city of Raleigh even then was filled
with volunteers awaiting equipment,
and the military parade and salute
which followed the action of the Cons
vention has never been equaled in this
State.
Mr.. CRAIoE served one term ir the
confederate Congress, and sustained
the Adm inistration in every measure
looking to a vigorous and successful
prosecution of the war. AS we have
said, at the close of the struggle he
retired to private life, and has on all
OCCASIONS most peremptorily refused
every importantly to again enter the
poNlcal arena. He was especially
urged most strongly to become can
oldate for the late Constitutional Con-
Ventlon.in which his great ability and
vast experience would have been most
'ainable, but all appeals were in vain.
lie had no disposition to don aga.n
'he armour for political strife, and he
passed away, firm to the last in his
resolution. but not less endeared on
'nis account to the people of the State.
While we extend our sympaties to
Ills oereaved family we feel that we too
naVe lost friend in the death of BUR-
TON Cp.r,r