The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-12-13

lllsll Vi Az az VIC hhV". III mr.
and Mechanic.
Dear SIR: To-day the nbov, para
graph clipped from your paper was
hantled me, and the statements therein
mad are so far wide OF the facts that |
venalre to send YOU a line of correction.
! feeling sure that the writer labored uu-
der 4 mis- apprehension and wished to
do 20 intentional injustice. That Mr..
w. u. Long came to Minneapolis. and
that he died here, are facts. But that
The first is i'll any way connected with
the second event III the relation OF
cause and effect, is, | believe. as lar
| from the truth as North Carolina from
| Minnesota. Born myself in North
| Carolina | have always felt proud of tie
pla, e OF my birth, and have associated
with that State feelings of respect and
| admiration which | can never bear any
other.
And if the slight di.paragement OF
the Northwest were the only luaccuracy
in t e above statement. time and the
intelligent readers of your paper would
easily correct it,. But between the lines
in tie above short item one careful to
learn the truth can read of a tragedy.
the like of which | trust North Carolina
will not see again for many a day.
In the middle OF summe there came
into my office two gentlemen, one IA
~wel!-known citizen of this place. the
other was presented to me as a member
of the North Carolina bar, and was
commended to NE as one who. through
a lifelong practice of his profession.
| l,a1 ayhiJjtol tIaCa. n,,a 1itIoa =, 49,, :
ty, justice, II a fine sense of honor
which distinguish the man of pure char
acter. In conversation with me, Mr..
Long said that his story was the old one
of having lost all in the war, but he did
not complain on that account. That
two of his daughters had come to Min
nesota. and had prospered so well that
they had a home to otler him, but he
said II already feel better than | have
for 20 years, and | can support myself
by my profession When | spoke of
admission to our bar and asked for his
certificate and vouchers, he displayed
with ~pardonable pride letters OF intro
duction signed by %jurists and eminent
North Carollnlans. some of whom have
a National reputation.
About four weeks after our first in
terview Mr.. Long called upon me and
said he wished to see me privately.
lie was leaning on the arm of liz son.
and looked worn and feeble. Said Mr..
Long,-"l have suffered a cruel blow.
\ ward Of mine, raised as my own
chlld. has been lnstigated to sue me for
funds OF hers invested in Confederate
bonds, and has attached the remnants
OF my property. | feel that the debt
has been paid, and more. / don't mind
the ioss OF property. | have stood that
before. but my honor has never been
questioned before. And they say | left
the country to keep from paying my
debts. 1t IS more thar | can bear"
And so injustice and incratitudc.
more cutting than November winds
killed Mr.. Long!
OF the man who could do such an act
as this, nothing need be said. But il il
right that his neighhors should know
something OF the private life of that
hero, % mmortalized O. in the Fools
Errand as John Burleson. And on the
same page (2G3) of that book where he
boasts that he never did a mean tLino
should be written the shameful story Of
the wrong which he did this defenceless
dc man. Yours.
SAMUEL HILL.