The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-18
Who was Chief Among Them ?

who expelled Tyron from his Palace.
Who was Chief Among Them !?
The Raleigh Farmer and Mechanic
thinks Mr.. Badger was not the greatest
IMAM yet born in North Carolina. Who
then? Was it Benton, or P~ettigrew,
.'or Mangum, or Pearson. or Archi-
bald Henderson. or Archibald ID. Muir
..phey. or Leonard Henderson. or John
Haywood, or James Iredell, OF Will
liam ii. Haywood, or Francis L.. Hawks,
..or Tom Bragg. or Zebulon b. Vance,
..or who? The old lawyers, we believe
'.Sewell, Nash, Ruffin, Gillian. Wad-
dell. Saunders. Miller. Busbee, Iredell,
Graham. Bragg, Reid, Bat Moore,
..Gilmer-would be about united in Civ
ling the palm to Badger. We are sure
that many them would Some we have
heard speak.'-UH. Star.
1t is difficult to answer your query,
and for the same reason that led us tC
remark that your estimate of Mr.. Badg.
er seemed too high. To decide which
person is greatest. one must first decide
what constitutes Greatness A man
may excel in one or more directions
and be excelled in others. Marlboro and
Nelson were great commanders, but
very common men.
In rugged. native talent, and force OF
personal character, Nathaniel Macon was
Great He impressed himself upon
History, and is always mentioned among
the eminent North Carolinians." His
compeers, John Randolph and John c.
Calhoun, both complimented him as the
greatest Carolinian of his generation.
Tom Benton, as a Debater and man
ager of political measures, was probably
the greatest man the State has produc-
ed. Andrew Jackson and Andrew
Johnson each Illustrate the greatness
which springs for personal %pugnacits. To
have arisen from the pillow, and the tail
ors bench, in a backwoods State, within
80 years after they cast their first ballot.
to the highest gift in the choice OF a great
Nation.-this was rare Greatness; for
in those days Il mans fame had few
and newspapers, to spread It rapidly.
Gov. Graham was great III National rep
utation, a long and u~ntarnished career,
his distinguished ancestry, his moral
life, and his family relations. To him
belongs the credit of originating the
treaty which opened Japan to c~iviliza-
ton.
Coming to legal Greatness" we
must tread lightly-not being learned in
the law. We doubt, however. if many
of our leading lawyers could agree upon
one as 1.-THE greatest lawyer" We have
heard eminent lawyers speak very dis
paragingly of some of the great lights"
of the law not many generations ago,
Reviewing the field, we meet the old
question-what Constitutes Greatness +:
What shall be our ~criteria of superiority:
For he to whom the epithet ''the greatest
North Carolinian" is voted. ought to be
one admitted to stand head and should
ers above all others.
True Greatness" needs the qualities
of the pyramid of Gizeh,-the Great
pyramid.-to wit; breadth CT base.
heighth, massivity, and e~ndurability
throughout the ages!
There is another kind Of Greatness"
"a mock diamond, which is bright and
glorious, yea, to ''deceive the very elect
until time'a corroding tooth hath worn
off the enamel. 1t was deemed a great
day for North Carolina when James X.
Polk. became President of the United
States. But Polk was not up to the
Measure of many a son of the Stale now
in comparative obscurity, including some
of his own descendants.
This brings us to what may be the
true tombstone OF Greatness,-the COM
mingling of personal impress on the
present generation, and the perpetual
ton of fame through coming yener-
tons. OF the truly-GREAT. it Ger
tainly can be said-'.Their Works do i've
after them Mr.. Badger was eminent
as a lawyer, eloquent as an orator. gifted.
popular, persuasive. influential as a man.
All these make a grcatman. but not the
greatest. We OF course never saw Mr..
Badger, and the strong current OF a busy
life forbids much Investigation of his
political memorabilia. But if the touch
stone above referred to be applied to his
life, what do we find? OF Literary
works, books. etc-none, OF great po-
lltical measures (such as are identi-
icd with the names of Clay. Calhoun.
sumner. or otlers)-n0ne that we re-
call. OF counties. towns. colleges.
works OF Public Importancc-bearino his
name.-nonc dat we recollrCt. Scarce
twenty years have lapsed since hi death,
and already his name is cAieflva memo
ry strong with those who knew tim.
Tut faint in its impress upon the present
generation. True. the war revolutioniz-
ed both Society aud politics.
1t Will he understood that we do not
detract an iota from Mr.. Badgers per-
sonal attributes and intellect. His nat
ural gifts were rare indeed; but his
greatness was not. we think, the greatest
the State has ever known.
M Millions of packages of the Dia-
mond Dyes have been sold without a
.-o oo-~1 E