The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1890-01-03
STATE PRIDE.
We Are Getting More of 1t in North Car.
Olina OF Late.

AT I'll" r. cent banquet given IN Raleigh
in honor Of Cot. l.. l.. Polk the toast,
Stat PRIDE" was responded to by w. N.
JONES ESQ, an honored member Of the
Ral,i-sa bar. He spoke words of wisdom,
and won the applause of all present. We
present his speech to the readers of the
CHRONICLE because it inculcates a spirit of
State Pride which ought to be dffused
among all our people. Mr. JONES said
Wheeler's History of North Carolina is
the first history of this State written by a
native North Carolinian. On the first page
of that book the author laments the indif-
ference of North Caroinians for the noble
achievements made and the valOr and pa
triotism displayed by the people of the
State in their history. He says that while
Virginia on the North and South Carolina
on the South had been alive to their in
terests in this respect, North Carolina had
been strangely remiss as to her interest.
The consequence was natural. The old
State was put down in the biographies
only as the tar, pitch and turpentine State,
and the praises of Macon and CASTOR and
lredell and Badger and other illustrious
North Carolina names have been sung
as they should nave been by our own peo
pie or any other.
The same fault which characterized our
people a half century ago, when Wheeler
wrote his history, in measure still abldes
with us. State pride is Il commodity very
much needed now as heretofore. The
State has lost much by reason of the fact.
Macaulay says that "a people which takes
no pride in the noble achievements of re-
mote ancestors will never achieve anything
worthy to be remembered with pride by
a. Sn1a
warning and much truth in this striking
observation if We ale to judge by the his
tory of the past. A people gain much by
looking at models. Sallust says of Scipio
and MaXlmus that when they stood before
the statues of the illustriOuS dead of their
country they We're agitated and moved, not
because of the dead marble that was be-
fore them, but because they remembe
the virtues of the ilustrious dead, and
desired to initiate them. SO it has ever
been. If we would nerve and stir the
young to high resolves and noble achieve
ments there is no better way to do SO than
with object lessons taken from the history
of our people.
Il is a gratifying fact that in late years
a growing State pride has been seen in
North Carolina, so far at least as the past
is concerned The monuments at kinston
and Greensboro, the Colonial history which
has been published, the Fayetteville Cen
tennlal, the effort to correctly represent
and perpetuate the valor of the North
Carolina soldiers at Guilford Court House
and Gettysburg attest this fact. Much re-
mains to be done. 1t is to be hoped that
what has already been accomplished is but
an earnest of what is to be done. There
is much practical good to the present to
be gathered from the past history of North
Carolina.
Let us not, however, contine our efforts
in this matter of State pride 10 the past or
to the noble dead. We owe duty to the
living as well as the dead VI wlich ought to
be met. A hearse ought not to be our
only triumphal chariot. When the sons
of North Carolina go out anG gather hon
ors in whatever department OF life let
them feel that the people of he old State
are looking at them, and lei them know
that there is a royal welcome for them at
home, and a chief place in our domestic
temple. Let those who T. Lain at home
and labor also feel that they too will get
merited praise whenever and wherever
they deserve 1t
here has been too great disposition
among us when an ambitious brother has
been seen to be forging ahead to catch him
by the coat tail and pull him back, and
tuC hldu puliCd hlo VIC PuliCi ~ Od,h W
gether. Some folks have called this char
acteristic, conservatism, but too often, |
am afraid, it has been merely mediocre
meanness. This disposition has borne its
fruits. We have furnished three Presi-
dents to the country, but 1t has been
through the medium of other States.
Through the same medium We have fur
nished innumeraDle bishops, great preach
ers, Judges, statesmen, that we might
have furnished ourselves had We been true
to one another.
am glad, therefore, to participate in
this occasion. Few North Carolinians have
been banquetted by North Carolinians.
For people of other States to banquet their
fellow citizens is a matter of course-wth
US it is an anomaly. l believe there is
much practical good in the celebration O.
this occasion Col. Polk is worthy of the
cheer and encouragement of his fellow
citizens. Starting life in the county OF
Arson without patrimony, and even, be-
lieve, as an orphan, he has made his way
into the front rank not only of the public
men of this State, but of the whole cOun
| try. There is poetry in such a life as that
an epic IN every line.
| 1t was but few weeks ago in one OF
! our Southern cities, on notable occasion
surrounded by the first orators and states
men Of the South, he became the observed
of observers by his splendid bearing anG
matchless oratory A few North Caroiin
ians were present on that occasion. They
were made glad by the manner in which
Col. Polk represented the State-gainins
honor for himself and his people. Tha
was but few weeks ago and in the South
Now he comes tome from q distant ives
tern State crowned as the chief officer o
the largest and most powerful organiza
ton known among men, having for it:
object the promotion of the highest ant
best interests of all the people of thi
country Col. Polk is their chosen leader
They have with them the ark of the cove
nant and the liberties of the people of thi
country. The principles they contend TO
are as sacred as those that the revolution
ary fathers fought for when the founda
tions Of this government were laid in tear
and blood. Col. Polk has obtained thi
most distinguished honor-such as rarel
comes to men, and baving obtained sucl
distinction he deserves the highest prais
and honor from his fellow citizens, and il
honoring him we honor ourselves on thi
occasion.
A Scrap of Paper Saves Her Life.
1t was just an ordinary scrap of wrap
ping paper, but it saved her life. Sh
was in the last stages of consumption toll
by physicians that she was incurable an
could live only short time; she weighe
less than seventy pounds On piece {
n.