The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-18
THE PRESS As THE DEFEND.
Err OF THE PEOPLE.
A toast responded to by Oapt. s. A
Ashe at the banquet at New bern.

am somewhat embarrassed IN
speaking OF the pres, as the dsfen-
der of the liberties Of tho people in
this presence In these precln cts
here IN tho Athens Of North caro-.
lima. For as the Athens Of the
O!Nen time had her artists, bel
poets, her philosophers and states
men who adorned the social side
OF her llfe--frOm whom indeed the
light OF intellectual culture radisted
throughout the world--so could
she also boast of her patriots.
And 10 like manner this noble
community flon its early Colonial
days throughout it's history has
emnIated the famed city Of Attlca
10 breeding sons of culture and
high patriotism who have ever
been among the most renowned az
defenders IF the peoples Liberties
Should We seek examples in that
| field We must explore the history OF
those who have lived here on the
expansive waters CT the Neuse and
Trent and who have made tho an.
/ nails OF Newbern ltsrrous with thely
noble virtues.
All traditions tell US that Caro-
! linians have teen che freesu of the
. tree, aud have been foremost ~
! maintaining unimpalred then
CHERISHED liberties.
And here has been centre.
| whence emanateL the inspiring
I rays of patriotism that vitalZed
the popular heart aud nerved the
i people to defend their Inherited
/ freedom to the last extremity.
1t was on this spot redolent with
tue perfume of patrictlsm that III
1774 assembled the first repre-
sentative body ever chosen IN
America. uusanctloned by the
Clown, aud claiming power derived
directly from the people.
1t WAS here when a Royal Cows
elnor was plotting against the
liberties of the Province, that the
illustrlous patriots Of Newbe
turned his own gu2s upon HIM anu
drove hiE to fi1d refuge on boar d
! distant British cruiser.
FsOm the lo!ns of such men
sprang macy heroes woo WITT: In
trepidlty have risked their lives in
the cause Of fieadom
There and such as these he the
orue defenders Of the llberlles OF
the people and as ;ee call to mem
Oiy their deeds Of Ie:Oi~m, their
suffering an'i >ac"i tic-, .,r press
in siale!ul recognition wcuId Ten
de, them the cruwu aud the chap
let around tbelr broWs
But yet tna press has Eisyt& it's
pa:t ca the great stage whe'a all
mankind are actors.
1t speaks wita myriad tongues,
and in times of peril points out the
danger and leads the way IN the
forum OF thought.
In the first great struggle III our
ancestral home for the l,I,e! ties of
EngIlshmtn. which came in tee
reigl oi Charles L., ;:e tiemOr OF
alarm led to ne course Of action,
unit! the printing press was
brought into use aud the making OF
pamphlets was begun.
Then the press laborsd-and it
being before the days OF newspa>
pers--maryelous quantities tf
pamphlets We're turned off which
quickened the flames OF patriotism,
gave poiut to thought and brought
on the great revolution which se~
cured the llbe1 til, $ Of the people.
Agan IN the early days OF Amer
icau conflict, when sentiment had
not yet crystalllZed into deter.
mination to strike for Independence
it was only after Tom Palne's PAM
ptlet-"t tommon Sense" came hot
from the press, that tue people de.
cIared that by inde psndence alore
could their Liberties be secured.
A fine example OF the value OF
the press in a1ouslng the people ny
the dlsseminatln of news is afford
ed by an historical inciuent. A
NJ wspapeI containing the account
OF the bat tie of Lexington was hur-
riedly sent by horse and rider from
the committees OF safety at one
tow n to that of another along our
entire coast. Thus dispatched
from New Haven, 1T spread the
news throughout the eutlIe cCun
| t"y as it went 10 its distant destlD.