The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-01-26
THE HON. VIII. NJ. ROBBINS
Tie Man WHO Ought to be the Next
Mexican Minister.
A BRIEF SKETCH GF Hts LIFE,
A Brave Soldier in the Confederacy
VITO Fought From the First to the
Last-Ris Services in the Recon
structiOn .Perisd-A Credit tn His
State in the Congress OF the U. s.

State in the Congress OF the u. .
William VI. Robbins, of Statesville,
| was recently nominated by the Char
lotte Observer for Minister to Mexico
under the Cleveland administration,
and the press of the State at large has
been sec0nding the nomination.
Therefore a brief sketch of Maj. Rob
bins life will be interesting.
Mai. Robbins was born in Randolph
county and is about SiXty-one years OF
age. He was raised On farm and
many who have had the pleasure Of
hearing him speak, will recall how he
often bOasted of this with pride,
and how he deprecated the fact that
there should be any friction between
those two noble callings. Young ROB
bins worked his muscle during the
long summers and his brain during
the short winters, for he was fond of
books and made the best of his limit
ed opportunities at the county schools.
He so improved his opportunities in
fact that he graduated with first
honors at Randolph, Macon College,
after only a two years course. He
then taught Mathematics and Ian
guages in Trinity College for several
years.
Leaving for Alabama he began the
practice of the law in that State
shortly before the war. After the Sc
ccssion of his State, he at once linked
his fortunes with the Confederacy,
and rose from a private to be major of
his regiment. There was no brayer
soldier in the South. Robbins was at
First Manassas and at AppOmattOx.
He served for the greater part OF the
war under LongStreet, and was IN the
following battles among others: Seven
t,n 6n TyfS
Chickahominy, Second Manassas,
South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Fred
ericksburg, Gettysburg, Chicamauga,
Knoxville, the Wilderness, and Peters
burg. He received several slight
wounds. and at the Wilderness was
dangerously wounded.
After the war Major Robbins set
tied in Salisbury. to practice his pro-
fession and build up his broken for
tunes. During the excitement of the
Reconstruction period Major Robbins,
against his desires, was induced to
run for the State Senate, and in 1868
was elected from the Senatorial dis
trict of Rowan and DaVie to the in
famous Reconstruction Legislature"
He made many enemies among the
dominant faction by his fearless and
scathing denunciatiOns of the reckless
measures of that body, and proved a
true prophet when he predicted on the
Senate floor that the people of North
Corolina would never recognize or pay
the special tax bonds which that Leg
islature issued. He was reelected in
1870 to the Senate of the Legislature
which impeached and disposed Gov.
Holden.
In 1872 Major Robbins was elected
to Congress from the Seventh district
by majority of 1,600 over Judge
Furches, the late Republican candi-
date for Governor. He was reelected
in 1874 over DR.. Cook, and again in
'76 over Colonel Dula, in both ihstan-
ces by over 1900 majority.
His abilities were soon recognized In
Congress and he promised to make a
worthy record for the State he repre-
sented. He was laborious commit
tee worker and was rarely ever absent
from his seat. While not frequent
speaker, he spoke with power when he
did take the floor. Some of his most
noted speeches were those on the Civil
Rights Bill, the Internal Revenue,
the Centennial Exhibition and the
Sugar Tariff. During his last term of
office he occupied a place near the
head of the Ways and Means Commit
tee, and was beginning to win for
North Carolina some standing and in
fiuencc, when in accordance with the
TarLeel idea of rotation in office, he
failed of a denomination
Since 1879 Major Robbins has de-
voted himself to the practice of his
profession, and built up a splendid law
business. He is ripe scholar and the
writer of this sketch recalls mcst
able address on Conservatism" which
he delivered as the annual ora
tor at Davidson College at the COM
mencement of 1883.
Major Robbins is man OF powerful
build, with Il large, intellectual head
and voice to correspond lie might
appear rather abrupt in his manner to
a stranger, but beneath q rough exte-
tior there beats big, manly heart.
| He is a most magnanimousg gentleman,
and all the hero-wcrship iii the Wri-
ter's soul was called forth several
| years ago by speech the Major made
| at judicial nominating convention
| at Lexington, seconding the nomina-
| tion for Judge of his almost lifetime
| rival, Judge Armfield. Maj. Robbins
| would have put Judge Armfeld II
| nomination, but very young lawyer
| whom his friends wanted to aid by
! placing him before the public, was al
lowed that privilege.
Maj. Robbins, it will he remember
ed accompanied Vice-Presiden-elec
| CJcfCISOH liD0 Ilo pAi " Oh UiOil u II
through the State during the late
campaign, and some time ago received
at his home in Statesville, from Mr.
and Mrs. Stevenson handsome silve
| pitcher, as a token of grateful rec0g
milton for the seryicehe then rendered
them.
| In faith Maj. Robbins is a Metho
dist, but he is broad minded mai
and not at all sectarian. He believe
in progress, but there is probably nj
more conservative man in the State
He clings to the belief of his father
in regard to christianity and theology
He takes no stock in the theories o
evolution nor of human perfection.
He was one of those staunch Demo
Gratis, who during the late campaign
did not cater to thee Farmers Ali
ance. The old time Democracy i
good enough for him. His discussion
with Marion Butler at Statesville vii
stand out prominently when the pc
litical history of the campaign of 189
u 10 uriffpn