The state chronicle., 1893-05-25

State. Unlike Colonel Saunders.
he has not the achives at London to
draw upon, as the transmitting OF
documents thither ceased in ITO.
Our State capital being then peri
patetic, at Halifax, New Berne, Fay
eiteville and Hillsboro, and the Gov
ernor residing, except during the
brief session Of the legislature, at
his home, few records either legis-
lative or executive have been pre-
served. Even the journals of the |
legislature of those years that were
published have been lost as we'll as
the MSS. originals of them. We
have here only such of the bills and
resolutions introduced into the leg
islature and such letters written to
the Governors as have escaped the
hands of successive pillagers- 1t is
said that in the times Immediately
succeeding the surrender Of 1856
and the dark years succeeding, most
valuable documents were carried
off Some valuable papers, too, are
said TO have been lent Mr.. Will
hanson, Mr. Bancroft and ether his
torians End have been mislaid, or if
returned were appropriated by the
bummers who followed Sherman's
army.
Judge CLARK has therefore no easy
task before him. He car, Of course,
utilize what me aore materials ere to
be found here, and what little is in
possession of our State Historical
Society. He will make application
to the custodian of the papers of
General Horatio Gates and General
Nathaniel Greene TO get copies for
this State CT such material as bear
upon the events IN this State while
those Generals we're in command of
the Southe Department. Mr.. Ly-
man Draper collected a large guam
tity cf material for his work on
Kings Mountain, and it is proba-
ble that il bis MSS, left by him tc
the University of Michigan, there
may be records and archives which
should be published. Among the
: large autograph collectors at the
q North are to be found letters from
North Carolina officers, civil ant
military, which will throw ligh
upon our revolutionary history anl
: Of which doubtless copies may b,
Q had. At Washington City the re
: cords Of the wLilom Confederac,
which existed prior to the Constitu
ton of 1857 are very meagre g.
they had to be removed more thai
once to avoid the incursions Of tn
British. We may depend that al
!, these sources will be explored t.
the best advantage by Judge CLARK
But afte:: all, the main dependence
q of any one assuming the labor G
;. love he has taken upon him must b
- in the hearty cooperation of on
Il own people. In private fami
l. lies throughout the State ther
It must be preserved, as sacre
% heirlooms, letters and document
OF that period, anu in man
> court houses there are dusty r.
70 cords Of those times which, with
h little care and attention, may be III
as earthed Ii in such cases, thos
h. who have the fame of North Care
N lima ct heart Will inform Jude
"a Clark of the existence and natu,
OF these letters and documents tn,
he may have them copied for tt
in State, considerable portion of OF
in Revolutionary history may yet
. recovered and his efforts in IL
other quarters we have mentione
le may be materially supplemented
as Local material. However laborio,
oy he may be, his labors on the benz
i'd will only permit him to give to tn
u work the limited time of his vac
:" tions between the terms Of bis cour,
ne We trust North Carolinisns W
~ second his efforts to rescue the da,
IN yet existing, of our Revolutions
Va epoch.