The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-04-26
IN HONOR OF OUR ZEB. :"
WINSTON AND SALEM PAYS
TRIBUTE TO HIM.
The Mem rial Meeting Attended by an
Immcnse Audience Mr. Wa
sens Stirring Address.

| !nmcnse AUD d;ence -Mf wa
| sons Stirring Address.
| F4oM TFF DAILY SENTINEL, April 18th)
The Vance memorial exercises had
| place at the Opera House between 10
and y O'Clock this morning. The
audience room was crowded with citi-
zens, among whom was fair number
| Of ladies. Mr. w. A. Blair called the
meeting to order, saying:
'Ladies and Gentlemen. At this
hour every true heart in this common
wealth is sad and every eye, though
| filed with tears, is turned to the
| Land Of the Sky where the mortal re-
| Haalns OF North Cardinals greatest
| son are uoW being laid to rest among
! tie shadows Of the mountains which
| he loved so well. A great man has
| fallen, an idol of the people has de-
| parted, but his example, his character
aud his glory Will prove an inspiration
! to generations yet to come.
He then introduced Judge II. j.
Wilson lis chairman of the meeting.
The Judge made brief address and
called on Rev. Mr.. Brown who offered
an appropriate prayer. The orator OF
the occasion,
HON G. T. WATSON,
was then introduced and made stir
ring and affecting address, q Synopsis
OF which is here given:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies' and Gentle
men, and Old Comrades of 1S6l:-l
| feel the same embarrassment and emo
/ tiun today that d man would feel, |
/ lif.Ei m
! speak at the fuLcral OF his honOred
| father. Zebulon B. Vance has been
| nay guide for a quarter of century.
| lie has suddenly gone out of the firm
| aren't in which ne shined for over
| thirty years, shedding glorious
| light.
| n Members of the old Twenty Sixth
| North Carolina Band:-I have seen
| yoC rs you followed your beloved
| leader in the dust and trials of the
march and Of battle along the low
| lands Of the ChickahOminy in June
! and July, 1862. You went down last
/ night to meet the remains of your old
| leader and his heart-broken widow
said that size appreciated your coming
| more than anything since the death
| Of the senator in Washington.
| In 1860 two great parties were striv-
| ing for mastery, one saying that
! Southern institutions shall be de-
stroyed and the Union preserved;
another saying that Southern lnStitu-
| ti0nS shall be preserved or the Union
| destroyed. Vance was chen a young
/ man Just emerging from obscurity in
| the mountains OF of North Carolina.
(, lie was with another party that was
1 slowly disintegrating, a party that
| was for the Union, the Constitution
and the enforcement of the laws. He
was calling upon the people to lay
| aside passion and rally to the support
of the Union al any cost.
One of the war parties succeed and
| the party which was led by Zebulon
| b. Vance fell to pieces. He took
| sides with the South and moved by
the impulses Of his patriotic heart he
went TO the front. He was elected
| Governor in 1862. He went to work
| to provide for the soldiers of North
| Carolina arms and clothing, medicine
and comfort. If every Governor of
the eleven Southern States had eXer-
cised the same energy and prudence
you would heard no complaint, and
you rememb Der how the men from 9th
or States loved Vance.
Not only did he remember the
soldies in the field; he was not un-
| mindful of the poorest in the State,
| the men, the women and the children.
He also looked after the honor of his
|
And History will some Of these dimes
declare that Gov. Vance during the
war made the record that gives his
name it's brightest luSter, and / be-
lieYe that he was developed into the
greatest character of the war.
Under stress of circumsta 1ces the
Confederate Government felt it neces-
sary to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus. 1t was then that Gov. Vance
said that order should be resisted
, though 1t came from the Presidents
house in Richmond. According to
my recollection, there was no part OF
the South where the military did not
exercise the power to go into any
mans house without warrant ano
place him in military confinement
without remedy to him, save only il
North Carolina, that Old State made
up Of liberty-loving people where Gov
Vance backed by Chief Justice Pear
son protected the rights of the people
At the close of the war while every
body was depressed and all were poo
it was she cheering words of Vance
that most dispelled the gloom, and b,
told the people that among the poo
was the home of liberty; every move
meht for it was born of the humble
and 1T found its grave in the gildet
palaces of the Caesars. ''Your homes
although homes of poverty" said he
''are the homes of liberty. Guart
and take care of them; go forward ant
build up your State"
In conclusion, Mr.. Watson, speak
ing OF the campaign between Vanc
and Settle likened it to the comba
between Achilles and Hector outsid
the walls Of Troy. He was great, sal
the speaker, by decree of the peopl
by whom he was exalted, but he wa
not raised so high but he knew tn
humblest in the land; and as age grew
upon him his heart went back to tn
humble homes that he knew in chile
hood, and when question came u
that caused division he always side
with thep poor. The greatest tribut
that was ever paid to him was til
criticism that was passed upon hiI
during his last days.
Applause greeted Mr.. Watson as b
closed
OTHER SPEAKERS.
6 Brief and appropriate ulogistic az
2 dresses were made by Bishop Ron,
2 thaler, Hon. J. e. Buxton, DIR. w. /
= Wheeler and z. R. Starbuck. A.
- Eller paid the closing tribute in
Is Us most touching and eloquent addres
"a 1t is generally acceeded to have bee
N a masterpiece of elocutionary effor
~ Senator Vance's old regimental bal
(of war times) was present and rende
ed several selections, special favOrlt