The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-06-07
JARVIS ON VANCE,
A LIFE WHICH WAS AN IN
SPIRATION.
Senator Jarvis Pays a Fitting
Tribute to- the Memory Of His
Late Distinguished Predecessor
Address Before the Confed-
crate Veterans Association in
Washington City.

Washington City.
At the Confederate Veterans Hall
in Washington, d. c., on the night of
May 18th, Senator Jarvis delivered an
address on the late Senator Vance, his
matchless predecessor. Senator Jarvis
spoke as follows:
LaaIes amt Gentlemen and FeIkoW
C0Mraaes
When our forefathers were engaged
in the great work of putting in con-
stitutional shape the system of govern
ment under which we live, they un-
knowingly left open certain questions
out of which in after years grew con-
flict Of ideas and interests, and which
after years of angry discussions, resulted
in war. Their wisdom, divinely ap-
pointed as it seemed to be, their
patriotism, limitless as it was, could
not foresee that in less than 90 years
their descendants would settle these
grave questions by the terrible arbitra-
ment of the sword Yet, impartial
history must record the fact that two
great armies composed Of men OF
doubtless courage and inspired by the
highest motives, and led by such men
as Grant and Lee, Jackson and Sher-
man, struggled with each other in
deadly conflict over the settlement Of
these questions until exhaustion came
to the one and victory to the other.
The men who composed these armies
and their great leaders, and the men
who sustained them, are rapidly pass
ing away. Conspicuously among the
great men of those eventful years stood
Zebulon Baird Vance, whom we have
recently laid to rest, and whose name
we meet tonight to commemorate.
On another occasion other persons
BETTER qualified than |, will speak of
him as the scholar, the orator, and the
great American statesman. 1t IS my
purpose this evening to speak of our
departed Comrade only as a Con-
federate.
And, ! will first remark of him that
he was man of strong convictions and
that he had, in an eminent degree, the
| courage of those convictions. He was
not, in the beginning of the great
struggle to which have just alluded,
| in any sense of the word, a seCessionist.
! He believed that it was better for his
| countrymen to settle their differences
within the Union and under the pro-
lection of the flag of their fathers, and
SO believing, he pleaded with the peo-
| pie of his State, after the election oi
Mr.. Lincoln to the presidency, to re-
main III the Union and observe its con-
stitution But, when the President in
the spring Of 81, called upon his State
for troops, and it became necessary
| for him in common with his fellow.
citizens, to do battle for his native
land or against it, he espoused the
cause of his sister States of the South
and from that day until the fiery
banner went down forever, and al
hope of success had taken its everlast
ing flight, he did all that mortal mar
could do to establish the Confederacy
In the spring of 1861 he became
soldier and commander Of a regi
ment, but he was not allowed by the
people of his State to remain long II
The field. Called by their suffrages tt
become the Governor and commander
chief of the forces of North Caro-
lima, he assumed the duties of tha
high office with an ardent purpose tina
afterwards won for him the title of th'
great war Governor of the South.
In his conduct OF that office, we fine
him exhibiting certain characteristic
that when properly studied and under
stood explain in large degree, as
think, the secret of his great strength
and popularity with the people. l shal
mention this evening two or three o
these characteristics.
| Another characteristic of this grea
man was that he lived all the time il
the sunshine of life. No.one ever saw
him sitting down amid the ashes o
the dead past lamenting over wha
was or what might have been no on
ever saw him standing in dee
solitude with his face toward tn
setting sun but he was always see1
with his bright and hopeful counte
nance facing the rising sun. Full
| humor and good will toward men, h
was ever bright and cheerful, even il
the most trying circumstances, ant
when Others were replning and com
planning with fate, he would break tn
gloom with some striking anecdote
\ notable instance of this kind oc
Cured when he was in prison IN TIL
city in the old capitol in the spring c
1905. There was, as North Caro-
linians know, distinguished Characte
in that State who had been a pro
nounced advocate Of secession-an'
while Vance was pleading with hi
people to remain in the Union an,
telling them of the disastrous con
sequences of war, Holden was urgin
the people to secede, and it is said h
pledged the last man and the last dol
| lar to make good the success Of tn
cause of secession. When Nancs be
came a prisoner of the United State
in '65. Holden became the Mllitar
Governor OF his State by appointmen
of the President of the United State:
While he was in prison in the oil
capitol, an old congressional friend {
his from the State of Ohio made hir
visit, and upon entering Vance
room, caught him by the hand an