The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-07-26
ZEBULON B. VANCE.
A TRIBUTE TO NORTH CARO-.
LINA'S HERO.

Grafton Delivered by e. z. Nc
Larty, a Member of the Junior
Glass at Trinity College Com
mencement---An Eloquent and
Well Timed Effort.
'Tis April's LOWEST Sabbath morn-
ing. The sun, arrayed in gorgeous
attire, shines with unusual brilliancy
and kisses away the smiling dew drops.
The birds gladden. the morning with
their songs and the budding flowers
and trees load the atmosphere with
, sweet fragrance. The beauty of the
day is enhanced by the chime of the
church bells, calling us to the temple
of the Most High, where devout minds
send up praise and alteration to the
God of all Goodness for Ais many
kind favors. But suddenly the bright
ness of the day is broken by message
that brings sorrow to every heart and
shrouds every face in the mantle of
regret. What ruthless hand has
bllghted our hopes and turned our
music into weeping? Why is this
widespread sorrow? Listen: and the
sobbing voice of the Old North State,
weeping for her favorite son, will tell
you in strains of deepest agony that
Zeb Vance is dead.
Our great statesman and able
Senator, our brave political leader and
| frIa =
war-governor has passed away. He
who for forty years stood on the
watch tower of time and proclaimed
whatsoever dangers his great mind
discerned, will never greet our eyes
again. We can not realize that the
magic voice that thrilled our hearts
and united us to the dark days of
reconstruction is hushed and his lips
forever sealed. We can not realize
that the hand that beckoned to US and
led US out of the wilderness can no
longer be uplifted. Speech can not
express the deep anguish of our souls
as we weep for him whom we revere
as the highest type of perfect man
hood. If true greatness is to be meas
ured by the affection of a people
surely Zeb Vance is the greatest man
North Carolina has ever produced.
No prince was ever more royalty
seated or wore more splendid
diadem than Zeb Vance, crowned with
his peoples love and enthroned in
their approving hearts.
What was it in the composition and
deeds of Vonce to inspire such uni
versal esteem and love? He had a
great intellect but that does not win
affection. He had great wit and
shrewdness but these alone are in
sufficient. He had large store of
knowledge and wonderful power and
originality in using it, but even these
can not win the affections of a people.
Far above everything else, he had a
great heart and that is the secret of
our love for him and the fundamental
fact which directed and made useful
all his other splendid resources
Intellect without heart is as con-
temptible as etiquette without good
ness. Much has been justly said oi
Vance's brilliant intellect, his ready
wit, his original anecdotes, his logical
reasoning; but the magnitude of his
heart was the most conspicuous quality
of his character. 1t was as constant as
the North star and as warm and
nourishing as the beams of the sun
Intellect does not form the family tie
nor bind together the members of a
party and lead them to great triumphs,
What was it that caused Vance:
first success in politics, his election tc
Congress from the mountain district
Not his wit and humor nor hi
eloquence, though these were great
but his heart which was greater thar
all. He loved his people as mothe
her child. He loved their humble
homes, their sunburnt but homes
faces, their muscular arms, their horn,
hands. He loved the sunny hillsides
the villages that fed them, and tn
mountains peaks that shaded and pro
tected them.
What made him the beloved gov
ernor of the Old North State amid th'
confusion and hardships of war? l
was the sympathy he showed for th'
barefooted, hungry, ragged, shiverin!
soldiers on the field OF battle and fo
the women and children they had lef
behind them. No war-governor o
the Southern States did SO much t.
feed and clothe the soldiers or t
supply the wants OF the people in thei
homes as Zeb Vance.
What was it that made him a grea
statesman? Was it his wit ant
: eloquence? Did he seek reputation
at the Nations Capital? Did he striv'
: to dazzle the world and court III
! applause of the aristocrats, educate,
5 and cultivated classes that mad
t Washington life SO facinating? Nc
| Vance had no such ambition. H
r went there to save his State and tn
people he loved. He went there t,
l plead their cause and to relieve thei
! burdens. Instead of giving his tim
5 to the fashionable circles of Washing
! ton, he burnt the mid night lamp
: endeavoring to Tighten the taxes OF tn
5 poor and oppressed. While the lobbie
of the Capital were swarming wit
r men seeking the protection of the la'
! to reach their greedy fingers into tn
S pockets Of the men Of the field ant
= workshops, there was one voice tha
, was always heard in behalf of the wea
t and down-trodden and that was tn
S voice Of Zeb Vance.
7 His seat was never empty and h
l voice never silent when the poor man
e blanket. his food, or his clothing wer
Y the subjects of burdenSOme take,