The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-16
COL. DAVIDSON'S SPEECH
NORTH CAROlINA'S PART IN THE HIS
TORY OF THIS CONTINENT"
1t Was an Admirable Summing Up of the
Facts That Give North Carolina
First Place.

| !
Alluson has already been made il
these columns to the conspicuous par
borne by North Carolina in the Con
federate Veterans Reunion at Nash
VILE, Tenn, some dayse ago. We have
not had space heretofore to publish tn,
admirable speech made by Col. Theodore
| +. Davidson, of Asheville, who was
chosen to represent North Carolina in
the series of five minute talks. There
have been many expressions of approval
of Col. Davidson's wisdom in departing
from the customary speech to stir up en-
thusiasm and giving to the audience
succinct facts showing North Carolina's
honorable part in the history of this Com
tinent. In substance Col. Davidson
said:
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen
| North Carolina has been reproached,
occasionally by some of her own sons
most frequently by the sons of other
States who are aware of the glory of
her past for her apparent Indifference
to her history. We North Carolinians
are not ignorant of that history, and
that we have not so loudly proclaimed
it to the world as other communities
have, may be attributed to the virtue
of modesy, rather than to indifference.
Inspired by this occasion and vast au-
dience, | feel inclined to depart from
our traditional course and indulge in
some honest Boosting, for North Caro-
lima has much of which her citizens
may honestly boast.
Zone of the earliest colonies-in fact
~ 1;ch N1.n,, cd 10
continent was within her bOrders-in
every epoch of the settlement, develop
ment and progress of the country she
has borne her share with honor. AL
most decade before the celebrated
Tea Party in Boston harbOr, Of which
50 much has been said and sung, the
men of the Cape Fear, under Col. Sam
Ashe, assembled, not under cover Of
night or disguised, but in broad day
light with their banners flying, drums
beating and gums glistening in the sun,
marched to the Colonial capital at Will
mingtOn, took the odious stamp mas
ter from the deck Of His Majesty's
man-of-war, overawed the Governor,
and forever then and there put most
effective end to the enforcement OF the
Stamp act in North Carolina.
more than II months before the pro-
mitigation of that immortal document
Mt Philadelphia on the 4th of July, 1776,
The men of Mecklenbury in terse and
strong phrases declared to the world
those great principles of personal fiber
ty and American independence which
have become the foundation and tower
of human rights throughout Chr;sten-
dom.
''In the heroic struggle which follow
ed, the men of North Carolina were
found among the first wherever danger
was found and duty called. From Stony
Point to Savannah her soldiers did
honorable service. At Germantown she
gave the lives of the brave General
Nash (whose memory the people of
Tennessee have honored in the name of
this beautiful Capital City, and the
chivalrous Col. Buncombe; on that dark
morning in February, 1871, at Cowan's
Ford, another brave and beloved son
mingled his blood with the waters of
the Catawba, whose virtues the CRATE
full people of Tennessee have perpetu-
ated in the name of this lovely metro
politan county. I wish l had time to
recount the story Of that October day
on Kings Mountain where the hardy
rifiemen of the Watauga and Holston,
and Yadkin and Catawba won the most
glorious victory Of the war, and fixed
the destiny of a continent.
"In the great work of framing the
Constitution and organizing the Union
of the States she was most influential
factor. Her illustriOus sons, johnson,
Caswell, Iredell, Davie, Jones and others
were recognized as leading spirits
in that epoch; indeed it may be stated
with entire accuracy that it was to the
firmness and clear perception of the
situation by the people of North Caro-
lima that the first 10 amendments to
that Constitution, by which the person
al freedom of the citizen is so securely
guarded, were secured; and it was to
the warning cry Of one OF her sons,
from the Supreme court bench of the
United States, that aroused the liberty
loving people of the new Union and Sc
cured the 18th amendment, by which the
independence and dignity of the States
were preserved.
"But now shall I speak in the short
time allotted to me Of her glorious rec
ord in the war between the States
With Characteristic conservatism sne
did not enter the struggle until after a
most thorough consideration of the
questions involved, but when she did
resolve upon action, she became a
| whirlwind of war. She gave to the
Confederacy more soldiers than her en-
| tire voting population. She gave more
troops than any other State in the Con
federacy; it was one of her regiments
that sustained the greatest loss, I'm kill
ed and wounded in battle, recorded II
the annals Of modern warfare. She gave
Bragg and Branch, Daniel and Ram
seur, Pettigrew and Fender, Gordon
IBurgwyn, Coleman and q host of Other
heroes rank and file who have crossed
lover the river, and whose spirits we be
licve are towering over US now.
"She gave Hoke and Ransom, Cling
,,on Toulx Vance and another hos