The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-11

life with the conviction that their labors
had brought them neither the thanks
of their countrymen, nor happiness to
Six Of the Presidents were
personally known to me. and l have
no hesitation in saying, that of all TIE
nublic functionaries I ever knew they
were during their terms of Office, the
least happy. Unless they left the ottlce
with the consolation that they had done
their duty. they were the least fortunate
of men. Even in that event they had no
advantage over any private citizen
who is able to say l have done my duty
honestly through life
He was no lover of money. He came
out of the war pennless. but did not re-
pine and went to work to repair his for
tunes, and like Caesar, it was all to be
for the benefit Of the public. On the re-
yival of the University in 1875. he told
it's president, DR.. Battle, that if he got
certain insurance claims for losses by
tie Alabama paid by Congress out Of
his professional fees, he would make n
large donation to the University. AT
another time he said if he got the pay
he claimed was due him as United States
Senator from 1861 to 1867 he would
give il TO the free schools of the State
After years of litigation lie obtained
his patent for an electric light system
which he had patented in England
France. Germany and Belgium. He was
sanguine he would become wealthy, he
remarked TO q friend. he did not want
money for his own comfort. but to give
something to his poor kin, and then he
would employ some one to go over the
State and lecture uDon the Importance
of IN education. and he would establish
the best public school system that the
world had ever seen.
In truth, he had in view. with every
scheme for making money, the education
and elevation Of the masses.
His intellect was omniverous: it de-
voured everything that came within its
reach. He invaded the domaine Of science
art and literature, and culled the choic
est treasures of each. AS has been said
by another tCol. V. s. Lusk) in the com
mon acceDtation of the term, General
Clingman was not eloquent, il eloquence
is meaningless words, or pompous parade
OF speech cmnhases, CALCULATIONS or
icsticulatiOns, but in it's true meaning,
he had but few superiors in his art Al
ways gentleman, but fearless and mer-
CHESS in debate, he welded Il Damas-
Gus blade, never broken and seldom par
ried. With the GOODNESS of an eXpe-
rienced surgeon he never paused as long
as there was Il single muscle or Il limb
unjointed. His work was never half
done, hut was always finished in arts
tic style"
Says another (Col Il. Il. Bennett):
He was very gifted in one particular.
He could Illustrate his subjects with UNI
usual readiness, and striking aptness. He
was rich and powerful in this respect.
He anDlitied the thought by cognated
thoughts and by superstition quickly re-
duced TO service"
His intellect was no less intrepid than
his soul, he hesitated not to hold up to
ridicule and contempt the teachings Of
Huxley Darwin and Tyndall.
As was the case with other great in
tellects, like some great giant of the for
est he began to decay at the top. When
his mind failed, his nearest relatives
cared tenderly for him. When he be-
came helpless as a child the door or
MorgantOn Institution were open to hin
comfort. He was childless and had
never married. But he was not alone.
That he was comfOrted by greater than
human agencies we believe Says a
writer IT. G. Walker, Il had the pleas
IRE of seeing quite a good deal of this
once distinguished man during his brief
stay at MorgantonI am quite sure
it is well with the General. / can even
now hear his voice as he sang Simost
one entire day shortly before the end.
Amazing grace. how the sweet the
sound" He was a constant reader of
his Bible, and kept it near him until
he became unconscious. Many have
been the times / have seen him take his
Bible, go out into the sunshine, and have
been melted to tears, when he, with
trembling hands, would raise the sacred
book to his lips and kiss some precious
promise he had read. This was beauti-
full. OF course, by reason of advanced
age, his mind was not as clear as it
might have been in his earlier days, yet
his faith and devotion were genuine, and
there is no doubt that he is at rest
1.-THE end came on November Bird, 1897
AS quietly as a child falling asleep, with
his Bible clasped in his arms, his spirit
crossed over the river.
At once steps were taken by the citi-
zens of Asheville and the ION Vance
Camp of Confederate Veterans to have
him buried in Riverside cemetery. This
was aSsented to by his immediate rela-
tives, his nieces and nephews, and a
committee of his regiment and members
of his staff escorted the remains from
their temporary resting place in the Con-
cord cemetery to Ashevllle.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 18th
Fof December, 1897, the coffin covered
with flowers, escorted by his old sol
diers, was carried to the court house
square A large concourse of people
we're gathered there. The citizens and
visiting military and the ex-Confederate
soldiers were there The Governor of
the State represented by members of his
staff was there. High dignataries Of the
church and the municipal authorities,
old men who knew him in his youth and
manhood and days of power young
men who came eagerly to hear the story
and derive inspiration from the recital
strangers in the city-all came to do him
honor. Lovely women lent their voices
in sweet song appropriate to the ocea-
sion and martial music sounded his fun
crate note. Public addresses by those
who knew him as citizen, statesman and
soldier, were delivered; and when the
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