The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-03-23
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
Half Century Glance Backward.
RECoLLECT1oNs, REFLECTIONS.
BY HON. ]. L. NJ. CURRY, LII. D.
Religious Herald.

/
Law School were Justice Joseph Story
and Simon Greenleaf, each of them,
then or afterwards, the author OF books
we'll known to the profession. Judge
Story was most genial and agreeable
person, partial to 'the boys" as he
called his students, and very entertain
ing in his lectures, which were often
discurslve and anecdotal. Full OF
learning and delightful "reminiscences,
he was fond of telling of the distin-
gu1shed attorneys who had appeared
before him on his New England circuit
or in the Supreme Court at Washing
| ton. His favorites were Daniel Web
ster and Jerry Mason, of Boston, and
William Pinkney, OF Baltimore. The
celebrated sculptor and poet, William
W. Story, was his son. One day, in
Rome III his studio, told him that
the first law book l ever bought was
Story on "Contracts." This pleased
him, and he expressed some faint re-
gret at eyer having abandoned his ear
ly pursuit, adding that he had not, in
the beginning of his career. purposed
50 to 90. Having some taste tor mod
elling, he had come to Rome, prompt
ed by filial affection, to put his father
in marble. Orders, pleasant and profit
abe, began to come in npon him, aud
he had never been able to withdraw
from his artistic engagements. With
some asperity, as it then seemad to me
possibly / misjndged him-he ad,
verted to the fact that he had not been
as much appreciated in the United
States as in England, for most OF his
work had been done for the latter
country.
For several months Rutherford b
HAYES and Arson BurliDgame we're m.
fellow-students end fellow-boarders
Sitting at the same table, we natural.
contracted warm friendship for on
another, and with Hayes my intimac
continued until his death. In college
he was quiet, studious, capable, truth
IF ful, thoroughly conscientious, an'
these characteristics he retained throug
,, life. AS representative in Congress
general in the Union Army, Governor
President, trustee OF the Peabody Edt
os cation Fund, and president OF the Sl'
ter Fund, he was prompt, dlllgen
as faithful in the discharge of every dut.
and, while not OF extraordinary ablllt
he never ieIl below any requirement
% and met every responsibility with fide
ity, integrity, purity and success.
Dr. Few presidential elections have e
is cited as profound interest as that b
tween Hayes and Tilden. in 1o|
st, Both sections and palties were the
lse oughly aroused, and the methods u.s.
to attain and secure victory we
is such as could not find sanction in Il
tn Or ethics. The Republicans acted
if they were entitled by a kind OF dlvl
yes right to the control Of the governmel
is and they looked upon the claims a
efforts OF the Democrats as an imper
md nent interference with their sole p
ere rogative, and an attempted re-establl'
ment of what had been forever ov
'tic thrown by the war and by popular
put frage. The contest was SO close, a
irregularities and frauds were so IL
the rant and contradictory, that the COZ
the trv was on the verge OF civil war, a
preparations were made to use the ar
e OF TO prevent the Inauguration OF Tlld
and # he should be connted In. "Retu
uck ing boards" and visiting statesm'
became and have remained terms
ON reproach, because of "the ways d
re-" and mean" with which such oif1c
lent were associated. The crisis deveIo
antiquities and omissions III the =
the stitution and the laws. Capital,
his verbally tim.d, became alarmed,
4ove men largely interested In public sec
ties began to consult and combln
good find a pacific adjustment or avolda
the Of the threatened collision. Flnf
RAN after mueh pressure, the Congl
ity." with the undisgulsed assent OF liz
six .oreed on an Electoral Cor1mlss
wind whose composition (Republlcans
Than ing a majority OF one) assured In
The vance a decision In fayor OF Hs
ather Partisans hostile to him denoui
and epitheted him as ellis Fraudo
first cy." but no one ever became fresl
(not with a clearer and better ad]udic
reso- title. In short time the exc'ten
epre- subsided. the country breathed ca
Gen and the considerate rejoiced that
Of escape had been found from
( perlls which were so near and mena
On the day before the formal Ina
"A ration ut is reported that Hayes
the oath of office privately IN adv
in anticipation of possible attem
uuuV I'LL n y hY