The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-19
EL0QUENCE, ANECD0TE
ENTERTAINED THE AUDIENCE
FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS.
VANCE AS CITIZEN AND Official
An interesting View of the States Most Popu-
lar Son by One Who Knew Him
Intimately in Public and
Private Life.

TftYale Lie,
Hon. II. H. Battle, of Raleigh deliv-
cred the first of the regular annual series
of lectures at st. Mary's school last might,
his subject being Vance" Mr. Battle
knew North Churchman's great Commoner,
in public and private life, in the storm
and stress of war and in the SUMMER
days that preceded and followed his term
as WAR Governor" ais few men I'm the
State knew him. He spoke of Vance
last might out of the fullness of his
knowledge and the warmth of an affec-
tionate friendship That Vance inspired
in all with whom he came in contact.
For nearly two hours Mr.. Battle enter
tanned his audience with incidents, and
anecdotes of Vance i'm his habit as he
lived and the public arena.
Mr.. Battle began by quoting Senator
Ransom's eloquent tribute on the floor
of the Senate to his dead colleague. He
said that for two years during the war
he had acted as confidential secretary
to Vance and for one year as his APP
pointee to the office of auditor had been
in daily contact with him under the most
trying circumstances and felt that in
measure he understood why it was that
Vance was the States favorite son. He
had been at college with Vance, i'm the
same literary society with him and had
known his surroundings at his early
home The speaker told many amusing
incidents Of Vance's early history, show
ing that even as a boy he was noted for
the wit which afterward made him so
dreaded by opponents ON the stump and
so popular with the people.
Vance, he said, often told with great
relish of the scene between him and his
aunt who had always wanted him to be
a Presbyterian preacher, and how when
finally he had told her that after trying
he was convinced that he could never
be good enough to be a Presbyterian
preacher she ha dasked as a compromise
if he did not think he could be good
enough to re an Episcopal preacher.
Mr. Battle said that Vance's numor
had led MANY people to form a false esti-
mate of him, to regard him as mere
joker. But when the time came he
had eclipsed by his earnest eloquence
such statesmen as Morehead, Badger,
and Graham, Badger declaring that he
was the greatest stump speaker the
world had seen. Il heard John Sher-
man say once," said the speaker that
while Vance was in Congress he had
recognized his great ability, his wit and
his perfect honesty and declared he
would fill a great place in public life"
As illustrating Vance's acuteness as a
judge of people Mr.. Battle related the
experience of his first canvass for Con-
gress and triumphant election when all
his friends had predicted his overwhelm-
ing defeat In that campaign Vance had
turned his ability to play the fiddle to
account just as Bob Taylor did in after
years in Tennessee.
Especially interesting was that part Of
the lecture which dealt with Vance as
the War Governor of the State. Mr..
Battle relating many incidents that in all
the wealth of material concerning Vance
have not hitherto found place. 1t would
be a service to the State if Mr.. Battle
should see fit to put in permanent form
much of the valuable historical matter
known only to him and part of which he
told so entertainingly to his audience
yesterday evening. Il know from my
own observation" said he, that no man
ever toiled harder, j have never seen one
toll so hard, Tor himself as did Vance
for the people of his State during the
war; 1t was due to him alone that the
troops of North Carolina were better
clothed and better fed than those of any
her Southern State"
Mr.. Battle touched briefly ON Vance's
campaign against Holden and declared
that the ablest speech he had ever heard
in his life was made 10y Vance from the
Southeast corner of the court house in
Raleigh when the whole street and all
the vacant space around was jammed
with people eager to hear him; he per-
suaded the people THAT despite disaster
the time had not come when North Caro-
lima could honorably withdraw from the
compact she had made with the South
ern Confederacy. He was trilImphantly
reelected.
AS showing Vance's great power over
| men his visit to the army Of Northern
| Virginia was instanced, General Lee
saying ON his departure that he had been
worth $4,000 men to him.
| After mentioning in passing the arrest
and Imprisonment of Vance after the fall
of the Confederacy and the cheerful for
| titude with which he bore private mis-
fortune, Mr. Battle spoke of his great
work in the Senate after the restoration
of the union, and lastly of his sad home
coming when a State put ON mourning
for her greatest son and like Rachel Of
old would not be c0mforted.
A large number of city people awaited
| themselves of DIR. Bratton's invitation
to hear the lecture and the chapel of
the school was tllled to the limit of its
/ capacity.
At the close of the address DIR. Brat
| ton announced that lectures ON various
| subjects would be given fortnightly dur
| ing the winter.