The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-05-11
LIS CT DISTINGUISHED
NORTH CAROIINJANS

W. - Itcie a:-u PuDnShed by tn
:, North Carolina Historical Society. hs
received many pleasing comments b
the press of the State, and it merit
them all.
The Biblical Recorder recently re
3, viewed the book, and said in part:
North Carolina has been blessed will
Il few great lives; she has given a
many, it not more, to other States
| Whether amongst her sons ard daugfl
jers any of the New Worlds creates
are to be numbered is a question which
North Carolinians are apt to dispute
With others. There are North Caro-
!inians who say that her sons have
had equal chance with those of Vir-
| ginia but we hold us above that: 1t
IS shame to say that ones native heath
is against ones birth. North Carolina
is not Nazareth. Greatness may oc-
| casionally appear accidental, but when
1t does the matter Of locality is not the
determining incident: We would be-
lleve that had the sons who won fame
beyond her borders made their careers
at home, the State would have been as
worthy OF them as the land of their
adoption,-for that enables one to say
that those who stayed at homo and
became great, did not do SO simply be-
cause they stayed at home.
North Carolina has produced great
lives, but not many il one is scrupulous
OF the word. OF good men and women.
women with all the worthy greatness
OF the world in them, no state has been
blessed with more. Nevertheless she
can hardly lay claim upon any OF the
first ten of Americas great men or
women, whether on the rolls OF states.
men or men of letters or inventors or
1lscoverers, unless it be--and we are
inclined to hold it-that Nathaniel
''last of the Romans, us ranked
With Washington, Jefferson, Franklin,
Monroe, Hamilton, Adams, and any
;hree others whom one may choose to
i'd. And the pity is that to those who
lave achieved greatly for US, and to
hose who were great without getting
nto offices of greatness, we have not {
ven ourselves given them the honor
ue. Perhaps the fact that we had :
zone at the very top has kept US from
eeing those who deserve richly O, orr !
1'e and veneratlon. But this should t
ot be. =
At any rate let no man tolerate the ]
ot1on that North Carolina has not c
cen blessed and greatly blessed the a
ord with good and great men. And {
It US one and all be glad for a hook at
st, that using the modest word "Dis-
ngulshed," sets forth to show Us and
IF children somewhat OF the charac-
RS OF some OF the sons OF North Caro-
'' Ahu IL thSie Is touch OF a Il
nse OF lacking, let US be sure that il
ON the loins of our Commonwealth
all yet spring a greater than they all. Il
The method of the book before us is o
nple, and 1t has its merits even here. t
Is not the work of one man. In fl
ead we have the life of some dist,n- Il
|'shed son written by another, more &C
less distinguished. And the life set IT,
rth is embelllshed with some literary vi
of its subject. For exam m
William A. Graham writes of Geo. al
Badger and Thomas Ruffin, and al fr
end OF the sketch of Badger is Civ ht
his great speech on Slavery and the 0,
hon, and to that of Ruffin Is added NJ
OF his most notable "opinions.' so
turn Montford McGehee writes Of W;
aham. ~,
The work is on the whole very we'll re-
le. The three sketches by Graham. pe
o has three of the choicest subjects. wi
not surpassed. The sketch of Macon re-
llso excellent. And the others are to
'd-some OF them would be better if w
lr subjects could suffer it, In at th
81 three instances the subjects fall 81
ar below their fellows that one can WI
expect much OF the men who had wi
writing of the sketches. But there TT
OF subject unworthy of being an
ded down, nor sketch not richly
tn the reading. ces
he mechanical work is most worth tot
done. Print, binding and paper are by
hat could be desired.
re advise our readers to get this
K for themselves, for their children.
North Carolina and for the men -
'se deeds 1t records. W.
have been a SJ1ffaror fro,o oLuo