The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-23

|
winter of 1894 his health having become
still further impaired, he was induced
To go to Florida and spend some weeks
| in the hope that he might be benefited
| Hope proved vain, however, and he a-e.
| turned to Washington, hoping that he
| might be able ito resume This seat in the
| Senate, but he went home only to lingel
and ito die.
| Soon after the death of his first wife
| he became a cOmmuning member of the
| PRESBYTERIAN church in this city. He had
| long been a regular attendant upon dts
services lit can do MO harm NOW for me
TO tell of the regret he expressed ito me-
soon after his return from his wife's
burial. that he had mot joined the church
in her lifetime He had been Influenced
to stay out, he sand, by the dishonest
lives of some church members The knew.
He admitted lit was mot "a sufficient rea-
son: but he deSpiSed hypocrisy and was
reluctant to put himself an such fellow
ship with some who were hypocdtes. lie
had long been a prime favorite with re-
lgious ministers, worthy of their calling,
and a few among them failed to find in
him. if not a technical theologian, one
as we'll verSed i'm the Bible and the his
tory of Christianity as themselves. He
could mot but be broad and catholic in
his views. and opposed to sectaran big
otry. While in CARRIER years his Lighter
conversation and occasional over-em-
phatic langua ge led many to think other
wise, there was ever II strong religious
clement in him, end he had always pro-
found faith in AN Over-ruling Providence
In politics he was by binth and educa-
ton, an ardent Federalist, and so COM
tinued until the war came ON. The cor
nerstone Of the Southern Confederacy
being States Rights. and having to labor
during the war to protect the rights Of
his State. whose constitution and laws
were largely i'm his keeping, he began to
change his political views. Federal ag-
greSsion and on the nights of the States
during the WAR, and especially upon the
rights of the Southern States during the
Terrible period of reconstruction. made
him realize the value of the checks adj
vocated by Thomas Jefferson to prevent
the Capitalization of governmental mower
at the National capital; and he gradually
became an eareSt advocate of the pIln-
ciples of .Ieffersonian Democracy. l
doubt whether there is to be found a
stronger defence and justification of the
course of the Southern States ON 1861.
in so few wOrds as rs to be found i'm an
address he delivered December 8, 1866.
by invitation, before the Andrew Post
No. Is. of the Grand Army of the Re-
public in Boston. Mass. His large au-
disciples of Wendell Phillips and Charles
Summer; but when he finished that adj
dress. an which bold candOr was but lit
tie sweetened by the politeneSS due by
him as guest, his hearers hardly knew
whether Massachusetts or South Caro-
lima was more responsible for the sins OF
slavery and secession, if sins they were.
1t was to their credit, as well as his,
that the address was received with
Gus to hear the other side, from one who
best knew it; and surely they heard it.
Their preiudiceS must have been shaken,
if not, with some, broken down.
| have alluded to Governor Nance's
physique at the time of the Vance-Set-
tie campaign. From the time he was
student at Chapel HIM until after he be-
came governor. he was slim, and weighed
perhaps, under 100 pounds; and. after
the fashion then passing away. he wore
his black hair long, almost to his shout
ders, and thrown back from his brow.
You can 50 see him i'm the portraits of
the three successive colonies of the
Twenty-siXth North Carolina regiment
in the State library. After he passed
middle age he increased i'm fieShneSs until
before fatal disease attacked ihim he
weighed, probably, go pounds. One of
his legs was broken by Il fall from an
apple three when he was u child and
was always little shorter than the
other A hmp was avoided by having the
heel of the shoe. fer the foot of the short
limb, made higher than the other: but
this caused a sailors roll or slightly
staggering gait 10 his walk This seems
to have been an aid to his beaming face
and iovial manner. when he came in the
presence of friends; and they unccn-
sciously greeted his advent with Il smile
of pleasure. After middle age his hair
turned gray and gradually almost white.
He then wore 1T short, and Ut ever re-
manned thick. How well it suited his
large, shapely head. and how it. with
his portly figure, graced his seat in the
Senate. Who, by the way, visited Wash
ington from this State, and took his seat
in the Senate gallery during the years
proud of our representative an that
body? We have seen what impression
our Junior Senator made. How about
our senior Senator. General Matt. w.
Ransom. who now full of years and
honorS, is spending the evening of hiS
life IN man 5 most wholesome and indie
pendent occupation, the tilling of the
soil; the largest farmer in the State.
Tall, erect, of graceful figure and hand
some face. with eagle eye, polished man
ne1S, and unsurpassed in dignity Of bear
lng and courtesy, whether i'm his seat or
cOnverSing with fellow senators in aisle
or lobby, the attention of every stranger
was attracted by his distinguished APP
pearance. His great natural ability and
scholarly attainments are universally
acknowledged. That. without military
training, me rose to the rank of Major
General in the Confederate Army, at
tested his skill and gallantry in war.
And when it is remembered that, after
it was confessed by the chief justice of
North Carolina, that the power of the
Judiciary Of the State was exhausted
and unable to afford the equal protection
of the laws to leading citizens of Ala
nance and CasWell, imprisoned by mill
tary orders of the infamous Kirk and
Bergen, it was upon General Ransom's
suggestion. after AN interview with Hon.
Geo. w. Brooks. that the writ of habeas
corpus from Il United States judge was
successfully invoked, and the prisoners
set free. and peace restored an our b0r-
ders, it must be admitted that our gIati-
tude was due to him too. While not
given to untiring labor like his colleague,
OH the great questions before the Senate
and not often participating in debate,
few were as eloquent or listened to with
greater attention when he did claim the
floor; and no one can deny that he was
ever watchflll for the interests of the
IL I II