The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-10

pratons, especially towards anything
like paying interest on the public debt.
will realize that If nothing had been done
by the trustees the bill would have been
sunk in the quagmire or "innocuous de-
suetude." Accordingly, with the approval
of all, and at the request of many trus-
tees. the secretary and treasurer spent
several weeks in the unpleasant business
of lobbying for the measure. The sur
viving members Of the General Assem-
bly, will bear witness that he used no
argument, not even to the value of Il
cigar or glass of lemonade, other than
earnest pleading for higher education.
| The most active workers for the bill
were Representative Willim V. Mebane.
who exchanged his sophomore gown i'll
1861 for the uniform of Il Confederate
soldier: Col Paul B. Means. OF the last
always been ready with head and time
and purse to put forward his alma mater;
George V. Strong. Il first honor man of
the class of 1S45. who then made one of
the most eloquent of his many eloquent
speeches during Il long and successful
career at the bar; and those high law
yers. Messrs Marshall Il. Pinnix, of
the class of 1850: Platt d. Walker, of
1S65-61; John NJ. Moring, of 1S60-62; w;
c. FIELDS of Allegheny. of 1869. Good
work in our behalf was done by others,
who mainly. on account of the civil war,
were not sons of the University. re-
call the strong appeals of Col. :. Med.
| Tate of Burke, one of our trustees. and
one of the ablest men of the Piedmont
country, whose position as chairman of
| the committee on finance gave HIM
peculiar power; of Alfred NJ. Erwin of
Mcdowell, whose advocacy could not
possibly have had any tain of self-in
| terest because he was confirmed OLD
bachelor: of Mr.. Spears of Harnett, and
of the able chairman of the Judiciary
| committee. who had then as little idea
of ever having Il position iii our faculty
as he had of being chief justice of Porto
Rico or one of the PHILIPPINES; our es
teemed professor of law, eX-.Iudge James
Cameron MacRae, then of Cumberland.
In the Senate the University had
counted noses and ascertained their safe
| ma jOrity, and they concluded not to con-
sumo time by speaking. Mr.. w. W.
PEBBLES Of Northampton. however, could
not he restrained, and short but strong
speeches were made by Messrs. f.. w.
Kerr of Sampson. W. +. French of Co
lumbus. Joseph Cashweil of Brunswick
and Bladen. Col Edward Cantwell of
New Hanover. and last but by no means
! least, by one, although an alumnus and
trustee of another institution, always
our friend, active and efficient. now
trustee of ours, Charles Manly Cooke of
Franklin.
On March > Mr. Tate reported the
bill with the chilling statement that ''the
committee were divided, il portion recon-
mending its passage 1t was made Il
special order for March 4. subsequently
! changed to March g. when it was again
postponed to March H. These postpone
ments were at the instance of friends of
| the measure. who were laboring to miti
gate the intensity of the hostility threat
ening to be fatal.
On the 18th of March the bill failed to
pass the second reading by Il vote of II
to IS. Mr. Norment who voted with
the negative for the purpose. moved to
reconsider The motion to table this
failed. Is to ~. and the motion to re-
consider prevailed by IS to 46, and the
bill WAS made Il special order for
March i.
On this day the friends of the measure
thought they could pass it without IL
division. but the speaker decided it was
lost \ motion to reconsider was at
once carried. 81 to 81. and then the bill
| passed its second reading by the hand
some majority of 53 to Az.
Ordinarily the opposition to Il measure
is put forward on the second reading. but
such was the anmosity to this measure
that every effort was made to defeat it
on the third reading. which was set for
March II. Amid breathless excitement.
surrounded by crowds in the lobby and
galleries, tifty-one members recorded
their vote in the affirmative and fifty i'll
the negative. The fate Of the University
hung on one vote. Judge Macltae. ever
watchful, at once moved to make the
triumph irreversibe and succeeded, by
80 to 80. twenty majority.
| An incident. of which | was personally
cognizant. well shows the perils sur
rounding the measure. Its friends had
induced few members. who felt bound
to vote no" not to do so when their
| NJ nj ha hon, hnt
some waverers might like to be with
those who seemingly were triumphant.
An excellent gentleman. Mr.. Mclver of
| Moore, came to me and said: MIR.
Battle, | wish Your bill to pass, and il
necessary it shall have my support. But
in Difference to them, ii am not needed,
| will vote no. SO. when his name
was called, he kept silent. When the roll
was finished the University was FIVE or
six in the majority. and Mr.. McIver
said: Mr.. Speaker, | ask leave to vote
no. Then 50 many members. silent at
| first, followed his example that there
was Il majority in the negative. Turning
to me, with comically WHY face. before
| the result was announced. he whispered
I've got to do it, Mr.. Speaker | ask
leave to change my vote. | vote AYE.
And | wish to record, in memory of my
ancient friend and DESIGNATE. Col. Rufus
|
of 1880. and graduate of 1851. then il
trustee. that the member of Forsyth. DR..
Wheeler, Il few minutes before the vote
was taken said: Il intend to support
your bill. | have just received letter
from one of my constituents. Colonel
Patterson, which convinces me that it
is right"
The University had plane sailing in
the Senate. In the first place. its sons
were YER: strong there. and they were
men of talent and influence. These were:
| c. VI. T. McCauley of Union. grand
son of Matthew McCaulcy, one of the
donors of the University site. \. b.,
! 1898.
Nicholas w. Boddie of Nash student
of 1S43-l4.
Joseph +. Stickney of Beaufort, stu
dent of 1S4I-4S.
Leigh Richmond Waddell of Johnston,
\. T.. 1852
William w. PEBBLES of Northampton,
\. b.. 1873
James 7. Morehcad of Guilford. a. B..
| 1888.
William \. Graham, Jr., of Lincoln,
Il student of 1S36.J9
Charles Manly Busbee of Wake, IL stu
dent of 1S65-6S.
And as reading clerk we had, then in
his prime Patrick Henry Winston. Jr..