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


questions and cases growing out of
the conscript law, until we left the
capitol, April II, 1865, the day before
it's occupation by Sherman. During
these three years, while his labors were
herculean and his anXieties intense, |
! was in daily association with him, some
times in the privacy of his home and l
had the best of opportunities to hear
what he said. to see what he did, and
Then and ever afterwards he treated me
with the kindness and confidence, and
| (may | not say) with the affection of
an older brother. L would have been
blind indeed not to have learned his real
| character. and callous indeed not to have
| felt for him the affection of a brother.
/ If, then, in Il cursory review of the
leading events of his life and an at
tempt to delineate his character | seem
to be influenced by natural bias. [
can only say, | try to tell things as
they were. and remind you that | am
only giving reasons for the verdict OF
the people, attested by what we see
here today, that, taking into considera-
| ton the many elements which constitute
| greatness, and measuring all her SONS
| by its many standards. in all the history
of North Carolina, Iebulon =. Vance
wisdom and the exercise of the civic
virtues of Cincinnatus, we may as
sign the pre-eminence to Nathaniel
Macon: for polished craftsmanship in
times of peace, to William Castor or
William A. Graham; for profundity as
an advocate and logician to George E.
Badger; as Il great jurist to Thomas
Ruffn: for the graceS of magnificent
atory to Willie =. ManGum: for the
talent to develop the internal resources
of State to John NJ. Morehead; but
in achievement as Il leader, in inducing
others to follow him by the strength of
his personality for what he said and
what he did. in peace and in war,
towards shaping the destiny of the State
and for promoting the welfare of the
people, Vance was ahead of them all.
Some writer has said that it takes
three. generations to make Il gentleman.
The history of Western North Carolina
shows that it took three generations of
heroic and patriotic citizens to make
| our Vance. His father was David
Vance and his mother. Margaret,
daughter of Zebulon Baird: and the
vances and the Bairds. sturdy Scotch
Irish people. from Kings Mountain
He inherited from such ancestors il
spirit Of independence, love of free
| dom, and Il reverence for the true, the
pure and the good. along with strong
mind and sound body. He,inherited little
| else: for his father died when he was
a boy. leaving a widow and eight chill
dren to he supported on Il small farm,
and besides few slaves. scarcely more
personal property than was necessary to
pay his debts and funeral expenses. SO
IcbulOn WAS poor boy, who had to
make his own way in the world. When
about twelve years old. his father sent
him across the mountains, on horseback,
10 for in school.
known rs Washington College, i'll East
bedside he reached only in time to see
Tennessee; but he was soon called home
9soqM 'IeUlpI s!q 10 ss0uII! Iel!oW 9Vl Al
him die All the education, i'll schools.
he then had or acquired afterwards
until he became of age. was Obtained III
| little schools in the neighborhood of his
native home. That home was about ten
miles northwest of Asheville IN the
county of Buncombe, and but Il few
hundred yards from the French Broad
| River. Born and reared in the shadows
of the highest peaks of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. with Mount Mitchell and
Pisgah in full view from the surrounding
hills and with the music of the mountain
streams and birds in the air, the boy,
endowed with uncommon intelligence
and an active imagination, was early in
spired with love of his native land,
while his soul was attuned to the
poetry of nature. Patriotism and
poetry. lofty sentiments are lose
| ly akin, and these sentiments most
abound where nature is most pic
turesque and grand, where the mists of
morning are dispelled from glowing
peaks by the rising sun. and the length
enng shadows of evening change the
form and color of cloud, forest and
mountain, where rushing streams ana
| leaping cascades furnish. to the eyes
which can see and ears attuned to hear
beauty and charm unknown to dwell
ers among the foothills or on the level
lands below. The intelligent inhabitants
of such a region learn to love their
homes intensely. and are ever ready TO
fight and die for them. SO it was ever
with the Swiss and the Highland Scotch.
where mountains echoed and re-echoed
their patriotic songs; and we read in
people were taken by their conduerers
| from the mountains and hills of Gallilee
and Judea and carried captive to the
plains of Babylon, they hung their
harps upon the Willows" and wept tears
of despair for their country. Certain 1T
| is, that, in my observation of the great
and patriotic men of our State. her two
most devoted sons were borE and reared
among the mountains of Buncombe
beneath all this, solid ability, earnest
purpose and II power to influence others,
which made them predict for him lead
ership in the future. He had then
David j. Swain and Zebulon B. Vance.
Inspired alike by the poetry of the Bible
and of nature their souls We're open to
all high and patriotic emotions. At first
their love was given to their native
homes. but as the sphere of their lives
and labor widened it was extended to
State and country. Was it due to this
special quality of virtue, of parent in
them, that they. each became the chief
magistrate of the State ut the early age