Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-07-11
AfCUCk'S ADDRESS
delivered at the uuilford Battle
Nround july hfb

greensboro, Special.-The annual
celebration at the GWlford Battle.
Ground, July 4th, was fully ub to the
standard of those OF former years. A
very large crowd was present and the
exercises were thoroughly enjoyed by
all The principal avent was the ad-
drsss OF GaFernor Aycock, who made
! Ebart but eloquent speech on our
colonial history. The Governor was
/ most charmlngly introduced by the
master OF ceremonies, James W. For
DIS, Esq. as "a ripe scholar, a wise
statesman, an uncommon orator,
christian gentleman, and North Caro-
mas greatest living commoner."
Governor Aycock spoke OF the strug.
giles which went on from the earliest
settlement Of the colony until the peo.
pie wrestled their freedom from Brit
ish tyranny and oppression. There
was constant contest between the
people and the Governors, the sheriffs
tax collectors and other officers of the
crown, for even in those early days
North Carolinians were a strong and
sturdy people who knew their rights
and dared to assert them. While THIS
was true, the people received with
kindness the Governors and other off,
cials sent over by the Crown and
treated them we'll until they showed a
disposition to override the will of the
people. The speaker said, while his
tory shows that, in America, the
struggle for liberty was usually begun
by the leaders, in North Carolina, t
was the masses who first took up the
fight for individual rights, maintain
ing the struggle until their represan.
tatives were instructed to declare for
independence CT Great Britain. The
first blood Of the Revolution was spill
ed on North Carolina SOIL at the bat
tie Of AlamanCe, and the Regulators
who made a stand there against for
elgn oppression were not law breakers
though they were fierce. The evils by
which they were surrounded rendered
1T necessary that they should be
strong, and even fierce. But for Ala
nance North Carolina would not have
been the first State to pronounce the
Declaration of independence
Continuing Governor AycCck said:
IF we would be worthy Ct the ancestry
of those who d ed on this field (Guil-
OF the liberty obtained by the blood of
our fathers. If we are worthy de.can-
dants of them, we will hold as ten
aciously as they held to every founda.
tiOn Of liberty Let every citizen IN
Gerstand that he is under obligations
to maintain the liberty beGueathed to
him The speaker asserted that there
was only one way Of doing this: that
was TO install the principles Of liberty
deep into the hearts Of the people by
educating every child in NorthCarO-
lima. He cOntended that this was the
view held by those patriots who first
asserted their independence, and that
when they declared themselves free
they appropriated the sum OF $4,000
to the cause of education. While the
money With which to pay that apprO
priatiOn was not available, that was
the first step taken in North Carolina
for public education. The Governor
declared that the education Of the
people was the highest duty OF North
CarOlinans to-day and that every ct
iZen should be willing to make any
sacrifice necessary for the education CT
every boy and girl in North Carolina.
Governor AycOck spoke for % N n
utes and was listened to with earnest
ness by the immense crowd before
him. At the conclusion Of his address
the master Of ceremonies introduced
Mr.. r F. Bcasley, editor Of The Mon.
roe Journal who spoke on the battle OF
EliZabethtown.
Mr.. Beasiey's address was CT great
historical worth and gave evidence OF
much patient research into a portion
Of history Of which but little has been
known. Mr. Beasley read very
graphic account of that battle from 4
manuscript written by Robert E. Troy,
of LumbertO1. at the dictation OF
James Cain. Of Bladen county, wAO
was one Of the 70 brave and fearless
men who met and ovsrWhelm ed ZOO
trained British soldiers at Elizabeth
town. Bravery supplied the place OF
numbers and won for those 20 half
famished Wings under the command
Of Col. Thonl1s Robertson undy!ng
fame.