Connecticut western news., 1901-11-14
A UNIQUE CHARACTER.

There died in Hillsboro the other day-October 26-a character unique in the history of the state of North Carolina. and should judge in Ameri can politics. His name was Josiah Turner and he was born in Hillsboro N. c. seventy years ago; was a lawyer by profession. In 1852 and again in 1854 ho was elected to the North Caro- lima House of Representatives as an ardent Whig. In 1856 he was tue nominee of the "Know Nothings" lone of the sntecendents of the Republican party) for the state senate. He was de- feated by P. O. Cameron. Democrat. but two years later he defeated Mr Cameron for the same office.
 Turner was reelected to the Senate in 1860 and was strongly attached to the Union. He was active in his oppo- sition to secession 'unless there was some overt act on the part of the Presi- dent, provided Republican was slec- ted. When resolution to purchase arms was introduced he moved to strike out "arms" and insert "plows and plow points" He opposed calling a con- vention in F. bruary 1861 and vote of the people sustained his position, the Secessionists not having a necessary thirds vote of the Legislature to call the convention. But after the firing on Fort Sumter he voted for the convention which met May 20, 1861. w. A Graham who was later first lieutenant in Captain Turner's cavalry, in published sketch of him explains his change of base as follows: Turner, with lots of other North Carolina men, was attached to the government won by the blood and established and reared by the intellects of their ancestors They were fatly opposed to secession and believed that remedies could be found as occasion for them arose; with a majority in the United States Senate, a Supreme Court of men of ability and integrity, the place to remedy the wrongs of the South was in the Union They believed that secession would produce emancipation while it was | offered as remedy to prevent it But war had come. What was to be gained by taking the Union side. The Presi- dent had said "this nation cannot exist half slave and half free," which meant the constitution must be overturned if it cannot be amended without regard to the conditions on which the compact was made. Mir Graham further states that the Fugitive Slave Law was prsc- tically nullified in the North while John 0. Calhoun and his followers were nullifying United States laws in South Carolina. The Whigs of North Caro- lins did not approve of the course of Calhoun and his followers; neither were they going to fight their brethren and join with Thad. Stevens and Sumner to uphold it. As it was necessary to ad- vocate secession to have standing in the Democratic party, SO it was necessary to advocate nullification to have standing in the Republican party. There was no longer any question of what could be done to save the Union. Shaking fists and making grimaces had passed the time for action had come. On which side will you fight, was all that was left to be determined. The Whig and the Democrat, the Union man and the Secessionist rallied to the flag of State North Carolina) and prepared for the conflict
 Josiah Turner's company of cavalry was reluctantly received in the southern army. on account of his views, but was entered as K company, Second N O. Cavalry, 18th N. C They were used to scout the Dover Swamp road and in an engageme at Gillet's in Onsloy County, N O.. April 13 1862, they were defeated and Captain Turner badly wounded in the head. He re- signed the following November. Lieut.. Graham. who succeeded him as captain, says that Turner's only solace during the smpsign was that the officers who were pronounced Secessionists were sharing the discomforts with him. rations but had to buy them and as Confederate money was depreciating they did not always fare first class
 In 1861 Josiah Turner had been 8 candidate for the Confederate Congress but was defeated. In 1868, however, be was elected, and was an active mem Der, and sought to end the war 'by making peace. and taking such terms as the South could get" After the war. in 1865, he was elected to the United States Congress, but with all of North Oarolina's members was denied ad- mission; still all of the representation had opposed secession. Under Andrew Johnson's reconstruction, w. W. Holden was appointed Military Governor Lincoln had intended to appoint Jona- than Worth who iE '61 was 8 strong Union man, while in the proceeding years Holden had advocated secession, and Johnson had voted for Breckinridge and Hale.
 Then began 8 tumultuous political career for Josiah Turner. He became an opponent of Helden and conducted a campaign against him sleoting Jons- than Worth as civil governor. He op- posed the Congressional reconstruction of 1867. bought the Raleigh Sentinel and sacrificed all his worldly possessions in his fight against the "Carpet- bag" government. The bitterness between him and Holden increased after Hol- den's refusal to endorse his application for pardon to the United States gov ernment. This application is said to be 8 wonderful document, briefly de- | sniAAn6 hhS b0LfACo III bu6 Sou- federate army, containing his oath of allegiance to the United States and containing page after page of an &C., count of his struggles to preserve the Union, of his efforts to end the war. of his political beliefs in which he calls the war a Democratic rebellion" and blames the principles of Jefferson for the cause of the conflict, (Turnsr was an admirer of the policies of Hamilton), and yet closes with the belief in long peace and lasting union if Democracy would turn from the principles of Jefferson to those of Washington, Chief Justice Marshall and the Constitution. Military Governor Holden recommend ed that no action be taken on Turner's petition as it appeared to be bill of indictment against tue Democracy.