The progressive farmer., 1901-07-02

that grand scene for which Massa-
chusetts has no parallel, the meet,
ing which issued the immortal dec.
Iaration of Independence at Neck
burg, goth May, 1775?
They immortalized by pen and
pencil the defeat of the Americans
at Bunker Hill. Where and how
have we placed before admiring
eyes the first victory for the Ameri-
can arms which was achieved at
Moore's Creek in February, 1776,
that striking scene when the planks
of the bridge being taken up, brave
men crossed on the stringers, amid
the fires of battle, as the Moslemg
tell us souls pass TO paradise over
Al Straits arch, spanning by a single
hair the flames of hell?
Pencil and brush and pen love to
linger on the grand scene when, on
July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies
declared that they ought to be and
were sovereign and independent.
But has anyone ever seen a similar
picture of that meeting of the Pro
vincial Congress Ut Halifax, April
II, 1776, when the first resolution
was passed by the State instructing
thu other Congress at Philadelphia
to do what was done nearly three
months later? Had we impressed
that by story, by statue, or by stip-
pie plate upon the minds of our own
people, would scholar like Senator
Lodge have forgotten it or ignored
it in his study of those times?
Brave men lived before Agamem-
non and brave men and great men
have lived, at least they did live in
those times, south of the Virginia
line, but what have we done to per-
petuate their memories? In nearly
every home in Massachusetts hangs
a portrait of John Hancock, or one
of the Adams. Where is our Cor
nelius Harnett or Richard Caswell?
They have Warren falling at Bunker
Hill, where is our engraving of
Nash falling on the field of German.
town?
Like a silhouette the heroic figure
of Hardy Murfree leading his for
loirn hope of North Carolina to the
capture of Stony Point, on the Hud
son river stands out against the sky
line of history. But who has pre-
served the name of those brave fol
lowers, what engraving presents
their immortal action to our chill.
dren, what graphic pen has made
the scene a living one to our people?
What has been said or sung or en-
graved as to the North Carolina
line, steady as the old guard of Ma
pOleOn at Eutaw Springs and on
many other fields?
And at d later date where are our
engravings of other patriotic sons of
North Carolina who could have been
an honor to any people?
It was Themistocles who declared
that the trophies of Miltiades would
not allow him to sleep. The Israel
ties when they had passed over
Jordan, built twelve pillars that
their children s children might'ask
"What means these stOnes?" that
posterity being told the story of
Israel's greatness in war and the
unity of the twelve tribes, might
bear it in rememcrance of ali ages.
Where are our trophies, the proud
memorials of the great deeds of our
ancestors, whose aspects shall stir the
hearts of aspiring youth to emulate
them, and to repeat our Marathons
on future fields.
The State has a great history. It's
people have shown themselves equal
to every call upon them and equal
TO every occasion.
But that history has not yet en-
presented as it should be. Tell it as
it happened, it's grand deeus, it's he
rOic sutferirgs, it's unvaunting per-
formance Of duty in the face of
every danger, its accomplishing en-
durance of every hardship.
Paint its striking historical Incl
dents by brush as we'll as by pen
engrave them, hang them on the
walls of your school rooms, your
libraries and your pubic buildings,
put them in your school books.
Painter and historian have recorded
for the admiration of future ages
that Sir Philip Sidney, when woun-