The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-03
To the Editor:

To the Editor:
Josiah Turner was born in Hillsboro,
n. c., 1921, and died October 26th, 1901.
He was educated at the school taught
by the elder VIM. Bingham and took a
partial course at Chapel Hill with the
class Of 1874. He read law with Judge
Ruffin and was admitted to the bar
about 1S47. He received a fair share of
the legal business of the county, but
never achieved reputation as a lawyer
was too careless in the preparation of
his cases and depended too much on
conducting them upon developments as
the matter proceeded. His first appear
ance in politics was as member of the
House of Representatives in 1852. He
was reelected in 1854 with Hon. Samuel
+. Phillips as his colleague He was an
extreme Wing at this session. Judge
Biggs and Gov. Reid were elected to
succeed Mangum and Badger in the
United States Senate 1t was admitted
by all that the representation by the ex-
change was greatly lowered in states
manship and ability Gov. Reid in his
message had recommended to the Leg
isalture an appropriation to erect 1.-TWO
small but neat and appropriate" monu-
ments in the capitol square to comment
crate the Mecklenburg Declaration and
some other historical event that do not
now recall.
Mr.. Turner commentin~ on the cleo
ton of these gentlemen delivered the
first speech Of that character, which
marked all his subsequent addresses.
Paraphrasing somewhat on Webster's re-
ply to Hayne. he said that in the election
the Legislature had carried out the re-
commentator by erecting two small
but neat and appropriate monuments
to North Cardinals former high posi-
ton in the United States Senate" The
speech was printed in the Raleigh Reg
lister. In 1856 he was nominated by the
Americans, or Know Nothings for the
Senate. He did not belong to the organ
ization. and in accepting the nomina-
tion paid worthy tribute to Judge
CASTOR, who had been a Roman Catholic,
but had done much more for North
Carolina than the State ever did for him.
This was N the days when the owner
ship Of fifty acres was required to vote
for State Senator. He was defeated by
f. 9. Cameron by majority of thirty
nine votes. Mr.. Cameron sent him word
that he had given him the law-thirty-
nine lashes.
The same candidates stood for the Sen
ate in 1858 and Mr.. Turner was victor
ious by majority of one hundred and
fifty-eight. He sent Mr. Cameron word
that he had given him Justice" Mr..
Turner was never surpassed as a
tease" Two of the candidates for the
Legislature in opposition had recently
joined the Democrats. One of them re-
ferred to the canvass as a circus in
which Mr.. Turner was the clown. He
replied perhaps ahe was the clown but
that gentleman could beat him turning
"somersets." These two gentlemen be-
ing afflicted with the summer COM
plant" asked one day that the speaking
be omitted. He consented and said he
would announce it, which he did by
stating that the cause was that these
gentlemen had been taken with the
running off,
The Legislature was overwhelmingly
Democratic Some of the younger MEM
bers would inform Mr. Turner of occur
rences in the caucus. as it could not af-
feet the result-what was said about
particular men as to their fitness for po-
sitions to which they were recommends
ed especially as to Justices of the Peace.
He would state their opinions in the
Senate, giving the name of the Senator
who advanced them. These elderly gem
tlemen could not understand how he OBJ
tanned his Information and many left un-
said what they would have said but for
fear of hearing it again in open Senate,
and that it would be heard by the people
at nome.
Justices of the Peace, after being Sc
lcctad by the caucus, We're generally
appointed in short session on Saturday
night. Mr.. Turner, DR.. Leach, of John
ston and Mr.. Cowper, of Hartford, com
bined and by discussing the various
caniidates offered kept the Senate in
session until 10 o'clock Sunday morning.
When the usual resolution was offered
to present each magistrate with copy
OF the Code he moved to strike out
Code and insert "a pair of Brogan shoes
as more useful to the Squire and equal
ly as beneficial to the State.''
He was reelected to the Senate in
1860, was ardently attached to the I'm
ion and opposed to secession unless there
was some lover act" on the part of tie
president, provided a Republican was
elected. He was a veritable thorn in
the UeSn TO those advocating secession.
When resolution was introduced to APP
propriate money to purchase arms, he
moved to strike out arms and insert
'plows and pillow points" He opposed
call of a convention in February, 1861,
and 1T was defeated when submitted to
a vote of the people. The Secessionists
did not have the necessary two third
vote required to call a convention by
the Legislature. But after the firing on
Fort Sumter he voted for the call of the
convention. which met May GOTH
Why this change of baseo The answer
forms one of the most important chap
: ters in the States history and would re-
auire more space than you would wish
to give. That the men who had been de-
nounced as traitors to their State and
section as abolitionists, submissionists
and many other epithcts intended to de-
grade on account of their attachment to
the government won by the blood and
established and reared by the intellects of
their ancestors should ever have CON
sented to aid in attempting its destruc-
ton is hard to understand, except by
those who did it. They were tho only