The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-23
TIE NEWS SATURDAY MORNING NOVEMBER % 1901

long cent urleS-S0 Will we hOn0r virtue,
elevate our State in the regard of man
kind and insnire our children with the
lessons that build character.
This task, in carrying out the duty i'm
posed upon me by the North Carolina
Literary and Historical Society, / now
commit to the hands of the wise. patri-
otic and distinguished North Carolinians,
who have been appointed as the commit
tee in charge of this pious undertaking.
Their well known ability and success
| in the varied lines Of professional and
mercantile pursuits and their high po-
sition among their fellow citizens, IN
Raleigh and throughout the State, may
| assure us that il wisdom and practical
management and generous public spirit
can effect it. they will direct to sue
cessful end. the combined efforts OF the
! people. and we trust the State herself,
| 10 render this monument a sublime me-
mortal alike to Raleigh and to the spirit
of North Carolina.
| Take this charge into your care. For
me you shall have my aid and sympathy
my heart full of love for Raleigh and
| her glory, as the representatives Of the
State of my brth-least known of all
the States to the world in her full glory,
but through your efforts, yet to stand in
her true light, before mankind. Her
! children will owe you debt of gratitude.
her historians will call you blessed, who
are SPONSORS before mankind for her
right and title to the cradle of Anglo
Saxon civilization. and the birthplace of
liberty in America.
| present you this box, as a Golfer for
the gifts of the people, who will honor
themselves when they crown the MEM
DRY of Walter Raleigh, by their tribute
to his life and character.
1t has been said, I'VE think our civil.
cation near it's meridian. but as vet we
are only at the cock Growing and the
morning star The influence of charac-
ter, however great, is only in it's infancy.
And whatsoever inspires to resemble
lofty character, makes for the golden
age of the future.
l suggest that this box be taken to the
Charleston and West Indian Exposition
during the North Carolina week 10 re-
ceive the collections of North CAROLYN
ians who may be visiting the Exposition,
and the former residents of this State
who may go there.
After music by the A. and NJ. band,
IS follows:
RECEIVED FOR THE CITY.
Mr.. Chairman, Col. Carr, Gentlemen of the
Committee, Ladies and Gentlemen:
In behalf of the city of Raj
eigh, it is pleasure to me, acting as
it's chief eecutive officer, to accept this
box from your hands, which has this
purpose as you have just heard.
Our capital city, named for so distin-
gushed a statesman, such an eminent
scholar and so devoted an Englishman,
as Sir Walter Raleigh was, accepts the
box with heartfelt thanks and wishes God
speed to this noble movement
In accepting the box We do so not for
the city of Raleigh and it's people alone,
beautiful as is our city, and enterprising
as are her citizens; nor is it for the State
of North Carolina alone, however much
We adore cur State and proud as we are
of her resources and sturdy citizens; nor
is it for the United States, proud as we
are of the STARS and Stripes" which have
been planted by other Walter Raleighs on
foreign shores, there to remain. But
this is accepted as trust for the English
speaking people. The lessons taught by
the lives of such people far outlive their
worldly fame, and remain after their
tombs may have crumbled into dust, an
ever present incentive to our people 10
follow them in their virtues and so live
that they may benefit the human family
and that at their death their neighbors
will regret their departures from their
earthly field of usefulness.
The passing notoriety of soldiers of for
tune and adventures, which often puts
their names on the tongue of every citi-
zen, is not to be compared with the worth
and services of men of character, who
devote their energies, time, money, brains
and oftentimes their lives, to the noble
work of improving the condition of their
fellow men. Fifteen years ago the name
of General Boulanger was many times
daily upon the lips of every Frenchman
and known to all the educated world as
DESTROYS of becoming Dictator of France,
solely for the purpose of advancing him.
self. Not one of our audience, I daresay,
has thought of him in six months. The
world at large appreciates the Walter
Raleighs, who benefit their fellow lnen,
far more than it does the Goths and Van
dals, one of whose leaders twenty-five
centuries ago burned the magnificent
Temple of Diana at Ephesus, avowing he
did so with no other object than to i'm
mortalize his name.
We appreciate much more the quiet
peaceable citizen, who successfully at
tends his business in quiet, and helps his
community, making two blades of grass
grow where there had been only one"
than we do the loquacious wise-acre who
belittles every enterprise he is not direct
ly Interested in and often times charges
bad faith, dishonesty and corrupt motives
to one honestly expressing an opinion diff
ferent with himself
The expeditions sent out by Sir Walter
Raleigh were, as regards permanent set
Elements and financial enterprises abso-
Lutte failures. But as the pioneer of the
work of colorizng the North American
continent, that area with it's ninety mil
lions of people tells his work far more
eloquently than any words can. The rec
ord Of his life, the achievement of sue
cess through untiring energy and under
such adverse circumstances, unappreciated
as he was by England's monarch, who
heaped uDon him indignity by long i'm
prisonmcnt and finally ending his life as
a felon on the block. is to we English
speaking people priceless heritage
For years and ages to come this monu-