The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-06-27


Religious Elevation of All the
People.
Wilmington Messenger.
We are of that class of native North
Carolinians who love devotedly the
old great State. If we could have
chosen our natal place we would have
been born in this dear "Old North
State" A Virginian editor few
years ago told us that he rather liked
North Caro.inians better than he did
the people of either his own State or
South Carolina. He simply reflected
"Our own sentiments"
We think that there is good feeling
existing all over the State and in the
| different sections for other sections.
The sad experience Of the past-the
black, hateful days of reconstruction
and later-the rough trials, the fre-
quent disappointments and grave ap-
prehensions, have served well in unit
ing the people of the whole State
more heartily and provoking kind and
sympathetic feelings. The people are
nearer together than in 1870 or 1880.
The West has sympathized with the
East in her many trials and grievous
| Affections. The East can stretch out
the hand of reciprocal sympathy and
endship aud help the West in devel-
oping her splendid resources and
building up her highways of com
merce. While all along the West has
had the larger white vote necessary
for wise, salutary Legislation the East
has paid the greater share of taxes
and because she had more developed
wealth, and had, therefore, more of
material means for the rapid develop
ment of the hidden wealth of the
manificent West, with its unsurpassed
scenery and attractions. That was
certainly the condition twenty years
ago, and it continues so to the present
if in not so pronounced difference of
situation.
What we rejoice in is the growth of
North Carolina spirit. We do not
think this is to be doubted. With
this increase of that noble spirit there
must come as necessary outflow and
concomitant true, broad North Car
olina policy-a policy not forgetful of
the past. but broadening and stretch
ing forward and upward that will
| bring untold blessings, with a result
in building up more and more home
institutions, in fostering and enlarg-
ing our industrial resources, and in
taking from the State the we'll cod
died reproach that there is more
ignorance among her white people in
proportion to numbers than are to be
found in any other State in the Union.
But great and dense as it may be, it
is not greater than England had fifty
years ago after more than thousand
years of opportunity, or that Spain
now has with only one-third of its
population capable of reading. All
hail the auspicious day. All hail to
an united people!
The time is auspicious. Now, we
may believe from the two eXtremities
of the State, and ramifying all the
counties, there is a spirit of union, a
spirit of State pride, of consecration
to it's service, an unbounded zeal fol-
good. Let every heart feel this, and
every arm DO strengthened, and let al
our people ''pull together work har
moniously and successfully we hope
for the highest good for the dear old
State-''this blessed spot as Shakes
pcare wrote of England-''this Other
Eden, demi-paradise."
We would not like to see our peo
pie filled with insufferable arrogance
with a foolish, vaunting State pride
that would render them obtrusively
and Extensively boastful. That sor
of thing is contemplate and despic
able. But we would have them to b.
as proud of North Carolina, becaus,
of her real and distinctive worth
none the less real and distinctive be
cause modestly asserted, as are th
sons of other States of their home
and people. In all that makes
virtuOus, honest, just, kind, law-abid
ing and heroic people, North Carolin
is not behind any State, behind thos
who claim more-not behind the yer,
foremost in the South. KNOWN,
much of the history of North Carolin
, for some three hundred years; know
: ing how devoted to both civil AM
religious freedom her people hav
been from the time when they frs
( took up their abode in the great viii
derness that stretched out befor
] them until this year of grace in tn
| new century; knowing how careful
they have been through all the year
5 OF her history to respect law an
1 authority when worthy Of respect
: knowing how frugal, how plain, bo,
Q prudent, how honest, how scrupu
lously observant they have been G
all contracts made in her name unit
the great war of the second independ
d ence came with all of its convulsion
:, and wrongs and upheavals-knowin
u these things, why should we not be 3
e glad and proud to say that we at
North Carolinians as was any Ather
E ian in the time of Pericles to boast b
. . was native of that chief centre Of a
:. the world. unrivalled in all ages, {
; the highest genius and the mos
]. splendid gifts; or as any aggressiy
e Roman in the time of the great CRss
to proclaim, as did the noble, inspire
Apostle PAUL. am q Roman cit
k zen:" or as the self-centred and sci
asserted Englishman of King Edwar'
8 the Seventies day, to acknowlede
J. and boast and glory in his nationa
= ity? We are indeed proud of Mort
r Carolina-..my own, my native lane
4 land of the lsal; we are proud OF h
glorious record throughout the pas
;, for the first baptism in blood in b
~ half of civil and religious liberty fro
- the first bold, open, outdoor declar
tion of independenee-that powerf
Ct cry of liberty-at Charlotte by t
daring men of Mecklenburg, in I
name of the rights of freemen fro