The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-09


criticism Will be approved by all who
read Capt. Macklm. The Bookman
says: MIR. Davis has never done any
thing 50 good as this novel not only in
the way or developing character and en-
vironment, but particularly in the way
of sl<ilful storytelling, an art that, nat
urally easy to him from the beginning, he
has since steadily developed enrichng it
by experience o. men ana things nae-
latieaply pursued, until it reaches its
highest growth 50 far, in this tale"
LETTERS OF MACON AND OTHERS
james Sprunt Historical Monograph No.
g. containing letters OF Nathaniel Ma
con, John steele and William Barry
Grove with Sketches and Notes by
Kemp p. Battle, LII b. Publishers:
he University Of North Carolina.
DR. Battle is doing the State great SER
vice in these monographs, bringing Tor
ward the letters with notes and sketches.
Very little is known of many of the
men who were leaders in North Carolina
a century ago. Dr.. Battle is giving their
record, With side--lights upon their char
acter. Three Of those OF whom DR.. Bat
tie writes in mis- monograph are Jchn
Steele, William Barry Grove and James
Hcgg. The first served in Congress with
Williamson, Ashe and Bloodworth in
1880 was elected TO the highest post in
the militia and was called General Steele.
voted With the Federalists 10 establish
the national bank, earnestly advocated
reducing the army, believing in the SUI
periority of the militia over the rcgu-
lars, and was the first Comptroller OF the
Treasury under Washington. He was de-
feated for Congress because of his eff
forts to reduce the army his position
being perverted into Indifference to the
Aufferings Of the frontiersmen from In
dian hostilites. He was once Speaker
of the House and was elected a member
Of tic House OF Commons eight times
from the borough OF Salisbury. He mar
RED Miss Mar. Nesfield, of Fayetteville
They had three daughters. Ann VINO be
came the wife of General Jesse \. Pear
sen. an uncle of Chief Justice Pearson,
Margaret who married stephen Z. Fer
rand. ~ D.. and was grandmother Of
lohn Stell Henderson, late a rcpresen-
tative IN Congress from North Carolina
and now State Senator; and Eliza, wife
of Colonel Robert Mcnamara.
William Barry Grove was once one
Of the leading men CT the State. but who
knows what he did? Or. Battle finds tha'
he lived IN Fayetteville and represented
that district in Congress as Federal list
until the Republican party under Ma
cons mutchless leadership put Federalism
70 rout in North Carolina. He voted for
Alien and Sedition laws. the protective
tariff, opposed the repeal of the act au-
tnorizing the appointment of the Mid
night Judges" and other measures that
were obnoxious to the Jeffersonian party.
Upon his defeat for Congress Mr.. Groves
political career closed He was a man
of marked influence and was one of the
Uniyersitys first trustees and one Of the
men who was cue of is best friends. He
served in tho legislature, was dele
gate to the Constitutional Convention and
voted with Iredell and Davie to ratify
tho Federal Constitution.
The third man about whom DR.. Battle
writes in this monograph is James Hogg.
Below we give his sketch in full: