The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-27

about it all was the pomp of Democracy
in supreme power-the pomp of South
ern Democracy's free and hearty well
come.
The small guard, wholly unnecessary
in fact and culpably inefficient
in watchfulness, (as the banquet
hall incident above recited provost
which everywhere attended the
President, was deemed necessary, for
two reasons-one to restrain honest
Americans from being too exuberant in
the gladness of their good fellowship,
and the other, and principal one, to pre-
vent anarchists, whose profession is
murder, from Staying the distinguished
guest of the Southern people. And while
the fear of any such catastrophe did not
for an instant find Judgement with our
people, still it is source of great hap
piness to us all that the President came
and passed among us and mingled with
us, together with his fair wife, and re-
turned home without harm Or even men,
ace.
1t was our good fortune-boldly as
sumed we now admit, but that is the pre-
rogative of a newspaper man when he
can work ito hold a position on the
reviewing stand, right up in the midst
of the President, the Governors of South
Carolina and North Carolina and other
celebrities, and being in uniform we
took our staff position just in the rear
of Governor Aycock, which brought us in
easy speech of the President and Com
mandant Cowles, who stood near him.
AS the great parade came marching by
in review, with all the glitter and i'm
posing pageantry and drum corps and
bands of thrilling martial music, that
mark such celebrations, at length North
Cardinals provisional regiment-eight
hundred strong-with that superb SOL
der, Col. Armfield, riding at their head,
came into view. Instantly the soldiery
spirit and trained eye of the President
were attracted and held in admiration
by the splendid sight, and turning to
Commandant Cowles, he said:
81 did not know there were any regu-
lars here?"
They are not" said Commandant
Cowles. THAT is North Cardinals pro-
visional regiment. here for North Caro-
lima week at the Exposition
Il have not seen a finer body of men
since 1 saw North Cardinals soldiers in
Cuba said the President.
All this was just little more than our
enthusiasm could stand in silence, and
catching the eye of the President at that
moment we gave him a respectful waiting
salute, and as he turned his ear gra-
eiously to hear our words. we said to
him:
"Mr. President, those soldiers and your
excellencys comment bring spontaneous
ly from my heart to my lips the words
nf mr. oil ION
Old North Carolina." and the President
nodded a smiling assent. And surely
did that prayer from the patriotic heart
and pure lips Of Lee avail with Him who
holds the destinies of nations and has
rested ever since as a bendiction upon
our beloved State whereby her sons still
win for her the admiration and plaudits
of the world.
Quite large party of the Governors
contingent of staff officers and other in
vited guests, together with the Governor
himself, were doing the points of inter-
est around the harbor on board the Bry-
an Morgan steam yacht, Friday fore
noon. when the sound of the sobbng
notes OF the church bells of Charleston
came throbbing mournfully DER the
beautiful city and out upon the waters
sunshine of a cloudless day, and across
her harbor bar and on to sea, and on
turning the eye landward the flags
everywhere were seen floating at half
mast. The gay party of sight-seers
knew that something of unusual moment
had happened and the boat was immedi-
ately ordered back to her wharf. which
no sooner had she touched than was
oe1yo
amidst the gala ostentations of the
hour, and when the answer came-"Gen.
Wade Hampton is dead"-there was an
instant bowling of barred heads in silence,
and the heart stood still as memories of
this glorious old hero came trooping
back from the historic sixties, bringing
tears with them, as the memories of
high hopes once fondly cherished will
when they come back fondly withered.
This writer knew Gen. Hampton init
mately and we'll, and 1 never stood in
his presence and looked into his sabre
SCARED countenance but what ! felt the
awe of reverence and the pressure of
silence born of that hero-worship which
only great souls can command; and when
was delegated by Governor Aycock, to-
gether with Col. w. d. Pollock, likewise
Vi his eXcelleucy personal SIdH, TO at
tend the memorial exercises in honor of
Gen. Hampton in Charleston on Satur-
day afternoon and Sunday evening and
there represent the State of North Caro-
lima, on whose soil he fought his last
battle, whose people he loved, and who
dearly loved him, / felt more highly hon.
ored than can ever come to me again in
this life-for-well-there are few now
left who wore the Gray, and when they
shall walk no more among us the world
will never look upon their like again for
ever. One by one they are passing, pass
ing lover the river to rest beneath the
shade of the trees" Ere long the Army
of the Gray will be marshaled on the
other side. God grant that when His
great orderly shall approach to report
the last roll call of that army on eter-
nity's shores that report may be-'The
ranks all full, not a soldier missing"
There were a number of unusual and
peculiar historic condolences connected
with North Carolina week at Charles
ton. Some of the more striking of these
are: 1t was from Fort Moultrie, in
Charleston harbor, that the first gun
was fired on Fort Sumter in the War Be- |