The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-08
THE FIRST STATE FAIR
EVER HELD AT RALEIGH
No Midway, No Fakirs, No Pckpockets, But All Kinds
of Fun. The d. O. is. Stories of Judge
Badger and Jno. B. Bobbtt.


cake sent from Fayetteville to the great
Wing meeting here on the occasion OF
Mr.. Clay's visit: ''The cake is not large
enough to give you all slice, but when
eat it will think of you all.
/ heard the remark, as stated IL
former article. but did not remember
who made it. BY the way, J would be
glad to be reminded by any of the ''old
boys" of such incidents of the long ago,
as may occur TO them, while reading these
sketches There are many things worthy
OF a place in history said and done ny
those who have gone on before Us that
viii be lost unless speedily written, and
for the sake of the pleasure the living
may derive from such history, let US
make haste to write ere the incidents be
forgotten.
Speaking of Mr.. Badger. I make bold to
say our people have not done him justice.
If he had hailed from some Northern
State. instead Of from North Carolina,
where We have not yet learned to prcp-
erly appreciate our own great men, Z
shaft would long ago have been reared
to his memory and our school books
would have been filled with extracts
from some of his great speeches, u;
instead OF that, Eame once so familiar
not only in North Carolina, but all over
the United States as well, IS but little
known TO the children OF the present day.
George E. Badger was a native II New
Bern, born in 1885, His father came from
Connecticut and married a daughter or
Richard Cogdell, who in 1775, was
member of the Provincial Council OF
Safety for the New Bern district. Tie
was educated at Yale College and studied
law with the Honorable John Stanly, and
entered the Legislature in 1916 from the
town of New Bern, serving one term OF
two years He was elected Judge of the
Superior Court in 1920, serving until 1925,
when he resigned was Secretary of the
Navy under General Harrison in 1S4l,
but resigned upon the death of the Presi-
dent; was elected United States Senator
in 1916, and again in 1S4S, in which en-
pacity he took position side by side
with the greatest men of that period
Webster, Clay, Calhoun, Benton and 9TH
ers whose names are cherished and hor.
ored by the people of the States they
so ably represented. / remember TO have
seen the statement made by Chief Justice
fancy TO the effect that las statesman
and Orator, Judge Badger was the equal
of Daniel Webster, if not his superior"
When will old North Carolina erect a
shaft to the memory OF one whose great
ness was so apparent while living, and
the lustre OF whose greatness still IL
lumInes the horizon, though third or d
century has gone by since his sun OF HE
went down?
Judge Badger, though a very great man.
was az genial and familiar on the streets
az an old farmer, and would chat pleas
antly with any person whom ne might
meet, whether preacher, doctor, lawyer.
merchant or mechanic, and he invariably
left sunshine in his wake. He was tond
of telling anecdotes, and no one could
tell one better than ne. He used to tell
about eating Daniel Webster's turkey,
while as Senator he was living in Wash
ingIon. Mr.. Webster bought a turkey at
the market, but the delivery wagon car
RED it to Mr.. Badgers residence instead
of to Mr.. Webster's and of course it
was cooked, as Mrs. Badger supposed 1t
was ordered by Mr.. Badger. The conse-
quence was Mr.. Webster had no turkey
for dinner that day, while Mr.. Badger
did, though he knew not how 1T happene d.
But a day or two after Mr.. Webster was
telling some Senator's how turkey that
he had purchased in the market failed
to come to his table, but doubtless. went
to the table of some other Senator. and
remarked mat if, through mistake, some
body's turkey had been sent to mis- house
he would have sent it back to the mar
ket, and had the mistake corrected AZ
dressing Mr.. Badger he asked: "How
would you have done, Judge?" Mr..
Bedger replied: eff turkey ever lights
on my table, I'll be sure to eat him as
/ did yours"
Mr. Badger was by no means an early
riser. He generally came down street
between ten and elevn in the morning,
having just finished his breakfast. His
habit of late sleeping was well known, AND
it was no uncommon thing for some one
to remark, in jocular way, as he would
pass along: Judge, you are out rather
early this morning." In reply to Te-
mark like this, he told of trip he made
to some court, stopping for night al
country house. Before retiring, he told
the landlady he wished to make an early
start the next morning. and asked her
what time she could have breakfast
"Well, Mister, she said, "Ill have It
as soon as I can. have sight to 90
of a morning. BY the time / make ny
fires, milk the cows, dress the children
and get breakfast the suns mighty nigh
up" ''For mercy sake. madam" sale
he, don't call me up for breakfast; early
dinner will be soon enough for me- Ard
So" said Mr.. Badger, while crowd laugh
ed, 81 got my breakfast as usual, abou'
eleven o'clock. and went on my way .e-
joicing.'
After Mr.. Badger left the Senate he
was made a magistrate and for several
years he, with two other magistrates
(Thomas G. Whitaker. my father, being
one Of them). presided over the County
Court of Wake, in which capacity he d'c
invaluable service to the county. ana
made himself very popular with the law
yers, the officers of the court and tnt
people generally. Mr.. Badger was
member of the convention which passed
the ordinance of secession in 1861. ana
he and Judge Ruffn were very enthusi-
astic when, on the goth day of May, North
Carolina, for the second time, declared
her independence. l was not in Raleigs
that day. but heard the booming of the
cannon at about noon announcing the
foot that the sold North State had lust