The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-10-22

Ladies' and Gentlemen: The COM
mittee in charge OF this celebration
have honored me with the high duty
OF extending to you a welcome to
your old home. If could but find
fitting words to express the breadth
and depth of the gladness which stirs
the heart of North Carolina today
the duty would be transformed for
me into the highest pleasure. We
are glad to have you with US once
more. You come to us not as young
er sons who have wasted your pOr
tons in riOtOus living, but as sons
who left us with our blessing to seek
the favOrs of fortune elsewhere, and
having won your places in other
States have come home at last to
renew your acquaintance with Old
friends and rejoice again amid the
scenes of your youth. We shall there
fore kill no fatted calves for you, no
robes shall be brought out, and no
rings placed upon your fingers. You
are at home again to share with us
all the things which we have. The
North Carolina look is in your eye;
her speech is on your lips; her ideals
live i'll your hearts. We rejoice in
your presence; take delight in your
prosperity; praise you for the things
which you have done, and hope the
utmost of your future. We wish you
to feel that this is now again your
State. Wewould awaken the memo
ries of your early youth and stir
afresh your old-time affection. And
this State OF your nativity is worthy
OF your love Her history is such as
to Justify your pride in her. Her
achievements compare with those OF
any other States, and make her sons,
wherever they be, proud to be known
as North Car Jlinians. You can sing
with us:
"Carolina. Carolina, Heavens blessings at
tend her,
While we live we will cherish, protect and de-
Though scorners may sneer at and Writings
defame her,
our hearts swell with gladness whenever we
name her.
"She was the first of the colonies
to be settled, and although that set
| tlement was not successful it is Il
| source of qualification that it was
made under the patronage of the sol
der, navigator, scholar. statesman
and martyr, Sir Walter Raleigh. On
her soil the first white child born OF
English parentage came to bless the
Western World Here liberty had
it's birth and here it reioices in its
| fullest beauty. North Carolina was
settled by men who found the liberty
of other colonies and States short OF
their desires English, Virginians
French. New Englanders, Swiss, Ger.
mans, HuguenOts, Scotch, Irish, Of
whatever nationality they might be-
they sought this land i'll order that
they might found Il State which
should be a&t home for the freest Of
the free They were imbued with 4
passion for liberty says Bancroft
and in their earliest days they Sc
cured for themselves and Transmitted
to us both liberty of conscience anC
conduct With absolute freedom
of conscience benevolent reason was
the simple rule of their conduct.
| They were tender and open,' gentle
to the weak and fierce only against
tyranny. They were led to the choice
of their residence from the hatred o
restraint. and lost themselves in tn,
woods iii search of independence.
Are there any who doubt mans ca
pacity for self government? Says
Bancroft: Let them study the his
tory of North Carolina. It's inhabi
tants were restless and turbulent il
their imperfect submission to a gov
eminent imposed on them from
abroad. The administration of TIN
colony was firm, humane and tran
quill, when they were left to take carr
of themselves. Any government bu
one of their own institution WAS OPP
pressive' Living far removed from
contact with the government whicl
sought to rule them, freed from thu
Establishments of power, disciplined
in frugality and patient of toll, it il
no wonder that our North Caroline
ancestors resisted to the utmost tn,
tyranny of provincial and cOlOnia
rule. They were in constant warfar
with their governors. and repeated,
turned them out of the province
When the struggle with Great Brit
ian came North Carolina was in tn
front.
LET me briefly give you two shOr
pages of history. The first shall b.
devoted to Massachusetts and i
taken from Bancroft
"'On the 10th day of December
1878, the men of Boston assembled
in the Old South Church They re
manned in session until after dark
The church in WHICH they met wa
dimly lighted At a quarter before
Rotch appeared and satisfied the-peo
pls by relating that the Governo
had refused him pass because hi
ship was not properly cleared. A
soon as he had finished his repor
Samuel Adams rose and gave tn
word, This meeting can do nothin!
more to save the country. On tn
, instant a shout was heard on tn
porch. The warwhoop. A body Q
men, forty or fifty in number, dis
guised as Indians. passed by the door
repaired to Griffin's wharf, poste,
guards to prevent the intrusion c
, spies, took possession of the tire
tea ships, and in about three hour
oil the tea was emptied into the bay
This is the account of the great Bos
ton Tea Party. 1t is world famous
Daniel Webster in his reply to Hayne
thinking of this great transactio
among Others, says: L shall pre-
nounce no eulogium on Massachu
sets. She needs none. There sh
l stands; behold her and Judge 10
yourself
Now let us look at the otherpage
taken from a speech of Hon. Georg
Davis: On the 9th day of January
1866, the sloop of war Diligence al
rived in the Cape Fear, bringing tn
r stamps. She floats gaily up tn