The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14

Also. "A charge delivered to the grand
Jury of the District of North
Carolina, in the Circuit Court of the
United States. held for the said State
az Wake court house, June I'd, 1874. by
James 1redell. one Of the Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court OF the
United States" Documents signed by
George Washington, Edmond Ran
dolph, Napoleon Bonaparte, Anthony
Wayne Henry Knox. John Jay and
Lord Greenyille appear in this file.
Probably two OF the most remark
able and useful men who ever lived
in this State were Francis Xavier
Martin, native Of France, ana
Joseph Gales, ST., a native of England.
Mr. Martin was born in France IN
1864, and died in New Orleans IN lS4o.
He settled in New Bern in 1885, and
for while taught the French Ian
g-uage. He learned printing, establish
ed a newspaper, and published school
books. almanacs and TRANSACTIONS OF
French works. In 1889 he was admit
ted to the bar, of which he soon be-
came leading member. He prepared
and published treaties on the duties
of sheriffs and other officers. made
digest of the laws of the State, and
reported the decisions Of the Confer
ence courts, all the While pursuing his
Il
He was appointed by Mr.. Madison
a Judge of the Federal Court for
Mississippi Territory, was transferred
thence to the Federal bench in New
Orleans and afterwards served thirty
two wears on the Supreme Court
bench of Louisiana. BY ENGRAVING
certain principles of the common law
upon the system of civil law then in
use in that State, and by his rare
IL 1lxy 1,n
uuired the title of Father of Jurspru
dence of Louisiana. He received the
degree of Doctor of Laws from Har
ward College and Nashville University.
He was worth one million dollars at
his death. His laborS in North Caro-
lima as printer. editor, collator, re-
porter, eSSayiSt, and the variety OF
books and pamphlets which he pub
lished. cannot be overestimated IL
their importance and value.
Mr.. Martin was a favorite with Mr.
Castor and the leading families OF
New Bern. and was universally es-
teemed. 1t was related of him that
while he kept bachelors hall in his
small house and printing Office he
gave a party. to which he invited all
his friends. And they came, filling his
house. his office, his dining room, the
upstairs. the front ward, the back yard.
until, overwhelmed with their kind
ness. he went to Mr.. CASTOR, rubbed
his hands together as was his wont,
and exclaimed: Mr.. CASTOR, vat sal
1 do? Mr.. Castor dev all comet" Mr..
CASTOR relieved the little big-hearted
man, whom all the people loved, by
requesting the family living opposite
to him to open their palatial mansion
to his GUESTS. The request was graci-
-ously complied With, and Xavier's
party was a happy one. and for a Ions
time the talk of the town.
Joseph Gales, ST., was originally a
printer and II bookseller at Sheffield,
England. where he founded and pub
lished the Sheffield Register" He
was born in 1860 and died in Raleigh
August Gath, 1S41. AS the editor of
the Register" he warmly espoused
the cause of liberty. The principles
of the French Revolution were con-
vulsing Europe. and Mr.. Gales, proba-
bly, with more zeal than prudence. was
so Outspoken in his support of these
principles that he was in danger of
arrest and Imprisonment by the Brit
sh government. Whereupon, in 1894,
he left England with his family and
came to the United States in 1895, hav-
ing spent some months on his way at
Hamburg, Germany. After residing
for four years in Philadelphia, dur
ing which he carried on the printing
business, he was induced by Mr. Macon
and other friends to transfer his es-
Enlistment to Raleigh, where, on the
22nd of October, 1899, he established
the Raleigh Register"
[ have in my possession the first
volume of this ~aDer, running two
years from the first number inclusive.
/ also have a copy of the Sheffield
iris formerly the Register with
the motto from Cowper, adopted by
both papers:
"Ours are the plans of fair delightful
peace,
Unwarped by party rage, to live like
brothers"
Mr.. Gales was succeeded in Shelf
field by James Montgomery, the poet,
who had been reared in his family, and
this copy of the Iris bears his inn
print.
The influence of the ''Raleigh Reg
ister'' in the hands of Joseph Gales,
and under the conduct of his son,
Weston r. Gales, and of his grandson,
Seaton Gales, was potent in shaping
! the politics and character of our
State. The Register" was always on
the side of law, order and good morals
Like the ''Intelligencer, at Washing
ton, established by his eldest son.
Joseph Gales, Jr., and conducted for
so many years by Gales S& Seaton, the
latter one of the SOnS-in-law of Joseph
Gales. ST., the Register did not
TEEN with editorials, especially while
in the hands of the Senior Gales. The
seniors among us will recollect that
the "Intelligencer" spoke to the coun-
| try not oftener than once a week, but
when it did speak, in support of or in
/ defence of it's principles, it was witt
such fullness, discrimination and pow
er that the whole country was moved
/ and impressed.
Edward j. Hale, Sr. Esq, who wa:
! reared as a printer in the Register
| office and was a member many years
| of Mr. Gales family, in a recent let.
| ter to me says:
"The feeling in regard to editorials
/ in that day was we'll expressed by
that eminent lawyer, Peter Browne
who complimented me for good sense
| half a score of wears later, in giving
the news and escheWing editorials
I am sure / will be pardoned fol
making further extracts from Mr.
Hale's letter He says:
Mr.. Gales was a man of untirins
Industry. Besides editing the REG.
ister'' he kept all his accounts. made
out all bills, gave receipts and con
l,,otad hook store. He was also 2