The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-24

tellgence of It's people, and one section
mad long been famous Tor It's very hlqh
cNlllzauUn. lion. George Davis tod me
III 1916, mat he spent IN the thlr,les :;
SIX weeks vacation in the ''Nunbush see.
uoh anu lie salu That 1t was 'Ine nIyn.
est clVillzat4on ne mad ever inown.' ne
Granville Bar was unrlValled | in tacI
WAS Inc foremost an III NORM Caronua
more, and continued to nolu that rank
unul 1890 on even later. when eulLlng
our Living ana Cur DEAD the wa
magazine owned by Col. stephen IL.
POOL, / induced my OLD friend. the late
distinguished and many-sided Hon. Abram
W. VenaD.e 10 prepare for publication
HIS reco1ection OF the granville Bar in
1919, Wnen lie nlst came To that county
iroII Plnce Edward county, Va, ana set.
tled III Granville. MI. Venable was then
Well-nIgh seVenty-five or SIX, ana was 50
laislca ne cOu.u not write. lie got his
GRANDSON, named after nm, Abram, d
young man OF clever parts, ana my own
.ISuIy esteemed nephew, VINO ''periSned
in his prime, to act as his amanuenses.
4ne article was prepared ana published
/ supplemented lC with an estlmaJe or
lemlnIScence OF some twenty-five years
IuIer. rne two short articles show now
abe ana almost incompatible was the
bar then. Mr.. Nenable says that at the
me n mist knew It the supreme Court
OF the United states coulu have been
southern from it's members. Mar Wiley
came IN contact with such gltled, emf
nent lawyers at the beginning, ana lived
IN the midst OF the superior civilization
all about him, and TO which he had
ready access as / Know. / was just
twelve years OF age when the young law
yer appeared. His office was only little
way IRON my fathers residence, just III
the centre Of the village. l saw him often,
and / was fortunate in becoming a spe-
cial faVorite OF his, and the friendship
then formed continued unbroken so long
as he lived / was fonder of him than OF
any other man older by some nine years
than / was He was very genial. sympa'
thetc full of bOnhommle, epJoyed lite
and impaired it to others. He became
much OF a favorite with the leading peo-
pie around him, and twice as | distinctly
rememer, he selected and he delivered
orations on Fourth of July. They were
remarkably clever and entertaining, out
of the common, splced inevitably with
fun and wit. / recall that he, about 1S43
and 1874, wrote two comedies or tarccs
for the Thcspian Society, in which | had
the distinguished honor Of being one Of
the girls appearing once as u female
character in full dress. 1t was Miss
Hardcastel" in Goldsmith's admirable, de-
hcious comedy-"She Stops to Conquer
Mr. Wiley was successful in his plays
which were acted. One was Great Cry
and Little WOOL; or Tempest in a Tea
pot The name of tie other escapes me
now in old age. In 1916, Mr.. Wiley was
in Raleigh during the session OF the Leg
islature, trying to arouse interest in be-
half of public education. / easily recall
his visit as | was then a cadet at Love
joys Military Academy, and remember
calling upon him at his room. 1t was
through his earnest, his very extraordi
nary efforts long repeated that the com
mon schools of the State became an es-
tablishcd fact. In 1852, he was appoint
cd the first Superintendent OF Public In
struction that the State ever had. Then
began a new era in education, the result
of the inspiration of this gifted and true
friend. He served until 1865. when the
North in its insolence and stupidity of
power withdrew the State government,
and enthroncd vice. ignorance ard vo-
lencc. For many years Mr Wiley served
MS agent for the American Bible Society,
and did the work wisely and efficiently
He had entered the Presbyterian minis
try before, received later the degree Of
Doctor of Divinity, and lived and died