The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-10-13

preparing himself Tor the greater ca.
1eer which lay before him. During
that period he had held Office as
Attorney General and member of the
legislature. Already he was looked
upon as arising man in the Democrat
ic party.
Juue 3rd 1861, he was elected Lieut..
Col. of the first regiment of North
Carolina infantry. Later he became
c lionel of the Both regiment then
Brigadier General and acting Major
General. To this last named Office he
would have been promoted If the war
had lasted little longer. 1t is remar-
kable that, entering the army at the
age of thirty-fve without military
training or experienc, he should have
been able to pass through many OF the
fiercest battles OF the war, proving
himself equal to every occasion and
Getting every demand that was made
vi on him, He easily takes rank with
tie best officers that North Carolina
furnished to the armies Of the South ::
men like Fender and Pettlgrew,
Ramsour and Hoke.
To assure ones self Of this he needs
OuIy to run over the names of some of
the battles through which he had led
his command with great distinction !;
the seven days fights around Rich
mond, :Sharpsburg, the Crater, Five
Forks, Hare's Hill, Plymouth and SUI
folk. He had the qualities which
achieve success not only in war but also
in every other department of life !;
quick perception of the thing which
needs to be done with the measures
al.d men to accomplish it, promptness
to execute and courage and persistence
in carrying forward an enterprise when
orce undertaken. Added to this, he
had the confidence and love of every
maa OF his command. In every part
OF the State I have met old soldiers
VINO fought under him and they did
net tire Of telling the great and good
qualities Of their old commander And
while the State grieves oyer the loss of
her greatest son, the keenest sorrow
VIII be felt by those who followed hun
Oh the march or through the storm of
battle.
From Appomattox he returned to
his home in Northampton, with moth
lng left but his land, and his abound
ing hopefulness. His farm and his
law practice kept him busy but he
still had his mind open to the dangers
which threatened his native State all
through that dreadful period. More
ard more the people came to trust
him as a wise counsellor and a safe
lie ader. Of that time ! can not speak
il detail. By 1872 the minds of the
people were turned to him as their rep
re sentative In the Senate of the United
States and he held this high office for
twenty-thres years. In this wider
field of action with larger responslbili-
ties and greater opportunities he man.
tested the same discernment and wis
d';m which had marked him in every
station. He decided that the true pol
icy OF the Southern Senators was to
conciliate the members of the other
party. In this policy speech-making had
small place. Vigilance, tirmness and
patience were the weapons to BE- used.
To this line of action be adhered to
the end. His policy was enforced by
another consideration, his own health.
Al the close OF his only great speech In
the Senate-chamber he fell as if dead.
1t was the first attack of the disease
which finally carried him off. His
lifs was prolonged onty by the greatest
p. u 1ence Ia his personal habits Time
has Justified the wisdom OF bis course
His term in the United States Senate
ended and his two years of service az
to Mexico, he returned to
bis home In Northampton aud aban-
donlng the practice Of the law, devoted
himself to his farms with as much zest
and as great success as /: he had been
only farmer all the days OF his life.
In the greatness and variety OF his
gifts and accomplishments and his
in diverse fields of action
there is no other son of North Carolina
who can be likened unto him. He
might be likened to Caswell in the
grace and ease with which he mastered
assemblies. But the comparison can 20
no further. He was like Willie Jones
In his power to move men by personal
contact, but there the likeness ends.
AS an orator of the Ciceronian type he
surpassed George Davis and Henry w.
Miller. And we might go on through
the annals OF the commonwealth and
our search would be in vain. He has
been called "the last of the Romans"
but he was larger and loitier type of
man than the old Senator of whom
the words we're first spoken. He was
the best truitage OF the best ciyiliza-
ton that the world has ever seen, the
Old South; the wise and incoruptible
Statesman, the matchless orator, the
great leader OF men, the Southern gen.
t!eman. }. D. HUFHAM.
SOME SEASONABLE ADVICE.