The news & observer., 1905-10-19

in the winter OF 1864 to send to
Governor Seymour, of New York,
$4,000 with which to clothe North
Carolina soldiers in Northern prisons
And, above all, he helped to send
the Confederate armies, especially to
the army of Northern Virginia, more
of the best equipped and best dis
ciplined troops than did any other
State of the South. These men con-
stituted the bulwark of that army,
which was never broken in battle, that
for three years and more, by the flash
from its musketry was a sheet of
flame encircling the Northern borders
of the Confederacy and consuming
like stubble fresh armies and
fresh generals of its enemy, and twice
bursting the bounds Of it's territory
eaped into the heart of its enemy's
country; and that made immortal al
most every hill and dale of the Old
dominion and electrified the civilized
world with its deeds of valor.
His public record and services since
The war l have not time to dwell upon.
Ehey are comparatively fresh in
Tour minds. His election in 1876,
over his opponent. the Honorable
Thomas Settle, to the office of Cover
nor was probably the greatest triumph
# his life, and marked the end OF the
taSt dying government under recon-
7truction. His career in the United
States Senate from March, 1879. un-
til his death, a period of fifteen years,
was a truly remarkable one. He be-
came wise statesman. Versed in ma
tonal and International affairs. His
speeches on the currency and the
tariff were the ablest delivered on his
side. His knowledge was not confined
to craftsmanship. He grew to be Of
excellent literary culture. He was
strong and practical, combining with
1t a sense of Infinite Jest, of most ex-
cellent fancy
Freedom Of action and thought, and
independence in all his expressions
characterized his whole life. Timidity
found no place in his deliberations.
His training. though largely that Of
self instruction, developed him into an
orator and n teacher of men, He
had a splendid physique and clear and
resonant voice and that, with his
scintillating wit, his honest, earnest
manner his familiarity with the ques-
tions of the day and his marked re-
spect for his audiences, and his splen-
did personal character gave him un-
divided attention and grappled men
to him with "hooks of steel" He
trusted in himself and always believed
What he said was true. He was ready
to risk place and fortune and sacred
honor upon the integrity of his side of
the issue.
His character was a simple one:
there never was a sincerer life nor a
more honest purpose to serve his fell
low man; there never was a public
man with as little guile, there never
was man whose heart and soul and
life were more open and in the lam
guage Of anQther he had the tongue
Of an orator. the heart of a patriot.
the mind of a statesman and the soul
IF a poet
can do no better than to close
these remarks with an extract or two
from the eulogium pronounced i'm the
senate by his colleague, General Ran
som. 'In the brief summary in the
directory is embraced n great life
county attorney, member of the State
House of Commons, Representative in
Wo Congresses; captain and colonel
n the Southern army; three times
.lected governor Of his State, and four
lines elected to the Senate of the
United States What a record and
What a combination! A great states
nan, a good soldier a rare scholar, a
uccessful lawyer, an orator of sur